就是明天！七月七魁星爺聖誕，求功名利祿、考試學業
明天就是浪漫七夕也是魁星爺誕辰，不僅要求得好姻緣；在學、在職中的小伙伴，別忘了向魁星爺祈求學業順利、事業旗開得勝喔。把握這天為自己求功名利祿、考試學業，讓你桃花功名兩得意。

【魁星爺生日】
農曆七月初七，除了是浪漫情七夕外，也是魁星爺誕辰，魁星是讀書人所崇拜的神明，主文事丶掌考運，想求功名的人，都可以向魁星爺求得好運！

【魁星由來】
魁星，又名魁星爺丶大魁夫子丶大魁星君，是在學者的守護神，五文昌神之一，被認為是主宰文運之神。凡參加考試者，無不尊敬。因此「魁星踢鬥圖」被視為吉祥物品，畫魁星需要選在農曆文昌日，以新春開筆及農曆七初七魁星誕辰最為靈驗，原則上懸掛「魁星踢鬥圖」沒有方位的限制，可懸掛在學子的書桌丶公司辦公桌的後牆，有開智慧丶學業進步丶金榜題名之功效。
可直接保存下方『魁星踢鬥』圖，幫助自己的考運提升！魁星爺是考生的守護神，與文昌帝君齊名，在考試排名方面，特別有幫助。

【傳統祭拜】
在農曆七月七日這天，如果能到廟裡祭拜，可以準備壽桃丶壽麵丶水果丶鮮花或蔥(聰明)丶芹菜(勤勞)丶粽子(高中)，還可以將蠟燭點在按桌上，這樣有開啟光明之路之意。祭拜口訣：禀明「自己的姓名、住處，所求何事，今日來向您祝壽，希望您保佑考試順利丶事業亨通」。
若無法到廟裡祭拜，也可在當天端詳手機中的『魁星踢鬥圖』，心中默禱，許下心願祈禱可以課業丶事業功名「一舉奪魁」丶「獨占鰲頭」。

【針對考試的開運秘法】
1丶靈圖開運法：
可使用『魁星踢鬥』或『文昌帝君』靈圖！為自己加強考運！魁星爺是考生守護神，和文昌帝君齊名，在考試排名方面，特別的有幫助。
2、佩帶紫水晶或魁星踢鬥手鍊增加考運：
【紫水晶】可幫助人在思考時達到精神集中，提升腦筋活力。可以增加智慧丶使得考運亨通丶提高工作的能力，還能幫助思考丶增強腦細胞活力；也可以消除失眠，加強睡眠品質。
魁星踢鬥，是根據北斗七星佈局而設計的，古代稱北斗七星為「帝王之星」，它掌管福禍吉凶。手鍊上的鈦晶招財，青金石能避邪，助於舒緩情緒，讓頭腦清醒，天河石有助於溝通，珍珠招貴人與桃花，搭配銀質幸福星，更有開運能量。
3丶臥室開運：
在臥室門牆上，左右各掛上九條九寸（27.5cm）的紅線
掛上紅線可對應到『山天大畜卦』使你聚集能量和智慧，每掛上一條時，就在心裡默念六字大明咒『唵嘛呢吧彌吽』，再冥想『準備的都考出來』，剩下的就是靜心準備。佈置方式如下圖。

【拜拜的開運法】
拜對文昌帝君，包你考運亨通
文昌帝君是讀書人的守護神，祭拜文昌帝君，多以生菜為主，每個祭品都有不同的意義。而祭拜過後的供品，可料理後讓考生吃，吃加持的食物，可讓考運更旺。另外，要注意不要拜鴨蛋或丸子等圓形食物，因為象徵零分，下列供品回家後，烹煮時別與圓形食材一起煮，一樣會有反效果。
蔥【聰明、智慧】
芹菜【勤學】
竹筍【考試順利】
蘿蔔【拔得好彩頭】
粽子【包中】
鳳梨【考運旺】

【懶人開運法】
進考場先跨左腳
古人云男左女右，或者左青龍右白虎。左邊在風水上具有正統主導的地位，進考場時若能先踏左腳，表示佔盡上風，可以搶得先機。

世界旅行中最天大的笑話
超級無敵蠢無敵活該的故事

兩個人活該沒有做好功課的下場。

旅行到現在，
我們總是走隨性路線，
每次人家問我們
［到達下個國家去哪？］
我們總說：
［不知道欸！我們都到達那個國家才開始做功課找資訊。］

我們喜歡這樣的旅行方式，
因為計劃總是趕不上變化。

這次得到一個非常大的教訓！
超級好笑的教訓
雖然說出來很丟臉！很活該。
愚蠢到太值得分享了

事情是這樣的：
我們在蘇丹要前往埃及前，
完全沒有研究旅遊資訊
一心只研究怎麼走陸路到埃及。
跟之前每個國家一樣
抱著［到了該國家再查景點吧！］的心情。
所以我們一路從蘇丹走陸路入境埃及
一整天從早到晚
搭著渡輪到了阿布辛貝港口
再搭巴士到了亞斯文，此刻已經晚上。
［到開羅嗎？等等凌晨12點有夜巴］
我們開心的買了票，想說：
好欸！不用停在亞斯文小鎮過夜。
可以直達到開羅首都真順利！
就能換錢、辦網路卡、研究景點了！

搭了夜巴直接睡了15個小時
890公里的路程，到達了開羅。

到了開羅，開始研究景點。
我們整個傻、眼、了。
我們超級想去的《阿布辛貝神殿》
它就在我們從蘇丹搭渡輪時
所到達的埃及阿布辛貝港口....
是的，前一天我們下船的地方，
它就在旁邊.....。
然後我們直接經過它北上了......
甚至想去的許多景點，
都是要從亞斯文出發或是順路北上。
是的，就是我們有眼不識泰山，
當天晚上直接搭夜巴離開的那個小鎮
亞斯文......
然後我們直接北上了....
我們就這樣完全直接穿越這些景點
直接到達了首都開羅.....

［太愚蠢了！！！！！！］
我們倆個看著地圖大叫。

我們本來走蘇丹陸路
是最優勢最方便順路慢慢玩上去的！
因為大家都是搭飛機到達開羅，
還要特地奔波南下1000多公里
再花1000多公里返回開羅。
為了到達那些景點。
然後就因為我們活該完全沒先做功課
錯失了超級順路的一切

我們開始崩潰大叫氣自己
但是沒多久又倆個人笑出來
因為真的太愚蠢了⋯⋯

於是很掙扎到底要不要再下去...
畢竟要多花很多錢、很多時間再南下
結束之後再北上...
來回是2000多公里的路程...
加上轉車等等起碼要多花很多時間。

所以我們決定.........

