《「拴馬索」——念珠之功德與作用之八 》
　
了悟禪師是惠空老和尚之高弟，他是我看過所有的修行人中念珠最長的一位，起初也不以為意，但後來隨著時日漸長，來往較頻，難免會注意到這位和尚胸前所掛的數珠為何有別於他人？某次因法務有所晤談，得閒便好奇地問：「和尚胸前這串念珠不知是何材質？從前並不多見。」和尚笑笑地回答：「木槵子，是老件，從我師公傳承下來……」

後來進一步了解，木槵子是何方聖物？恰好居住在新店的方老居士也有一串，不過沒有先前和尚的那麼多，和尚胸前經常佩掛的那串木槵子念珠據說有一千零八十顆，難怪可以在胸前繞圈圈，頗為醒目，再加上有些年代了，原本如黑漆色的珠質，乘以數代人的持唸，早已形成厚厚的一層漿膜，更增添些許的神秘能量。方老居士家中的那串木槵子念珠，說是早年用一位日本畫家竹久夢二的作品與其交換所得，老居士很珍惜這串念珠，據說弘一大師也熟悉這串木槵子念珠。關於豐子愷，是近代推動佛教極有力的一位居士，我也頗為讚嘆！方老居士說早期他和朱光潛和豐子愷都常有機會一起吃素食、聊佛法，據老居士所說，他茹素及信奉菩薩戒，完全也是受到大師德行之感著。我去過老居士在台所居新店碧潭河畔的「報恩小築」，除了整壁的佛經之外，可用家徒四壁來形容，我和居士有來往約是在八〇年代初期，當時他已近中壽之年，但依然朱顏鶴髮，毫無老相。我喜歡聽他訴說著他和民初幾位高僧的行誼往事，老居士一邊手持老念珠，一邊神采飛揚，當講到入勝之處，還會瞪大著他那雙炳若觀火、明亮的雙眼，完全阻擋不了他的話語……。

