「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

疫情爆發以來，藝術家能做的事不多，平常就閉關在家其實挺習慣，但是總想為社會做些事、幫上忙，想了半天安撫人心也許還行吧！於是另一本「地獄空」將趕在中元普渡八月初出版上市，由典藏出版社社長發心首肯出版，設計名家黃子欽操刀，附贈很多符咒給大家趨吉避凶。諸惡莫作，眾善奉行，疫情消退，平安喜樂。附上後記給大家解封後參訪這些宮廟，觀照自己的心所。全文如下：

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、鐘情黑白世界之單純，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、儒教鸞堂、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）乃至米開郎基羅（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糟屠殺，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

進入黑森林約莫半小時，璐平好想收回自己說過的話。腳下的魔法陣持續轉動運作，魔法精神力耗損近半。他沒料到加入的新同伴完全不會使用治癒與防禦魔法，也就是說，四人之中只有他是「夢組」屬性，不但要保護米歐，也要負責另外兩人的安全。
　
黑森林，顧名思義是一片漆黑陰森的樹林。幸好截至目前為止，沒有遇到高等級的惡夢。
　
米歐撥開遮掩視線的枝葉，眼前除了樹，還是樹，「步行太慢了，可以加速嗎？」
　
「喂喂，在這種地方浪費魔法力，待會兒要是遇到等級高的惡夢怎麼辦？」
　
明明不是跟凱因說話，卻得接受對方的反駁。不爽的米歐悄悄減速，走在璐平身邊。
　
漢瑟爾的書飄浮於空中，羽毛筆從進入森林後就沒停過，他喃喃唸出劇情，「突然間，恐怖的咆哮聲震開茂密的枝葉。虎視眈眈的野獸躍過眾人頭頂，朝最前方的人伸出利爪。」
　
地面猛烈震動，四人同時感到龐然大物從後方奔來，飛躍至隊伍前方，對打頭陣的凱因揮動利爪。
　
事態發展就與羽毛筆寫下的情節一模一樣，凱因早幾秒得知，閃身躲過猛烈的攻擊。握緊大砲底座，自轉幾圈當助力，以砲筒打飛野獸，「一隻！」
　
後頭接二連三地跳出體型碩大的老虎，凱因如法炮製，全部擊飛。仰起頭，得意地望著被打飛的老虎如流星般飛過樹林。
　
「擊敗野獸，卻惹惱了守株待兔的獵人，他們將利用誘人的罌粟花園懲罰侵入者。」
　
聽漢瑟爾唸出接下來的情節，璐平只知道把衣釦都扣緊，可不能到最後真的一件也不剩。
　
「罌粟花……要戴口罩嗎？」
　
米歐問的是璐平，凱因卻自顧自地回答，「那種東西就算用口罩也遮不住，別忘了這裡是巴比倫之塔，充滿惡夢的危險地方。」
　
「我不是在跟你說話。」
　
璐平在兩人中間充當和事佬，「好了好了！心平氣和才能渡過難關。」
　
「然後在這個花園裡……他們會遇到前所未見的……巨大……」漢瑟爾還未把書中的情節唸完，誘人進入夢境的花香已撲鼻而來。此時走在隊伍最前頭的他一秒昏厥，書與筆同時落地。
　
凱因打算與米歐爭執，很不巧地吸了一大口氣，導致罌粟花的氣味直接撲進鼻腔。意識瞬間模糊，他彎下身，想用意志力撐住，扛在肩上的大砲卻越來越沉重，不一會兒也倒地昏睡。
　
米歐匆忙轉身，以手掩住口鼻，想與璐平討論對策。後者一把將他拉入懷中，用身上的衣物替他抵擋氣味。
　
米歐在動作間吸入些許氣味，昏昏欲睡，璐平卻完全不受影響。
　
「不要說話。」璐平脫掉外套，裹住米歐的臉，只讓他露出雙眼。
　
璐平撿起漢瑟爾的書和羽毛筆，但不管用什麼方法，都無法控制羽毛筆，加入新的劇情，「真糟糕，漢瑟爾不醒，沒有人能讓情節往下發展，氣味會不間斷地傳來。」
　
米歐很想問璐平為何不被影響，無奈不能開口說話。
　
璐平扛起較重的凱因，「我帶他去離氣味遠一點的地方，你在這裡等我。」離開前不忘替米歐加固結界。
　
從結界中望出去，前方不遠處果然出現一座罌粟花園。襯著陰沉沉的黑森林，一大片紅花既顯得格格不入，又顯得美豔奪目。
　
米歐蹲到漢瑟爾身旁，一手拿出口罩替他摀住口鼻，另一手用璐平的外套捂住鼻子。衣領間全都是洗髮精的味道，那傢伙到底有沒有沖乾淨啊……
　
外套很重，璐平在口袋裡放了什麼？
　
明知偷翻別人的口袋是很不禮貌的，米歐還是下意識地把手伸進去。觸感很冰冷，是很有分量的金屬製品。抓出那東西一看，居然是手銬！
　
「嗚！」驚訝讓米歐不小心倒吸一口氣，罌粟花的氣味直竄鼻腔，旋即擴散至身體的每一吋。他強烈地感受到疲倦、虛弱，掙扎片刻，撐不住地跪地，倒在璐平的外套裡，沉沉睡去。
　