《不管了！再下去一次好了！》

有些事情現在不做，
以後可能不會做了。

埃及神廟這次不去
以後也不一定有機會去。

所以我們決定再下去一次.....。

即使
多花了可能1.2千元...
多坐了2千公里的車...
多浪費了2-4天時間...
還是衝一波！！
以免自己會有遺憾。

這個真的太糗太蠢了
也是一個很大的教訓
旅行可以隨性
但是還是要事先有基本計劃比較好
否則就會像我們這樣
損失慘重
這次我們也覺得學到了一課
經過這次以後必須要認真點才行

雖然當下真的覺得很可惜很懊惱
很後悔很沮喪很可恨

但是以後回想起來
也是一段很有趣的經歷
未來可以講出來讓大家笑一笑...

因為我想
應該不會有哪個人出來旅行
會像我們一樣犯這種誇張的錯誤

我相信大家都很認真規劃自己旅行的
不像我們...
要
檢
討
！

果然
《阿布辛貝神廟》
真的沒讓我們失望
更慶幸我們有為了這裡再特地下來
它榮登埃及我們的最愛遺跡
最遠、交通麻煩、門票又貴，
卻有許多人仍然來這朝聖，
它的魅力真的值得。

勞頓奔波
到阿布辛貝已經晚上10點，
阿布辛貝神廟是早上5點開門，
能入場看日出。
阿布辛貝的住宿都不便宜，
加上我們怕住宿太舒服爬不起來
所以直接睡在一個理事館外面，
非常安靜又安全，
只是晚上被冷醒
清晨鬧鐘響，
我們成了第一個走到大雕像面前的人，
無法形容現場的感動，
天空漸漸亮起，
許多團客在導遊帶領下觀看日出，
我們就這樣獨享了整個神廟，
太陽升起，神像也被照亮，
只能不斷讚嘆這3千年前的藝術....

我們好好享受時光後，
開始大量遊客湧進，
我們心滿意足要離開前，
遇到一團中國團客，馬上跟著他們走，
聽了一整段的中文導覽！
了解整個文化歷史故事之後，
神廟更有魅力了，真的是非常幸運。

現在的阿布辛貝神廟內部
也能手機免費拍照，
但相機一台要收費300埃鎊。

門口有個管理員他負責掌管
［生命之鑰］，
鑰匙長這樣［♀］
古埃及文字代表-生命的鑰匙，
上面圓圈代表太陽、十字代表尼羅河
這一切則代表永生。
管理員在的時候會插在門孔，
離開時會帶走他怕被偷。
據說它重達2公斤，
但你一旦拿了他拍照，
你就準備掏錢了
我們眼睜睜看著很多外國客傻傻不知道
就被他推薦下拿了拍照，
然後就開始上演討錢價格談不攏的戲碼
我們沒有拍鑰匙，
不想跟他引起討錢戲碼
可以自己上網搜尋生命之鑰照片。

離開神廟之後，
我們到了解說中心
看了百年前的黑白記錄片，
紀錄發現神廟以及如何切割搬運的過程，
看了真的只能讚嘆。

如果你說，埃及哪裡必去？

我會說，
如果你有時間的話，
一定要來到阿布辛貝神廟。

——————————————————————
關於阿布辛貝：
據說有位小男孩
指引一位探險家而發現了這個神廟，
而當時這個廟並沒有名字，
於是就以小男孩的名字
命名為Abu simbel 阿布辛貝神廟。
這個神廟一直長期的被沙漠淹沒，
來來去去有許多探險家考古家
挖掘開拓之後，沒多久又被沙塵埋藏。

直到後來因為怕這個神廟
會因為要興建水壩，
尼羅河水位上升而被淹沒，
為了保護古蹟，發動各地捐款，
將它全部挖出來，
用人工方式鋸成一塊塊大岩石，
往上搬移後重新組合。

阿布辛貝是拉美西斯二世的作品，
他統治了古埃及67年，活到94歲。
會選擇尼羅河崖邊建造
是因為不論運輸、軍隊船隻
都會經過這裡，
因此拉美西斯二世的雕像
就像看著他們，宣示國威。

這個神廟就是拉美西斯二世為主題，
而古埃及深信，
只有國王懂得跟神溝通，
平民只能敬拜國王回報國王，
再由國王當媒介敬拜神明。

所以神廟內部主題
題，分成三個部分：人、媒介、神。

☀️神廟外的人像雕像☀️
代表他身為國王的樣子坐在王位。

☀️中間廳的媒介雕像☀️
代表他是人與神的結合化身。

☀️最深的神化雕像☀️
代表他就是神，與其他神平起平坐。

神廟裡的壁畫
都描述著打仗跟敬拜神的圖像。
而其中右手邊打仗壁畫
是真的有這場古代戰爭的紀錄。
左手邊的打仗壁畫
則只是一個想像出來的樣子，
代表法老王打擊宇宙萬惡的意思。

最最最最猛的來了....
神廟最深處的四個雕像。
左到右分別是
冥界神、阿蒙神、拉美西斯二世、太陽神。
3300多年前的他們，
竟然精確的計算出日照角度，
在每年的
2/21（拉美西斯的生日）
10/21（拉美西斯的登基日）
這兩天，
陽光會從神廟的門口
直照到最深處的神像，
而最左邊的冥界之神代表黑暗，
所以不會被照到。
幾千年前竟然能如此精算...
但之後神廟搬家時，
大家運用最先進的測算方式，
仍然不敵古人
計算失誤，最後則往後推一天，
變成每年的2/22及10/22會照射進去。

而阿布辛貝其實是一對夫妻廟，
在旁邊的小神廟是娜芙塔莉神殿，
是拉美西斯二世的妻子，
他深愛著他的妻子，
小神廟裡面的皇后藉由壁畫及雕像
被朔造成老鷹太陽神的妻子樣子
（而拉美西斯則自己稱為太陽神）。
從壁畫中也能感受到在他心中
妻子是非常美麗崇高的。
兩個廟都非常的壯觀非常迷人。
尤其裡面的壁畫風格
更比之前看得神廟更為霸氣。

2019/9/18 埃及

「地獄空」攝影集即將在八月中元節前出版，由知名設計師與攝影家黃子欽設計，內附在下二位高徒精美繪製符咒、心經版畫書籤、愣嚴咒牌、尊勝咒語...等，感恩十方大德助印，希望疫情退散，平安喜樂，後記如下：