和老居士洽聊過程中，也提及到我所看過的那串一千零八十顆的老木槵子念珠：「在台灣，我也經常和一些中國來台的和尚有機會碰頭，我倒是沒看過有人佩戴過這種念珠，或許台灣不是產地，據我所知，在中國長江以南還是有這種果樹，據說印度和日本也有這種植物……」現代的唸佛人鮮少提及木槵子，但在過去的中國，在隋唐的年代裡，便經常有提及木槵子念珠，讓我印象最深刻的是淨土宗的祖師——道綽大師，他向來也都是使用木槵子做為計算佛數的法器。順便一提的是，這位老居士和我都是善導大師忠實的唸佛弟子，而善導大師便是道綽大師的弟子。中國的淨土宗也是由於善導大師的出現，整個弘揚傳承至今，也因為善導大師的「楷定古今」，從此中國的淨土宗儼然成為眾生往生極樂世界最重要的精神指標。善導大師是阿彌陀佛的再來，從十歲出家開始，便研讀一切大乘經典，尤其精通《法華經》和《維摩詰經》等了義經論。
　
當他十八歲的時候，他有機緣觀看到淨土的變相圖，此種變相圖有說是因循於北齊直至唐宋，至於最早之源流是否來自於印度，也有說法，但可以知道的是在善導大師的年代，類似如西方變相圖的曼荼羅是當時流傳極廣的一種圖騰，也因為如此，後世許多有關於西方極樂世界相屬的畫像，也都是依據淨土三經中的《觀無量壽佛經》做為藍圖。對於唐代以後所遺留下來敦煌諸窟中的變相圖，近代日本專研淨土真宗之學者絡繹不斷訪視於敦煌莫高窟和變相圖相關的諸種曼荼羅，此類曼荼羅也和後來的金剛乘中觀想部分的本尊曼達拉唐卡有延續之關聯，真言宗、東密諸部中曼荼羅的文化也和唐代所盛行的此種風格有極相似的畫風。
　
我也曾看見過另一種形態的變相圖，但此變相圖應該是依《無量壽經》中所描述的內容而畫，特別是阿彌陀佛為主，莊嚴地安住於極樂世界中蓮花池的蓮花座上，雙手呈現說法的手印，佛的兩側有常隨西方三聖中之觀世音菩薩和大勢至菩薩。畫中所畫的菩薩身上莊嚴之天衣、嚴飾應屬隋唐時期之服飾，再仔細觀察，便清晰可辨在蓮華池周圍尚有如雲海般大菩薩合掌恭敬圍繞著。如果對《無量壽經》熟稔的讀者，便可以依圖辨識出經中所說的三輩往生的情景，至於如何可以上輩、中輩、下輩往生之條件，經文中各有明述……，就如同佛在經中對阿難尊者所說的，就算是下輩往生，即便他無法在世時行使一切功德利益，但只要生起菩提心，一心至誠地唸誦阿彌陀佛聖號，同時發願投生安樂國，俱足三心，心中信願行俱足，毫無疑惑，哪怕是一念專誠地念誦……也必然在臨命終的時候夢見阿彌陀佛，可以往生……。總之觀看此變相圖時，依圖識經，印象更是無法忘懷……。
　
善導大師便是在他十八舞象風發之年，他見到了西方極樂世界的變相圖，歡喜莫名，感動之餘，毅然決然地心中立下了此生往生西方極樂世界的大願，從此之後他便朝著西方志業精進不懈怠地一路追尋。到了二十歲，值遇了《觀無量壽佛經》，更是悲喜讚嘆地說：「我過往所修行的法門中，幾乎都難以相應，唯獨只有此觀經法門決定可以超越生死。」大師沒經幾年的夙夜匪懈誦經唸佛，到了二十三歲那年，發心入終南山的悟真寺修持《觀無量壽佛經》，不斷地入定修持，不多久的時間進入了甚深三昧，在此定中，清楚如明鏡一般，整個極樂世界其中的八寶樓閣、蓮池、黃金寶座……等等勝境、不思議之景，就如同歷歷如繪在眼前呈現……如此成就在中國歷代高僧之中，可說是絕無僅有。
　
在此後幾年中，善導大師在唐貞觀十五年這一年，他去當時的玄中寺參謁道綽大師，與師見談之後，道綽大師極為欽賞善導大師的根器，歡喜之餘便傳授了《觀無量壽佛經》以及開示淨土宗之要義，此次見面更令善導大師發心弘揚淨土法門。事後布教卓錫於長安城，大力倡導念佛法門，一時之間淨土旗幟縱橫馳驟，大行其道，追隨其念佛之信眾短時間內便如雲屯霧集一般，散布各處，信眾多以阿彌陀佛再來恭敬之，從此道綽大師之衣鉢便傳承至善導大師之身上，大師以三十歲左右風茂之齡，儼然已成一代大師倡導淨土。（未完待續）
　
王薀老師
　
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《「拴馬索」——念珠之功德與作用之四 - 二 》
　
最早我會使用青金石，也是受一位老和尚影響所及，因為這位老和尚本身就是修持藥師法門。據他所說，他是在年輕的時候在五台山受到一位中國唐密的阿闍黎傳授，因此他就持誦至今，從未停輟過，主要是因為他一生中受到藥師佛的感召極多，因此他深信不疑。他來台灣之後，自己也曾開壇傳授唐密的諸多法門，例如準提觀音菩薩、千手千眼觀世音、大隨求觀音、穢跡金剛……等，據老和尚所說，過去在中國所常住的那間廟是傳承自唐代惠果阿闍黎的傳承。惠果是真言宗極重要的祖師，惠果極小的時候就受學於不空大師的傳承，而得到阿闍黎的位階。
