5693.Purgings, what they are and what they are like there
Those who have led an evil life in the world are all purged as to truths and with the result that eventually nothing but evil and its falsity remains, so that it gravitates into hell. This goes on continuously from the time when a person like this first comes into the other life, and it happens in various ways depending on the particular evil and the nature acquired from it. Sometimes it goes on for up to 50 years, for some more quickly for some more slowly, and meanwhile they are performing a use by [bringing] on temptations with those who are good and by their being with people on earth. They have communication with the hells, and from these there is an inflow. Rarely is anyone called up from the hells. When they are called, it happens by permission for various reasons, but still they fall back of themselves.
5693. WHAT, AND OF WHAT SORT, VASTATIONS, THERE, ARE.
All those who led an evil life in the world, are vastated as to truths, and at length to such a degree that nothing remains except evil and its falsity; and thus the vastated one gravitates to hell. This continues, uninterruptedly, from the first moment when such a one comes into the other life; and thus variously, according to everyone's evil and the nature thence acquired. It lasts sometimes for years, even as many as fifty, 1some more quickly, some more slowly; and, meanwhile, they perform a use by being the means of temptations with the good, and by being with men. They have communication with the hells, and influx takes place thence. Some, indeed, are called forth from the hells. When they are called forth, it happens by permission, and for various reasons: but, still, they fall back of their own accord.
Footnotes:
1. This was written in 1757, the year of the Last Judgment - see n, 5699, below. Since that event, the period of vastation never exceeds twenty years (AR 866). -TR.
5693. Vastationes quid et quales ibi
Qui malam vitam egerunt in mundo, illi omnes vastantur quoad vera, et tandem ut non maneat nisi malum et ejus falsum, et sic gravitat in infernum, hoc perstat continue a primo tempore quum talis in alteram vitam venit, et hoc varie secundum cujusdam malum et inde tractam naturam, perstat hoc quandoque per annos usque ad 50, quidam citius quidam lentius, ac interea usum faciunt per tentationes apud bonos, et [per id] quod sint apud homines, communicationem habent cum infernis, et inde fit influxus, raro aliqui evocantur ex infernis, quum evocantur fit cum permissione ob varias causas, sed usque ex se relabuntur.