野放台灣五十餘年，貪狼獨坐，三方四正殺破狼格局，少年多舛，白手起家，隨展覽雲遊四海，如閒雲野鶴常持各類底片機流連廢墟、山川、宮廟忘返，遂設幻影堂自詡堂主，一日三省「凡所有相皆是虛妄」，常宅於暗房沖片放大通宵、鍾情黑白世界之單純，彩色照片俗世繽紛花俏做作甜美甚至比現實更現實故少拍也。知天命之年有餘，了悟人生一瞬、眨眼即逝，雖非仙人，亦無道骨，初聞離垢地生清淨心，但離華嚴「不動地」尚遠，待修持也。
2017年盛暑拍畢《巨神連線》，心律不整差點心肌梗塞向閻羅王報到，意識死神隨伺在側，人生苦短，如何了生脫死、盡斷煩惱、無所罣礙、遠離顛倒……總不得解，蒙釋迦摩尼佛開示飆淚三晝夜，聞佛法數載始知自我渺如塵埃，甚感慚愧。閒暇乃參訪名寺古剎，禮敬焚香佛陀菩薩羅漢諸神天仙王爺媽娘，台灣宮廟千奇百怪、宗派錯綜複雜（佛教、道教、一貫道、天主教、基督教、齋教、回教＆大同教、儒教鑾堂、天帝教＆天德教、慈惠堂＆勝安宮、軒轅教、道院、理教、萬國道德會、會靈山……）、神棍橫行（依人不依法、偶像崇拜、斂財、邪淫），因歷史變遷、社會動盪、政治鬥爭、意識形態等因素導致佛道混雜，但地獄造景稀少，後專注拍攝各殿閻王、判官、陰司、獄卒、七爺、八爺乃至一切罪人，各寺造景巧妙、耐人尋味，意境乖張溢於言表，造型扭曲非常人所能塑也，然匠心獨運、自成一格，專研西方藝術數十載方知真誠樸拙最美，絲毫不輸喬托（Giotto di Bondone，1267～1337）乃至米開朗基羅（Michelangelo Di lodovico Buonarroti Simoni 1475 ~ 1564）矣。

創立於1986年的石門金剛宮風景優美可眺望北濱，雖主祀四面佛，儒釋道眾神尊也不含糊，可過七星橋解厄、繞行五百黝黑羅漢敲鑼印心、跪拜亞洲最大臥佛涅槃像，安太歲自不在話下，甲子太歲爺雙眼長出手掌印象甚深，1994年經閻羅王指示廟公建造一條肚內設極樂世界及陰曹地府之神龍，行走暗黑通道觸動感應機關，只見面容猙獰受刑者呼天搶地喊冤、身邊盡是血肉糢糊殘肢敗屍腦漿塗地，十殿閻羅各司其職、威儀攝人。新北市林口區青嶺湖北文紫祥宮包公廟則以壁面彩塑地獄浮雕獨步全台，粉嫩色彩搭配卡漫風格，尤為造型簡直恐怖到可愛透頂，該廟主祀森羅殿閻羅天子包拯（包青天），陽世冤屈者可至此參拜祭解，求破懸案者眾，逢中元普渡皆以紙紮船渡亡魂至彼岸，全台唯一閻羅天子巨像籌備中，四周環繞墓地，適合修不淨觀也。台灣首尊彰化八卦山大佛旁南天宮（1971）地府則是首座電動地府，規模精小但驚嚇度破表，略顯破敗但五光十色仍蠻凶悍，出自已故台南大道長金登富之作，而電動神明起始可追溯至1960年代北港朝天宮。倒是嘉義水上鄉白人牙膏觀光工廠「戴相府」、「將軍府」設置十殿地府出乎意料之外，乾淨亮麗、ㄧ殿ㄧ間、簡單樸實。由高雄蓮潭龍虎塔龍口入內可見全臺唯一交趾陶地獄牆面，尊尊栩栩如生，續入龍身乃進聞聲救苦白衣觀音大士三十三化身浮雕隧道，造型設色甚為古錐。高雄大岡山超峰寺入口處「西方三聖蓮池海會」（阿彌陀佛、觀世音菩薩、大勢至菩薩巨像）旁設靜態十殿閻羅（1970年代初），雖略為陳舊然韻味猶存，續往上行可抵「證菩提道－釋迦如來應化事迹」雕塑園區，一攬世尊畢生精華。如來年邁時，琉璃國王為報長期被釋迦族輕蔑之傲慢心，世尊雖三次單獨伽跌坐 阻擋大軍進攻之路，但因緣果報無法逆轉，昔日婢女所生王子瞋恨無以復加，還是滅了祖國。自持神通第一目犍連不忍無辜百姓慘遭屠殺，遂以缽盛救度五百族人，最終卻化為血水，佛言神通廣大仍不敵千百劫業力，因緣果報屢試不爽。其母死後墜入餓鬼道飢餓難耐，目犍連遂展神通救渡，但所食尚未入口皆化為赤火，佛陀囑咐農曆七月十五日僧眾解安居自恣日，於盆中設甘露美食供養十方僧眾，因此超度亡母。後世「盂蘭盆法會」乃至「水懺法會」、「瑜珈焰口法會 」皆為消業障、斷塵垢之超渡儀軌，既渡亡魂也自懺悔。

台南麻豆代天府規模宏大、造型豔麗，不但可遊十八層地獄尚可逛天堂（1979年興建，1983年開放)，燈光絢爛、聲響駭人，獨自漫步宛如觀落陰、地獄走一回。先過「心頭山」、入「清心池」、進「陰陽界」、抵「交簿廳」、達「鬼門關」、遊「補經所」、探「枉死城」、行「奈何橋」，至ㄧ殿泰廣王照「孽鏡台」現造惡原形，睹抱柱、火床等小地獄。二殿楚江王開「陰查簿 」判案定奪，觀糞尿泥、餓鬼、舞池、寒冰、膿血、鞭韃、舌犁、劍葉、戟腹拋接、砧截……等小地獄。三殿宋帝王刑罰為倒吊、銅鐵刮臉、挖眼、搗樁、倒烤、吸血、穿肋、抽筋、蛆蛀等小地獄……兼遊「四生（胎、卵、濕、化）回魂府」。四殿五官王掌管腰斬、拔舌、沸湯、刺嘴、剝皮、箭樹、車崩、射眼……等十六小地獄。隨五殿森羅王豋「望鄉臺」回眸親人最終眼後觀擊膝、誅心、刀山、飛刀火石……小地獄。六殿卞城王別稱「大叫喚大地獄」，轄火牛、虎啖、噬腎、鉗嘴含鍼、釘喉、磨摧、砍頭……等小地獄。七殿泰山王為「熱惱大地獄」，窺烙手指、抽腸、頂石蹲身、油釜滾烹、割舌穿腮……等十六小地獄。八殿都市王掌管「大熱惱大地獄」兼火狗、鐵汁、鐵蛇、鋸劈斷肢、釘板、灸脊、鐵丸、磅秤……等小地獄。九殿平等王直轄十八層「阿鼻大地獄」，直透地心、內中陰森、不見五指、滿溢地漿，皆為極犯，另轄紫赤毒蛇鑽孔、夾頂、鐵鴉、針雨、蜂蠍……等小地獄。至十殿輪轉王上「觀生臺」、「轉劫所八司」（查驗司 、稽善司 、考過司 、恩怨司 、壽命司 、支配司、掌劫司 、授生司）後至「孟婆亭」飲「醧忘湯」忘盡前塵往事，依前世功德過金、銀、玉、石、木、竹六種橋樑至「轉輪臺（紫河車）」入六道輪迴轉生投胎。據《十八泥犁經》記載，人過世後七七四十九天為「中陰生」，經閻羅王審判善惡業力判定去留或懲罰百千萬劫，犯五逆重罪則墮入「無間地獄（阿鼻地獄）」永劫不復。地藏王乃幽冥教主，統轄十殿閻羅，逢三曹普渡便在各殿設「講道所」超度尚存善根之鬼魂。