　
講到真言宗的傳承，可以源自於印度的善無畏大師以及金剛智大師，在中國之所以會普傳開來，也是由於這幾位印度的高僧，原本是奉中國皇帝指示翻譯經典，進而遭逢到旱災或有流行性的諸疫時，他們一登壇立刻滂沱大雨如注般傾瀉不已。當朝皇帝也因為這幾位高僧所顯現的神蹟，令他們信服而祈求為其灌頂也是時而有之，可見唐密在當時是連皇帝都極為重視的信仰。尤其不空大師更是受人矚目的唐密大師，唐朝的三位君王幾乎都皈命於他座下，尤其唐玄宗對於不空大師更是推崇有加，原因是玄宗當政的時候，幾乎國家在有難時，不空只要一設壇，無不感應道交，尤其幾乎只要不空主壇，皆是求風得風，求雨得雨，為此唐玄宗還特地幫不空訂製了一套紫色袈裟。中國歷代以來，都用紫做為最高規格的敬意，因此在幾次求雨的儀式中，隨修隨下的功力讓唐玄宗不覺愈發尊敬，因此乃御賜紫色袈裟一套，象徵身分的顯貴，從此之後，不空的身分自然也隨即遷喬出谷，赫奕逾常，唐玄宗還特別給予「智藏」的尊稱。由於唐密的高僧幾乎都是由皇室所供養，因此一般平民百姓無法承襲法脈，所以在唐朝的時候唐密是只限於皇親貴冑所能修學的法門。
　
唐密究竟有多厲害，根據早期傳授我穢跡金剛的老和尚所言，過去的穢跡金剛真言曾經被隱藏十二個字。因為唐代時候有許多修持此咒的神異事蹟，最後連當朝的皇帝也親聞此事，因此心想如果這麼厲害是否會影響到江山王位，所以便召請了一位專修穢跡金剛有成的僧人，沒想這一和尚一持咒，整個宮殿完全化空，只剩下皇帝和這位出家人，這皇帝心中乍驚之下做了決定，命人把原本四十幾個咒字刪去部分再傳世……不管事實如何，早先我受持穢跡金剛咒時，原本已經先持滿準提咒不知凡幾，過往在老和尚派系傳承下，凡授持此咒者起碼準提咒要先持滿五百萬遍做為加行，並且要受過菩薩戒者方可傳授，但手印不可妄傳。我所知道過去認識過一位還俗的阿闍黎，據他所說，清末在鼓山寺廟中的後山各有不同洞穴及關房，關房中所修僧眾皆是雜密行者，有的專修尊勝佛母，有的專修準提法，也有的專持大悲咒，亦有以藥師行門為主之行者，如前面所言，我所認識的專修藥師法門的老和尚便是如此。
　
老和尚手上的那串專修藥師法門的青金石乍看之下極為吸睛，整串念珠用深藍色的線穿過，每一顆青藍色的念珠上點綴著如星辰般黃金斑點，既神秘又耀眼，這是我初次對青金石的印象。由於受法於這位老和尚的緣故，之後便不斷地尋找有無類似的青金石念珠，但當時那個年代台灣修藥師法門的並不多，即便少數幾位知道藥師法門的修行人也大都只知拜拜藥師懺，唸唸《藥師經》，或者持誦藥師琉璃光如來聖號，更遑論顧及所持念珠。
　
老和尚當時說根據所修本尊不同，所持的念珠也有所講究，藥師佛既屬於東方淨土，東方又屬於金剛部，所修的主尊身體皆屬藍色，因此，若要圓滿能有一條藍色念珠會更殊勝，後來，皇天不負苦心人，終於在林森北路當時有整條街都在賣珊瑚的店中找到了青金石，青金石其實價錢也不貴，當時挑了串一百零八顆九公厘青金石當作念珠，老闆也很幫忙，從箱中打開了一整箱成串的青金石，從上百串原珠中我挑選了最藍色的念珠，這種蔚藍色為底點綴著金光閃閃的石頭，在古代是波斯帝國極為寶貴的寶石，據說蘊藏著一股神秘又無法探測的能量，那種藍就如同透悟報身佛本身的湛藍，開顯明朗中給人一種身、口、意寧靜的感覺，有時握在手中冥想時又恍如置身於浩瀚無垠深藍色的星河中……青金石念珠也曾經伴隨過我一段波瀾不驚、海晏平靜的生活，並且也感受到藥師佛不可思議的加持佛力，印象極為深刻，七〇年代在我主持的一處講堂，由於大樓他戶夜晚受祝融之災，一剎那間整棟大樓皆受波及，但奇妙的是唯獨講堂絲毫不受牽擾，不但毫髮未損更無珠破玉碎之相，當日有值班佛堂數位同修親眼所見，只看樓下火舌直往上一層樓闖進，而佛堂只有火燒過後之煙霧，人員全皆平安，這全皆仰仗佛堂所供藥師佛之威神力庇蔭之故……。（未完待續）
　
王薀老師
　
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「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