「既沒有哥哥們的才智，又沒有出色的外表。你看看這孩子，滿臉雀斑，還是個大近視，為什麼姊姊要領養這樣的孩子？」
　
米歐在模糊的意識中看見漢瑟爾，他緊捧著書，沉默地低著頭。
　
撐起身體，腳底的冰冷，讓米歐意識到自己身處積雪寒地。雪花緩緩飄落在他與漢瑟爾之間。他走過去，伸長胳臂，手卻直接穿過漢瑟爾的身體，無法真正碰觸。
　
這種宛如來到了另一個時空，眼前事物卻清晰可見的熟悉感……難道他又做夢了？
　
大人們的評論毫不留情，漢瑟爾置若罔聞，靜靜地縮在玻璃窗前，拚命地埋頭寫作。
　
既然漢瑟爾沒有察覺米歐的存在，他索性湊近前，偷瞄漢瑟爾的寫作內容。
　
故事的主人公是個小男孩，擁有愛他的家人、上天賦予的音樂才華、討人喜歡的外貌。在和樂的家庭中長大，一家四口過得很幸福。然而好景不常，某個夜晚，噬血族殺死他的父母，把他帶走，讓他與哥哥從此分隔兩地。
　
小男孩被一個富有的家庭領養，因為事發當時年紀還太小，他逐漸忘記了自己原本的家人。直到長大後偶然發現養父的日記，得知身世，才踏上尋找親人的旅途。
　
艱辛困苦的旅程持續了一年，他不停地打聽哥哥的下落，總算與哥哥重逢，兩人決定一起去冒險。
　
萬萬沒想到，冒險途中，哥哥為了保護他，死了。
　
小男孩傷心地跪倒在哥哥身旁，「早知道……早知道就不該來找哥哥……」如果他能乖乖地留在領養他的家庭，不與哥哥相認，就不會害死哥哥。
　
如此哭了三天三夜，最後傷心欲絕、精疲力盡地倒臥在哥哥身邊。
　
他對哥哥的感情感動了神，於是讓兩人維持沉睡狀態，讓他們在夢中重新相遇，一起玩耍，互相扶持長大。
　
寫到這裡，漢瑟爾停下筆，扭頭看向米歐，「哥哥？」
　
米歐驚訝地蹲下身，原本以為漢瑟爾看不見他，「抱歉，我很好奇你在寫什麼，所以……」
　
「凱因哥哥……」漢瑟爾低喃一句，收回目光，繼續書寫。
　
米歐頓了一下，意識到漢瑟爾只是在自言自語，鬆了口氣。
　
「我到底在做什麼？真蠢。」米歐屈膝靠在窗戶邊，耳邊只有筆尖與紙頁摩擦的聲音。
　
「米歐，你能吞噬他人的夢境，將之轉換成力量。這種能力很可貴，你得趕快想起使用它的方法。」
　
突然想起那個叫「撫子」的女孩說過的話，如果真有這樣的能力，是不是吃掉漢瑟爾的夢，就能竊取他的能力？哪怕漢瑟爾不醒，也能接替他使用那本書和羽毛筆？
　
米歐像被附身似的挺起身，於埋首書寫的漢瑟爾面前釋放些許殺氣。第二次嘗試比第一次要大膽得多，他逕直伸手穿入漢瑟爾的身軀，逐漸透明化的身體內部果真埋有一片折射出彩虹光芒的玻璃碎片，刺在少年的右掌心。
　
米歐握住碎片，慢慢地把往外拔。碎片離體的瞬間，漢瑟爾痛苦地抓住右手，書本和羽毛筆一併滾落腳邊。他皺緊五官，像吸不到氧氣般劇烈地喘著，掙扎一會兒，臉孔漸漸沒了血色，皮膚由蒼白轉為灰暗。
　
目睹一切，米歐退後好幾步。碎片已經讓他握在手中，他把它塞入嘴裡，一步一步遠離漢瑟爾。尖銳的玻璃刮破口腔，隨即像糖果般被唾液融化。
　
即使是夢，他仍覺得自己背叛了漢瑟爾。
　
米歐緊摀著嘴，低下頭，身體充滿嶄新的力量，悲傷卻在腦海中播種。未來的某一天，他會不會對在夢中吞噬人這件事麻木？
　
　