人類居於五趣（阿修羅、人、傍生、餓鬼、地獄）雜居地五濁惡世之堪忍世界，犯十惡業（殺生、偷盜、邪淫、妄語、兩舌、惡口、綺語、貪慾、嗔恚、愚痴）者必墮三趣惡道。如何出「三界」（欲界、色界、無色界）二十八天？凡人無此意識，別說能破「十二因緣」（無明、行、識、名色、六入、觸、受、愛、取、有、生、老死）還滅門，更別想斷除「四聖諦」（苦、集、滅、道）集地八十一品見惑與八十八使思惑（五利使-身見、邊見、邪見、見取見、戒禁取見、五鈍使-貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑），了悟「五蘊」（色、受、想、行、識）本空、「十二入」（眼、耳、鼻、舌、意、色、聲、香、味、觸、法）空、「十八界」空，破俱生我執與分別我執、法執甚至空執，生十一處「善心所」（信、精進、慚、愧、無貪、無瞋、無痴、輕安、不放逸、行捨、不害），降二十六處「惡心所」（貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑、惡見、忿、恨、覆、惱、嫉、慳、誑、諂、害、憍、無慚、無愧、掉舉、惛沉、不信、懈怠、放逸、失念、散亂、不正知），須知善根斷盡則陷永劫輪迴、無垠轉世之苦。

地獄可能空滅嗎？若地獄空乏人間多鬼怪，地獄淨空世間何嘗非淨土？若能證空性何處現地獄？

地獄曠古來便廣泛流傳各部族間，老死生滅為自然運行之基礎、宇宙意識之核心，然今文明昌盛如咱城邦並非慾望消弭之所，惡性所及實無可根除，礙於憲法國家法律社會軍隊企業公司學校家庭團體之層層束縛不亞於十八層，乃遁於壓抑、束己情懷，暗埋心底、日久貪嗔痴慢疑怨噌會疊穢。而六塵未熄，心多妄念，妖魔鬼怪魑魅魍魎孤魂閃靈出沒於荒郊乃至人間，會靈於曠野密林以增性靈乃出世高人修煉之舉，我等凡人擅闖宛如迪士尼般之人造地獄，三魂七魄尚不足以出竅，驚邪恐怖淒厲猙獰倒滿足了自以為是的慚愧，豈不謬哉？

病毒肆虐年半有餘，全球確診者逼近一億八千萬，枉死者近四百萬，堪比戰爭規模，望眾生發慈悲心、令往生者安息、善待其他物種、平等有情眾生。地獄本空，唯妄念生起一切羨慕嫉妒恨而地獄現前。盡以此書作為世界新冷戰獨裁者、超限戰者、暗網駭客、陰險狡猾冷嘲熱諷落井下石者之良知備忘錄矣。

姚瑞中寫於2021年端午節

Postscript

I have been living recklessly in Taiwan for more than fifty years. According to Zi Wei Dou Shu (Purple Star Astrology), Tan Lang is the sole star in my house of Self. This star, which represents xxx, forms an equilateral triangle with that star Qi Sha and Po Jun on the square chart and constitutes a Sha Po Lang pattern. The pattern indicates a kind of turbulence and change, a life of wandering with ups and downs and it tells a lot about my life. After my ill-fated youth, I started from scratch and traveled around the world with exhibitions that I participated. Like a flaneur, I wandered around ruins, nature, and temples with every type of film camera obliviously. Thus, I founded the Hall of Illusion and claimed to be the master of the hall. Several times a day, I pondered a quote from the Diamond Sutra, “Everything with form is unreal.” In addition, I usually stayed in the darkroom developing film and enlarging those negatives overnight. However, I treasured the simplicity of the black and white world. The earthly, gaudy, garish, phony and pleasing qualities within colored photos make the images even more realistic than the real world. It is not my cup of tea, so I seldom took colored photos. In Confucian thought, the age of fifty marks the stage knowing the mandate of Heaven. I am now at my fifties and realize how ephemeral human life is. However, I am not an immortal, nor having sagelike characteristics. I just learned that the stage of stainless (the second bhūmi) and develop a pure mind that is free from doubt and defilement. However, I’m still far from the immovable state and need to practice.

In the summer of 2017, after filming the work Incarnation, I experienced a severe heart rhythm problem which almost triggered myocardial infarction and could have killed me. Consequently, I realized that death was waiting for me and the life is too short to figure out how I can liberate myself from the cycle of Birth and Death. I couldn’t comprehend how to be free from all afflictions and worries and how to avoid delusive ideas. I wept for three days and nights after being enlightened by Shakyamuni Buddha. Up to the moment, I felt ashamed that I failed to realize that the self is as insignificant as dust after these years learning and practicing Buddhism. Since then, I have visited famous temples and monasteries in my spare time, worshiping Buddha, Bodhisattvas, arhats, and all the deities and immortals. Taiwan’s temples are myriad with a enormous number of sects, including Buddhism, Taoism, Yiguandao, Catholicism, Christianity, Chinese religions of fasting, Islam& Baháʼí Faith, Confucianism, Tiandiism& Tian-De Teachings, Xiwangmu cult, Yellow Emperor Sect, Precosmic Salvationism, Liism, World Wide Ethical Society, séance cult, etc. Some people even claim that they can mediate communication between the deities or spirits of the dead with human beings, having their believer rely on themselves instead of the orthodox dharma or dogma and pay excessive respect and admiration for the mediums or objects, accumulating wealth through such an unfair means or even harassing their believer sexually. Due to Taiwan’s historical changes, social turbulence, political struggles, and ideological issues, Buddhism and Taoism are somehow mixed. However, there are few emphases on the concept of the hell. As I took photographs of Yama of each court, judges, wardens of the underworld, jailers, General Fan and Hsieh (the ghost escorts) and all sinners, I found few temples cleverly created hellish scenes that are intriguing, exaggerating, and extraordinary. However, the creations are unparalleled unique. I have been studying Western arts for decades and then I came to realize that simplicity makes the most beautiful works of art. These hellish scenes can even compete with works of Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337) and Michelangelo Di lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (1475-1564).