趁著春日，前往北投的丹鳳山，一探台北大師信仰的秘境—大師岩與法船石。看著google map嘗試著從普濟寺旁的小階梯未果，又從溫泉路天主巷往上氣圖走土路捷徑，難度太高。好乖乖地回到「熱海飯店」後方的步道進入丹鳳山。山雖小，但步道卻也沒有太好走，除了前段的水泥石階外，後半段幾乎亦是用木板、麻繩拉出來的一條山路，稍需攀爬。約莫30分鐘，並不久，就可以見到一處很有宗教史蹟感受的區域。一旁的爬山客自言自語：「這看起來好像以前是一個神社喔？！」的確，這裡跟日本常見的「密教+巨石」的聖地蠻相像。
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▓ #大師信仰傳播的殖民路徑
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1896年，隨清日戰爭結束，日本佔領台灣，各佛派從軍佈教，沿著殖民地化的路徑，建築寺院、成立靈場、宣傳教義，以對殖民地理番教化之用。初期來台佈教活動者有真言宗高野派、曹洞宗、真宗本願寺派、真宗大谷派、日蓮宗、淨土宗等六派，其中又本願寺派為大（范純武，1999）。
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其中真言宗帶著強烈的日本密佛色彩，將崇拜空海大師的大師信仰，透過較具現實的傳奇故事，在台進行傳播。日本佛教也運用《台北新四國八十八箇所靈場》（台北新四国八十八ヶ所写し霊場）的參拜慣習，在台北佈教。像是圓山站的護國禪寺、台北天后宮的石佛、北投普濟寺等都是目前殘有的靈場遺跡（中川未来，2016）。
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▓ #溫泉鄉的宗教風景—北投真言宗石窟建築群
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在《北投溫泉の栞》（田中均，1926，昭和4年）裡描述到北投溫泉風情，遊客若欲瀏覽周遭景色，可從山路登上東南方的巨大岩石，其雕刻著弘法大師像，即稱「弘法大師岩」。可能是明治45年（1912），弘法大師的信眾捐贈建造。是台灣少見的佛教石窟。周遭到處都可以看見日治時代的痕跡，整體形式也很有到日本一遊的感覺，像是大阪交野獅子窟寺。詳見姚巧梅老師翻譯的，片倉佳史的《台灣日治時代遺跡》（2002）。
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至於寫著「台湾よ、永に幸なれ。」的網紅打卡點，台灣幸福石。文史工作者認為，這應該是日治時期民眾所刻。現被移到大師岩階梯入口處，還塗上紅漆。整個石窟遺跡已經被列入市定古蹟，也包含石燈籠、石碑、階梯、石垣等，大家去就不要自行隨意移動、刻畫啊~
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▓ #神秘的法船石
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許多遊客尋不著法船石，我也是。繞了半天，終於在一條岔路雜草中看見「大正石船」。1925年該石與建立之石亭，在地文史工作者傳為「台北新四國八十八箇所靈場」的石佛亭，因為上頭刻著「大正十四年」，後稱「大正石船」。不過，亭內的觀音像等，看起來並不像舊時古物，亭中堆放祭祀物、打火機，並在石上掛上「慈航普渡」的木牌，反倒看來有點雜亂。搜尋到網路上的舊照片，似乎遊歷者都很喜愛站立在上面遠眺北投。
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▓ #很有日本風味的普濟寺
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回過頭來講一個走錯的路徑，本以為可以從普濟寺旁上山，但寺院說小路不通。普濟寺初建於1905年，又名為「鐵真院」，戰後改名為普濟寺。寺中供奉湯守觀音，北投民眾都視這座佛寺為溫泉守護寺。佛寺保用台灣少見的日式風格，平面佈局保存極為完整，包括大殿及住持方丈宅院，簡樸淡雅、寧靜莊嚴。旁邊亭中還有一座「子安地藏」，建立於1931年。記得幾年前來訪時，尚未如今天這般修繕完整，長滿青苔的貼梯石牆，盛開的茶花，很適合清幽地發呆一陣子。
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很久沒出國冒險了，沒想到台北市中，就有一處可以運用半天來探秘的地方，也充滿著日治時代的痕跡。整個北投在這幾年也變得非常美麗，頗有回復到某種想像式的、懷舊式的日式溫泉鄉情懷。甚是喜歡。

