Incredible Journey to Hell and Back

                         

                          Incredible Journey to Hell and Back

      This is the testimony of Athet Pyan Shinthaw Paulu, a Buddhist monk, who experienced death and being in hell, where he learned that deliverance from hell could only come from faith in Jesus(Yeshua) the Messiah and trusting and following Him. Athet came back to life and made a complete turn-around in his life, abandoning Buddhism and committing His life to Jesus. The information comes from the following web addresses:

This is a written testimony of Athet's personal experience:
http://bibleprobe.com/backfromthedead.htm

This is a youtube video describing Athet's personal experience:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyTFtSl0IoI&feature=share

      Athet Pyan Shinthaw Paulu was born in 1958 in Bogale, Myanmar on the Irrawaddy Delta area of southern Myanmar (formerly Burma). His parents, being devout Buddhists, sent Athet, at the age of 18, to be a monk in a Buddhist monastery. It was a great honor to have a son serve in this way, and it is a custom that was observed for hundreds of years.
      At age 19, 3 months, Athet became a normal monk and was given a new name "U Nata Pannita Ashinthuriya". The name of the monastery was Mandalay Kyaikasan Kyaing. The senior monk, who gave him the new name was "U Zadila Kyar Ni Kan Sayadaw" , the most famous Buddhist monk in all of Myanmar at the time.
      Athet worked hard at being the best monk he could be, at one time living in a cemetery to meditate continually, seeking to deny every selfish thought and desire. For years, he strove in this way, trying not to harm any living being, including mosquitoes, that landed on him to bite. He studied Buddhist teachings.
      However, in Mandalay, he became very sick and was treated in the hospital, being told he had both yellow fever and malaria, at the same time. Doctors told him that he had no chance of recovery, and sent him back to the monastery, where other monks cared for him. He grew weaker and weaker and lapsed into unconsciousness. He later learned that he actually died for three days, his body decaying, having the stench of death and his heart having stopped beating. His body was prepared for cremation and put through the traditional Buddhist purification rites.
      Although his body had died, his mind and spirit were apparently fully alert, in a terrible storm. He was on a spiritual journey, where a terrible wind flattened the landscape, into a plain. He was all alone, crossing the plain, until he crossed a river. When he crossed the river, he saw a terrible lake of fire. In Buddhism, there is no concept of a place, such as that. Therefore, he was confused, until he saw Yama, the king of hell (Yama is the King of Hell in Asian cultures).
      He then saw a famous Buddhist monk, who had died in 1983 in a car accident. When he asked why this man, who had been such a good teacher, was in such a place, he was told that this Buddhist teacher was very good, but he did not believe in Jesus the Messiah, so that is why he was in hell..
      Then, he saw Gautama, Buddha, there as well, and he was very distressed to see him in hell, as he had such good ethics and good moral character. The king of hell told him that it did not matter how good he was, because he did not believe in the Eternal God. Athet also saw Goliath, but he did not know who Goliath was, since he was not familiar with the history of the battle between David and Goliath in the Christian and Jewish Bible.
      Athet saw other visions, during this time, and then Peter, who was one of Jesus (Yeshua's) disciples, instructed Athet to go back, and testify to Buddhist people that Jesus is the only Messiah and way of salvation. So, Athet came to life, just as his body was about to be sent for cremation. He heard his mother cry out, "My son, why did you leave us now?" and heard people weeping. He was in a box and it started to move, because they were about to cremate him. He sat upright and many people were filled with terror and cried out, "It is a ghost!" They ran away in terror. He noticed that he was sitting in smelly liquid and body fluids, 3 1/2 cups worth, that had emitted from his body, as happens after death.
      Athet has remained a faithful witness to Jesus Christ (Yeshua the Messiah). Burmese pastors have said that he led hundreds of other monks to faith in Jesus, and has an uncompromising testimony. His message has also offended many people, who can't accept that there is only One Way to Heaven, the Lord Jesus Christ (Yeshua the Messiah). He also began distributing audio and video cassette tapes with his story, which were given at the beginning of this article. The police and Buddhist authorities in Myanmar have tried to gather the tapes and destroy them. His testimony had caused him to be put in prison, but the authorities failed to silence him.

      This following link gives the surprising admission by Buddha, himself, that there was no way to atone for sin and also Buddha gave a prophecy to look for a Holy One to bring salvation, that fits the description of Jesus (Yeshua) the Messiah:
http://www.bibleprobe.com/buddhatoldofjesus.htm