Jingang Temple Shimen District, founded in 1986, overlooks the beautiful North shore. Although the temple is mainly dedicated to Phra Phrom (the Thai representation of Mahabrahma), spirits of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism can also be founded in the temple. The worshipper can go cross the Seven Star bridge to relieve bad luck, walk along the five hundred arhat statues and knock on the gong to affirm one’s Buddha nature. Furthermore, the worshipper can also prostrate themself before Asia’s largest statue of Buddha in Nirvana (the Reclining Buddha statue) and pacify the Taoist Tai Sui deity of the year. I was impressed by the Jia-Zi Tai Sui General that a pair of palms grow out of his eyes. In 1994, the biō-kong (the person taking charge of the temporal affairs of a temple) received a divine inspiration from Yama (the King of Hell) that he had to build a sacred hall in the shape of a divine dragon, with the interior designed according to the World of Ultimate Bliss and the Underworld. When the visitor walks in the dark hallway, they will see the tortured people (dioramas, of course) scrunching their faces and crying bitterly and loudly in excessive grief as the visitor triggers the mechanism. One will even find them in the midst of flesh, body liquid and blood, mutilated limbs, and rotten corpses. While each of the ten Yamas are focusing on their own duties, showing their sacred dignity that collect visitors’ attention. The Baogong Temple in Linkou District, New Taipei City exclusively features colorful depiction of hellish scenes in relief in Taiwan. With its pastel shades and cartoon-like style, the relief is both grotesque and adorable at the same time. This temple is dedicated to Bao Zhen (also known as Justice Bao) representing the incarnation of Yama. Living people who have been treated unjustly can come worshipping Bao Gong and receive exorcism. Therefore, many people come here for seeking to solve unsolved cases. In Zhongyuan Festival (the ghost festival), the temple will burn the Zhizha (paper craft) boat to ferry the ghosts to the other shore, which is the shore of enlightenment. The only giant statue of Yama in Taiwan is still in the making. The temple is surrounded by a cemetery, suitable for meditating on the loathsomeness and impurity. Nantian Temple (1971), located next to the Eight Trigram Mountains Buddha in Changhua, features the first animatronic underworld. Despite the small size, the animatronic underworld is intensely shocking. Though it’s slightly worn, the colorful dioramas are still brutally ferocious. The creator was the late venerable Dao Zhang (Taoist priest) Jing Deng-fu while the origin of animatronic deities can be traced back to the 1960s Beigang Chaotian Temple. On the contrary, the Whiteman Toothpaste Tourism Factory in Shuishang Township, Chiayi, features ten Yamas with individual booth. The place is unexpectedly clean and polished yet keeps a simple and modest tone. Then, the Dragon Pagoda of the Dragon and Tiger Pagodas at Lotus Lake in Zuoying, Kaohsiung, holds the only relief of hellish scenes made of Kochin ceramic. All the figures are vivid and life-like. If one goes further into the pagoda, they will see a relief tunnel of the thirty-three incarnations of the white-robed form of Guanyin (Avalokiteśvara) on a white lotus, with a lovely and interesting design. Another Hall of Yama is built in the 1970s next to the entrance of Dagangshan Chaofeng Temple, located in the Alian District of Kaohsiung. Visitors will also see three statues of the Three Holy Ones of the Western Pureland (Amitābha, Avalokiteśvara, Mahāsthāmaprāpta) which assemble at a lotus pond. Although the hellish scene looks somewhat antiquated, you may still find its previous charm. If one goes further, they will reach the sculptural garden of “Attaining the Bodhi Way: the Incarnation of Sakyamuni Buddha,” where the visitor can see the essence of Bhagavato’s (meaning the Blessed one, one of the common epithets for Buddha) life. When Tathāgata (another epithet for Buddha) was old, the king of Kosala wanted to avenge the arrogance of the tribe of Shakyas who had long despised him, regarding him as a son of a maiden. Although Buddha has sat in lotus position alone three times to stop the army from attacking his tribe. However, one can never reverse the cause and following karma. The prince born of a maiden was so furious that he eventually destroyed his homeland. Maudgalyāyana (one of the Buddha’s closest disciples), who is said to have had supernatural abilities that surpassed the other disciples, could not bear to see the slaughter of innocent people. Thus, he saved five hundred people of his tribe with a pātra (an eating utensil of Buddhist monks). Unfortunately, everything he did was in vain, those who were saved eventually turned into a puddle of blood. The Buddha said that the supernatural abilities cannot surpass the power of karma. The cause and effect work all the time. When Maudgalyāyana’s mother fell into the path of hungry ghost, he used his supernatural abilities to save his mother from hunger. However, all the food turned into fire before being fed to his mother. Later, the Buddha commanded the monks to put nectar and dishes in a basin on the 15th day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar for the monks from all directions to free his mother from reincarnation. In later times, the Ullambana Dharma Service, the Compassionate Samadhi Water Repentance, and the Yoga Collection for Feeding the Searing Mouths Dharma Service are rituals to eliminate karmic hindrance and to cease to worldly delusions. Through such practices, one can free the dead as well as confess their repentance.