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延伸閱讀：
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#大阪交野獅子窟寺：https://www.facebook.com/Pseudoscholarship/posts/1177805849073705
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#西門町宮廟中的弘法大師（一）：https://www.facebook.com/Pseudoscholarship/posts/1481817682005852
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#西門町宮廟中的弘法大師（二）：https://www.facebook.com/Pseudoscholarship/posts/1548311222023164
.

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參考文獻：
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1. 范純武. (1999). 日本佛教在日治時期台灣 [蕃界] 的佈教事業--以真宗本願寺派為中心的考察. 圓光佛學學報, 253-278.

2. 中川未来. (2016). 植民地台湾の四国八十八ヶ所写し霊場 (特集 近現代の四国遍路). 四国遍路と世界の巡礼= The shikoku henro and pilgrimages of the world, (1), 43-50.

3. 片倉佳史. (2012). 台北の歴史を歩く (その 16) 北投温泉を歩く (その 2). 交流: 台湾情報誌, (860), 17-27.

4. 片倉佳史（2002），姚巧梅 譯。《台灣日治時代遺跡》。玉山初版。

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#週末去踏青

? 購買蓮生活佛盧勝彥文集第163冊《度過生死的大海》
? 全球觀眾
博客來：https://www.books.com.tw/products/0010872832?loc=P_0005_001
金石堂：https://www.kingstone.com.tw/basic/2012250151867?zone=book&lid=book_class3_dce&actid=WISE
?? 新加坡觀眾
1) Kinokuniya SG：https://singapore.kinokuniya.com/bw/9789869915366
2) 翔晴Siang Ching Trading
149 Rochor Road, Fu Lu Shou Complex, 02-01, Singapore 188425
T: 62542213
?? 馬來西亞觀眾
馬來西亞大燈文化：https://www.dadenmalaysia.com/products/文集163-度過生死的大海
? ENGLISH version “Crossing the Ocean of Life and Death”:
(Singapore)
https://sgdaden.weebly.com/order-form.html
(USA)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0984156100/ref=cm_sw_r_li_api_i_c9RyFb2K2245P?pldnSite=1

? 線上報名超度/皈依
Online registration for bardo deliverance/taking refuge:
https://tbs-rainbow.org/Donate
https://tbs-rainbow.org/Donate/Refuge

? 購買往生被/甘露丸/七寶蓮池砂(金剛砂）
（台灣）
https://www.pcstore.com.tw/tbworld/S354158.htm
（新加坡）
1) 翔晴Siang Ching Trading
149 Rochor Road, Fu Lu Shou Complex, #02-01, Singapore 188425
T: 62542213
2) 雷藏寺（新加坡）
29 Lorong 19, Geylang Road, Singapore 388500
T: 6749 3931
（馬來西亞）
https://www.ruzang.com.my/collections/白事
（美國）
西雅圖雷藏寺 17012 NE 40th Court Redmond Washington: (425) 882-0916
（加拿大）
真佛宗卡城白雲雷藏寺 1809 Centre St. Calgary, AB, Canada: +1 403-230-7427

COVID-19疫情全球確診人數截至10/6中午12點已經來到3千5百多萬人(35,456,343)，死亡人數也早已跨過百萬(1,043,216)。根據各家的統計來看，死亡人數最高的地區為6月起開始飆升的拉丁美洲地區，其次分別是歐洲、北美洲、亞洲、非洲。以國家死亡人數來看，來看目前仍是美國最高，其次依序是巴西、印度、墨西哥以及英國。我們已經一段時間沒有談全球疫情了，今天就來看看過去9個月來的疫情發展給我們什麼啟示。

世界衛生組織在10月5日表示，根據其「最佳估計 」，全球每10人中就有1人可能已感染新冠狀病毒。比現在的數字多了20倍。他特別提到，東南亞部分地區的疫情正在激增，歐洲部分地區和地中海東部地區的感染率也在上升。而且現在歐洲的官員們擔心，今年春天歐陸醫院慘況會重演，當時病毒蔓延造成義大利和西班牙等國的重症監護室負荷。像是現在西班牙的部份地區，醫院再度出現大量新冠肺炎病患。與此同時，俄羅斯5日的病例上升來到接近5月份的最高數字，但俄國卻已逐步解封。