Madou Daitian Temple is a magnificent and colorful temple in Tainan. Not only can the worshippers visit the eighteen levels of Hell but also the Heaven (it was built in 1979 and inaugurated in 1983) here. The lighting and sound effects are stunning and frightening. When walking alone in the space, one may feel like taking a Guan Luo Yin trip (a Taoist necromancy which leads people’s spirits to hell and communicate with the dead ones) to visit the underworld prison. Before arriving the first court of the underworld, the visitor will walk through the Mountain of Heart Summit, the Pure Heart Pond, the Frontier between the Living and the Dead Realms, the Soul Registry Hall, the Portico of Demons, the Center for Complementary Teaching of Canonical Books, the Citadel of Premature Death, and the Bridge of Vanity. When one arrives at the first court, they will see King Chin-guang, who is in charge of the court, using the Mirror of Retribution to show the earthly form of evil creatures and also witness the sub-hell of Pillar-Holding and Fire Bed, etc. At the second court, King Chu-jiang collates the register of sins the souls of the dead have committed to impose the punishments. Here, you will see the sub-hell of Excrement and Urine, Hungry Ghost, Burning Dance Floor, Ice, Pus and Blood, Whipping, Tongue-Raking, Sword Blade, Stomach-Piercing, Chopping, etc. Next, the dead at the third court, ruled by King Song-di, will receive the punishments including inversion tortures, face-skinning with steel and copper knife, eye-wrenching, pounding, blood-sucking, rib-piercing, roasting, tendon-taking, being eaten by maggots. The visitor can pay a visit to the Palace of Soul-Resuscitation for the Four Forms of Creatures (birth from an egg, birth from a womb, birth from moisture, and birth by transformation). King Wu-guan is in charge of the fourth court. There are sixteen sub-hells at the fourth court including Waist Chop, Tongue Removal, Boiling Pond, Mouth-stabbing, Skin-peeling, Sword Tree, Burning Wheels and Cart, Eye-shooting, etc. Next, at the fifth court, sinful souls are allowed to ascend the Tower of Hometown-Viewing to take a final look of their family. The visitor will witness sub-hells of Knee-striking, Heart-slicing, Blade Mountain, Flying Swords and Burning Stones, etc. The King of Bian City takes charge of the sixth court, which is also known as the “Great Hell of Screaming,” with sub-hells including Fire Cattle, Tiger-Biting, Kidney-Eating, Mouth-Poking, Throat-Nailing, Iron Mill, Decapitation, etc. The King of Tai-shan is in charge of the seventh court, the “Great Hell of Heat and Fire.” The sixteen sub-hells at this court include Finger-Searing, Bowel-Hauling, Stone-Bearing, Boiling Oil, Tongue-Removal and Cheek-Piercing, etc. Next, the King Du-shi is in charge of the eighth court, the “Great Hell of Intense Fire and Heat,” and the sub-hells including Fire Dogs, Molten Iron, Iron Snakes, Dismemberment, Steel Spikes, Burning-Marrow, Iron Ball, Scale, etc. The ninth court is ruled by the King Ping-deng. It is known as the biggest court, Avici Hell (the Hell of Incessant Suffering), which if the lowest level of the hell realm and the interior is gloomily and terrifyingly dark. Those who committed the most serious evil deed will be sent to the Avici Hell. Sub-hells such as Poisonous Snake, Brain-Removal, Crow-Gnawing, Raining Needles, Wasps and Scorpions are included at this court. After arriving the tenth court, ruled by the Great King of the Reincarnation Palace, one can visit the “Observatory of Life on earth” and the “eight bureaus of the Reincarnation Palace” (including the Bureau of Judicial Control, the Bureau of Good-Actions, the Bureau of Bad-Actions, the Bureau of Debts, Gratitude, and Vengeance, the Bureau of Longevity and Destiny, the Bureau of Familial Ties, the Bureau of the Reincarnated, and the Bureau of Birth). The sinful one will be sent to the Pavilion of Mengpo and made to drink the Soup of Forgetfulness to forget all past affairs. According to the sinful one’s merits of previous life, they will go across one of the six bridges (gold, silver, jade, stone, wood, bamboo) to the “Reincarnation-Wheel (Wheel on the Crimson River).” Finally, one is able to reborn in the six realms. According to the Aṣṭadaśa nāraka sutra ( the Eighteen Hells Sutra), after one passes away, they will enter an intermediate and transitional state between death and rebirth, known as antarābhava in Sanskrit, for forty-nine days. The being will be evaluated by Yama, who will decide if one should get reborn or get punished at the hell. Those who committed the Five Grave Offenses (killing one’s father, killing one’s mother, killing an Arhat, shedding the blood of a Buddha, and creating a schism within the community of Buddhist monks and nun who practice for attaining enlightenment.) will be sent to the Avici Hell and stay there eternally. Kṣitigarbha is the Lord of the Nether World, ruling the ten court of Hell. The lord will set up the “Hall of Teaching” at each court to salvage those sinful ones who still obtain few merits at the offering rituals.

Human beings live the Sahā world (sahāloka in Sanskrit, meaning “endurance of suffering,” a concept of mundane world in Mahāyāna Buddhism) where they share with other reincarnations (including beings of the hells, of the preta, and of malevolent nature spirits) with five turbidities (the Kalpa turbidity, the view turbidity, the affliction turbidity, the living beings turbidity, and the life turbidity). Those who commit the ten evil deeds (killing, stealing, adultery, lying, using immoral language, slandering, equivocating, coveting, anger, and false views) must fall into the three evil paths (animals, preta, and hell). However, how can one escape from the three realms/ twenty-eight heavens (including the six heavens of the desire realm, the eighteen heavens of the form realm, and the four heavens of the formless realm)? Worldly people who don’t have such an awareness cannot leave the cycle of the twelve nidanas (meaning causes or motivations), let alone eliminate the eighty-one afflictions (that have been produced due to misunderstanding regarding reality) and the eighty-eight illusions (including five afflictions of advanced practitioners, also known as five views: view of self, extreme view, evil view, view of attachment to views, and view of morality; and five unintelligent temptations: desire, anger, stupidity, arrogance, and doubt) of thought within the three realms and four Arya satyas (noble truths, including suffering, arising, ending, and path). They cannot realize that the essence of the five skandhas (referring to aggregates of clinging, including the matter of form, sensation, recognition, mental formation, and consciousness) , the twelve ayatana (meaning sense base, including six internal bases: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind and six external bases: visible objects, sound, odor, taste, touch, and mental objects), and the eighteen dhātavah (meaning compositional elements of human existence, including six consciousness, six faculties, and their objects) are the emptiness and the void. Furthermore, they cannot dispel the two reasons for clinging to the idea of the self and the attachment to elemental constructs and even believe in the two (false) tenets that that karma and nirvana are not real and that the ego and phenomena are real. As a consequence, they fail to develop the eleven wholesome mental factors (faith, energy, conscience, being ashamed, non-attachment, non-aggression, non-delusion, calmness, equanimity, conscientiousness, and non-injuriousness) and cease the sixteen unwholesome mental factors (desire, greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, doubt, wrong view, wrath, enmity, hypocrisy, vexation, jealousy, parsimony, deceit, flattery, harming, ambitiousness, stupidity, lacking of faith, idleness, being unrestrained, forgetting, distraction, non-discernment, ). One must bear in mind that once all our virtuous roots are discontinued, they will be trapped in the never-ending reincarnation and the suffering of infinite continuity.
Is it possible that the hell will be empty one day? If the beings in hell will become extinct while evil spirits inhabit the mundane world, the world could be considered as a pure land. If we could witness the nature of the void, then hell will exist no more.
Since ancient times, the concept of hell has been widely spread among all tribes. Aging, death, beginning, and end are the basis of nature and the core of cosmic consciousness. However, the prosperous civilization as our island is not a place where desire can be eliminated. It’s impossible to eradicate evil nature. Since fetters brought by the constitution, the state, the law, society, the military, corporations, schools, families, and groups are not less than the eighteen levels of hell, the mortals repress themselves, bury their feelings. Day after day, greed, anger, stupidity, arrogance, doubt, and resentment are stacking. However, since the six dust (visible objects, sound, odor, taste, touch, and mental objects) has not yet been extinguished, people in the mundane world are still full of delusions. The demons, devils, evil spirits, and the wondering dead exist in the wilderness, while only advanced practitioners with transcendent would attempt to make contact with the dead in the wasteland and forest. Worldly people like us trespass in Disneyland-like man-made hell. It is absurd and ridiculous that the hellish scenes cannot stop us from perpetrating evil deeds, but the horrific and cruel scenes yet satisfy our self-righteous shame.

The pandemic has been boiling over for more than a year and a half. The number of infected patients worldwide is nearly a hundred and eighty million, and the death toll has risen to four million, which is equivalent to a war crisis. I hope that we can all be compassionate, give peace to the dead, treat all sentient beings well and equally. The hell is innately empty; however, deluded and misleading thoughts would give rise to all jealousy and hatred and then manifest the hell before us. This book merely serves as a memorandum of conscience for dictators of the world’s new cold war, supporters of unrestrained warfare, dark web hackers, and those who are cunning and contemptuous and maltreat others when knowing they have problems.

June 2021,

Yao Jui-chung

在海洋眾神的寵愛下成長的人魚，特里頓。
『海底兩萬里』中塑造出的達卡王子，或類似於其原型的人物。
這兩者合二為一的產物，即為這位『尼莫』。

雖說『幻靈』這一存在僅在亞種特異點·新宿中得以實現，
但阿特拉斯院的煉金術師·希翁黑走了這一數據，尼莫就是作為幻靈被她召喚出的特殊從者。

在新·迦勒底的職責是運輸、支援前線作戰部隊。
陸上作戰是少女達文西的管轄範圍，
而海上作戰則是尼莫船長負責管理。從這一點看來，兩人也勉強算是競爭對手。

身高／體重：150cm·40kg
出處：希臘神話、『海底兩萬里（也譯作海底兩萬哩、海底六萬里等）』
地域：歐洲、印度
屬性：混沌·中庸　　性別：不明→男性
既是特里同也是王子，所以性別曾經是不明，但經歷了和迦勒底的冒險，決定自己是『尼莫船長』時變成了男性體。

純真而溫柔，廣受眾人喜愛的特里同。
充滿信念與行動力的達卡王子。
由於尼莫是這兩位英靈融合而成的『幻靈』，
所以他的性格會稍稍偏離他們原本的模樣。

既是特里頓也是尼莫的這位英靈擁有一個強烈的信念。即為『對支配與蹂躪的反抗』。
就算是身為雙親的神明，也絕不允許有虐待弱者的行為。而諷刺的是，這種信念也會導致對現代人類社會（消費文化）的排斥。
在面對歐洲文化時，至今仍會表現得有點嫌棄。當然希臘也不例外，畢竟「海洋世界裡不存在國境」。

剛登場的尼莫沒有對主人公與瑪修顯露出任何感情。
這是因為獲得了達卡王子的記憶後，尼莫本能地對於孕育悲劇的『人類們』抱有警戒心。所以他才會用非常生硬的語氣與人交流，然而……

身為艦長，尼莫不但嚴於律己，對他人的要求也同樣嚴格，不允許隨意的言行舉止，不允許擅自行動。
正是與船長之名相稱，軍人氣質十足的硬派從者。

……但是。他作為特里頓，也是會為冒險之旅獻上祝福之人。
因此，尼莫作為迦勒底的從者被重新召喚時，主人公身為冒險者·旅行者，一定會得到他真誠的祝福與指引。

最初他會認真履行自己的職責，即便是對禦主也貫徹『自己不過是潛水艇』的方針，不會過多展露自己。
而一旦判斷對方是值得信賴的人物，解除警戒心後，反而會變得非常黏人。

他原本性格純真、易親近，絕不會放棄自己曾經喜歡過的東西。
即便不能見證旅途的終點，也會儘自己所能地獻上最大程度的祝福，他就是這樣一位對人類充滿憐愛的英靈。

『吾將遠徵，鸚鵡螺的大衝角』
階級：A　種類：對海寶具
有效範圍：2～70　最大捕捉：1名敵人

Great Ram Nautilus。
變為將潛水艇鸚鵡螺號作為核心的形態，使用外置的大衝角進行衝鋒。
無論敵人多麼巨大（大烏賊，巨大戰艦等）也毫不畏懼，能夠與之衝撞·突破，具備這一特殊的概念。
在沒有水的地方（陸地或空中）也可以使用，但是在水中·海中時命中率會顯著提升，威力也會提高。
在場地：水邊　上性能會提升的罕見寶具。

○暴風雨的航海家：C++
船長專屬技能。特里同當然不是船長。由於尼莫的船性能過高，沒什麼『用破船穿越暴風雨』的經驗，所以等級比其他船長系從者要低。
然而位於場地『水邊』時，尼莫的性能會大幅提升。階級中的『++』也是來自於這一特性。

○不撓不屈：B+
英靈尼莫的精神性與信念具象化的技能。
有著戰鬥續行與獲得NP的效果，但只有在毅力發動時才會發揮其真正的價值。身為船長，正是身處絕境才會絕處逢生。

○旅途的指引：C++
曾經指引了阿耳戈號的特里同擁有引導英雄的性質。
當人們前往未知的土地、未曾探索的世界時，他們的希望會傳達給特里同，
而作為希望的守護者，特里同與『超越邊界，向著更好的世界』的少女達文西的存在方式非常相合。
該技能同樣在場地『水邊』上效果會提升。

僅靠尼莫一人無法維持潛水艇的運行，更不用說是軍艦。希翁預見到尼莫總有一天會因為自己的潛艇忙不過來，於是在召喚尼莫時加入了阿特拉斯院的基礎秘藏技能『分割思考』。
結果，尼莫通過分散自己的魔力，創造出了『和自己幾乎相同，又特化了各自職責領域的分身』。
這就是在船塢工作的尼莫·系列。