剛剛講到美國死亡人數全球最高，大約是22萬(213466)，這其實就佔了北美的9成，而鄰國加拿大僅有9千多人(9481)病亡。但是其實加拿大總理也說，現在加拿大已經進入第二波疫情，新增感染人數每天也是以千記，但是因為加拿大也是在過去SARS受創很嚴重的國家，所以衛生部門非常謹慎小心。

這樣感覺領導人是誰好像真的有差，現在川普確診，雖然已經出院了，但還沒康復。死亡人數第二高的巴西，之前他們的總統波索納洛也確診。而且這兩個人就是典型不在乎疫情的領導人，才會導致國內疫情這麼嚴重。

拉丁美洲的狀況真的滿嚴重的，拉丁美洲的人口只佔世界人口的8%，但現在卻佔了全球死於COVID-19的三分之一。但是過去幾週狀況有比較好轉，應該過了最嚴重的階段。跟歐美國家不同的是，拉丁美洲大部分的地區很難進行封鎖，因為半數以上的拉美人在非正規部門工作，往往沒有什麼積蓄，只能外出謀生。密集的城市和多代同堂的家庭也讓疾病更容易傳播。

所以看起來防疫還是有文化跟社會結構的差異，但有些基本到像是直覺的事，像是戴口罩，我就不懂有什麼好反對。尤其跟歐美國家比起來，拉丁美洲人已經懂得要好好防疫。有一個有趣的調查是，美國華盛頓大學的研究顯示，到4月份，拉美大部分地區至少有70%的人表示外出時總是戴口罩，而美國和英國大部分地區的這一比例不到30%。

像希臘還有醫生上街戴口罩遊行，鼓勵大家戴口罩，但是在英國還有人因為戴口罩被別人霸凌。像是美國也是，也難怪主持美國總統大選辯論的Chris Wallace還得說，wear the damn facemask，照規定戴！口！罩！很難嗎！？

接著來看看歐洲，英國首相強生說冬天的疫情可能更嚴重，英國確診跟死亡人數都是最高。之前嘗試要放寬封鎖的國家疫情都飆升，英國，法國、德國和西班牙等等，都可能會逐步恢復封鎖，規定派對的人數等等，並實施更嚴格的防疫措施。我看這個歐美的派對文化要改變也很困難，如果是我就不會想要去可能感染病毒的活動。不過世界上有好幾百萬人是靠這個生活，很多人從派對中得到幸福感和釋放，鼓勵陌生人之間相互信任，進而促進社會凝聚力。因此現在也有很多新的方式，比如說停車場派對，或者是有人在線上放歌，隔空派對，的確也可以解決人類的孤獨感。

而死亡人數超過10萬高居全球第三的印度，確診病例數也突破640萬，也是世界上第二高，而且印度的死亡率和感染率不斷攀升，僅9月份感染的人就佔其病例的40%以上，是目前全球日病例數最多的國家，新病例幾乎是美國的兩倍，過去24小時內就增加75,829例。光是印度官方統計已經有超過10萬人死於新冠病毒，更不要說沒有統計的。但聽說印度官員還是計劃取消更多限制，希望重振已經癱瘓的經濟。而且除了經濟之外，我自己看到這些國家在封鎖中，受到影響有很多是沒辦法去上學的兒童，那種影響才是好幾代的。

目前世界上有很多學校還在封鎖當中，很多貧困家庭的孩子都去工作了，印度也不例外，而且這些小朋友從事的往往是非法且危險的工作。這也使得這些國家未來的社會流動性和競爭裡都會出現問題。

不過世界上還有少數零確診的國家，像大洋洲就是目前世界上少數的淨土，有12個大洋洲島國保持零確診，包括台灣的4個邦交國：帛琉、馬紹爾群島、諾魯、吐瓦魯。這些國家主要是因為可以比較容易封鎖邊界，而且從過去的歷史來看，只要病毒一入侵，出現的危機更大。

從今天的討論我們可以發現，世界上每一個地區面對病毒肆虐，都得要重新檢視一下各自面對最大的挑戰是什麼，除了衛生健康專業之外，防疫的路上也要有社會學或是人類學家一起從文化和社會的面向找到最好的防疫措施，至於根據規定戴口罩，就不用我再重複了吧。如果你對我們的討論有什麼意見，請上網與我們分享。

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