○尼莫·船員
擁有最多數量的系列。大概有12人。（常勤12名，最多24名）每個人性格與外觀都相同。
負責艦內打掃、操縱、整備，熟練掌握各種工作的勞動力。性格簡單明朗，不會憎恨任何人（但會討厭），緊急情況下會一邊發出慘叫一邊全力解決問題，是最能展現特里同本質的系列。

○尼莫·教授
在稱呼男性時會在名字後面加上『氏』，因此讓黑鬍子感到了一絲親近感。擔任艦內的博士職位。負責解析、測量、制定作戰方案等。

○尼莫·引擎
掌管輪機艙的有著匠人氣質的頑固機長。
指揮著艦內最為危險且嚴峻的輪機艙，完全是為了「守護人類」這一與母愛相近的理念而行動。
同時，由於船長是同等級的『自己』，所以真心打算在船長犯錯誤的時候，便取而代之。
深愛著人類，同時也深愛著鸚鵡螺號。

○尼莫·護士
負責醫務室。
最為成熟的尼莫，也是特化了包容力與理性的『成年的尼莫』。緊急時刻會冷靜、一絲不苟地履行職務。

○尼莫·烘焙
全權掌管戰艦中不可或缺的食堂（烘焙間）的尼莫。因為保持士兵的士氣還是要靠伙食，所以總體來說這個尼莫才是最強的。

希翁之所以能將尼莫作為幻靈召喚，
是因為沒有使用迦勒底式召喚。
然而她比較擔心召喚的成功率，於是將兩位英靈的靈基合併，從而煉成了能夠作為從者活動的靈基。
結果，特里同帶著尼莫的名字與記憶，與尼莫的『海之寶具』潛水艇·鸚鵡螺號合為一體。

第二部開始時被希翁召喚的尼莫既是『人魚』也是『王子』。但與迦勒底匯合，決定幫助他們之後，他便封印了自己作為『人魚』的存在方式。並且為了攻略亞特蘭蒂斯，將自己的存在固定為『尼莫船長』。
之後，他成為了次元境界穿孔艦Storm Border的艦長，為新·迦勒底的戰鬥提供支援。

最喜歡芭菲。
（※本人將其作為最重要機密事項）

#FGO #尼莫

太宰府天滿宮是祭祀被稱為日本學問之神的官原道真日本全國1萬2千座天滿宮的總寺院，地位相當於中國的孔廟，是福岡著名的觀光名勝，每年有超過700萬人到此參拜。菅原道真(845年~903年)在學問有卓越的成就使得人們把他當作掌管學問的神明崇敬，在福岡不只有許多人在此祈禱學業順利、金榜題名、工作錄取考試及升遷考試順利，這裡也是日本傳統習俗，如初詣、節分、七五三時等香客相繼拜訪，相當有人氣的神社。建築樣式華麗的正殿(重要文化遺產)是日本天正19年(1591年)由小早川隆景重建，充分的表現出日本桃山時期華麗豪放建築樣式的特徵。志賀社太宰府天滿皇宮、北野天滿宮及防府天滿宮合稱為「三天神」。太宰府天滿宮亦是賞梅的名勝，以留有傳說的飛梅為代表，宮裏遍植大約6,000株的梅樹。重要文化遺產、香味風景百選、新日本樣式百選。菅原道真於845年誕生在被稱為文章博士的文學世家，當時正當是提倡學問的嵯峨天皇時期。菅原道真5歲時就會吟詠和歌，之後也展現了驚異的文學天分，被周圍的人稱為神童。據說在被任命為地方官「讚岐守」的時候，因受到當地居民的信任和愛戴，而得到當代天皇宇多天皇的寵信。但是就猶如世間的常態，嫉妒的人也非常多，在醍醐天皇繼位後，於901年當時擁有很大勢力的藤原家和公卿們陰謀使他降職為筑前國大宰府的權帥，終於在903年去世。正將遺體送往京都時，在離大宰府不遠的地方拉牛車的牛很突然的停止不動。人們便認為這是因為菅原道真不想離開此地，於是尊重他的遺志，就地築墓，於905年在此地建廟。菅原道真死後，京都就瀰漫著被稱為「道真的作祟」的不吉利事情，如疾病和異常氣象等天災不斷。為了鎮壓菅原道真的作祟於是在919年在墳墓上興建了一座祠廟，這就是太宰府天滿宮的起源。說到菅原道真就會連想到梅花。雖然有梅枝餅這樣的名產，但是菅原道真和梅花的關係深遠。一代文豪的菅原道真和梅花結下不解之緣，可能是因為其透過文學長期接觸中國文化，而中國的國花是梅花的關係。當菅原道真必須要和種在家裏的梅花道別時菅原道真所作的和歌非常有名。「梅花啊，當春風吹起時，請把花香味兒送來給我。即使主人不在也不要忘了春天喔」(梅よ春風が吹いたら、いい匂いを送っておくれ。主がいなくても春を忘れないよう)。此和歌表現出深沉的哀傷，由此可知菅原道如何的深愛著梅花。梅花更是悲傷過度、太思念著菅原道真，因而一夜之內從京都飛奔到太宰府來。這就是有名的飛梅傳說。據說現在全國各地供奉給天神樣(指菅原道真)的梅花(稱為獻梅)的種類有197種。因梅花種類很多有極早開、早開、正在開、遲開和極晚開等，所以每逢1月底~4月上旬各種梅花競相爭艷，都能欣賞到五彩繽紛的梅花世界，而賞梅最佳時節是2月下旬~3月上旬左右。除了梅花，這裏也有菖蒲園，種植了多達50種類3萬株的菖蒲花，每年6月上旬~中旬是奼紫嫣紅的時期。由表参道到境内的街道猶如正在舉辦慶典，沿路林立著許多商店、餐廳、茶室、民俗工藝品店等，非常的熱鬧。幾乎所有的茶室都會提供太宰府天滿宮的特產梅枝餅(梅ヶ枝餅)(105日圓)。剛剛作好的梅枝餅又軟又熱，非常的好吃。太宰府天滿宮在應考前的季節和初詣(一年當中在元月舉行的第一次到神社參拜)都會擠的人山人海，但要是避開這些季節人就會很少。飛梅盛開的早春最為推薦，在這個季節可以在清新空氣中，以虔誠的心情參拜。若是來到太宰府附近，一定要過來看看。太宰府天滿宮裏正殿兩側的銅牛，據說摸牛頭可以增長智慧和增加金錢運。跟一般寺廟比較太宰府天滿宮護身符的種類很多，其中還有航空護身符，據說因為飛梅傳說的關係，受到航空業界深厚的信仰。