璐平只離開了短短的三十秒，安置好凱因，快步折返，卻見米歐倒臥在外套上昏睡。他蹲在一旁，用指腹撥開覆在米歐臉上的髮絲，被髮絲觸碰的眼皮微微顫動，但仍緊閉。
　
注視米歐露出的無防備睡顏，璐平不自覺地勾出淡淡笑容，手指順著米歐的髮絲，輕觸他的側臉，替他治癒。
　
動作間，目光掃過掉落在一旁的手銬。他撿起手銬，把米歐連同外套一起抱在手上。
　
身體突然浮空讓米歐恢復清醒，撐開眼皮，映入眼簾的第一幕又是璐平那天使般的笑顏。他下意識地撇開頭，察覺自己正被璐平用公主抱的方式抱著，條件反射地用力一推，整個人重摔在地。
　
「好痛……」米歐摸著臀部，沒想到自己真會摔下來。
　
「你沒事吧？」璐平關切地伸出手，被米歐不客氣地拍掉。
　
「我沒有這麼纖細！」
　
「我不是這個意思……你剛才昏睡的姿勢不好扛，我這樣抱比較方便嘛。」
　
米歐坐在地上，納悶地想著，奇怪，為何璐平說了這麼多話、做了這麼多事，一直沒有昏睡過去？難道說，他對罌粟花的氣味免疫？
　
思考的同時，某種冰冷的東西攀上他的腿。那是像觸角一樣有判斷能力的枝梗，下一秒，米歐被狠狠地拉過去。
　
罌粟花園中央生出約有三層樓高的巨型罌粟花妖，在璐平與米歐對話時，另一隻觸角已將漢瑟爾捆住，尖端插入他的背部，吸取他的生命泉水。
　
璐平憑空拉弓，箭迅速射穿綁住米歐的觸角。往下掉落的同時，包覆在米歐四周的結界降低了地心引力的影響，他就像花瓣一般慢慢飄落。
　
米歐著地後抽出西洋劍，劍光一閃，壓低身子快速奔跑，踩上自己製造的跳躍魔法陣，猛力一躍，跳至與罌粟花妖的花托等高的空中。再藉由下墜的力量旋轉身子，劈斷綁住漢瑟爾的枝梗。
　
漢瑟爾落下，璐平也像方才保護米歐那樣替他施法，但他臉上毫無血色，也幾乎沒有了呼吸。
　
璐平不假思索地使出一天只能使用最多兩次的最高級治癒魔法，並翻動漢瑟爾的身體，見少年的背部被刺入一根足有手掌長的毒針。
　
撕開漢瑟爾背後的衣物，被針刺入的皮膚已變得烏黑，毒素正持續往外擴散。璐平把掌心貼緊皮膚，震了一下，漢瑟爾立刻張口吐出鮮血，烏黑之色剎那間轉為焦黑。璐平接著劃開中毒的肌膚，努力阻斷毒素的擴張。
　
另一方面，米歐俐落地砍斷罌粟花妖的三根觸角，可光憑他一人，難以真正對抗高大的花妖。哪怕使用時間暫停，怕也無法於短時間內找到花妖的弱點。被砍斷的觸角已開始復原，這樣下去根本砍不完！
　
甩掉劍身沾染的綠色汁液，腳底的魔法陣持續轉動。他舉劍召出雷電，突然被來自後方的衝力推倒、摟住，在地上連滾了好幾圈。
　
「……璐平？」
　
米歐從璐平的肩膀處探出頭，花妖觸角的刺深深地刺入金髮少年的背。
　
他咬緊牙根推開璐平，用力揮劍。雷電劈落，被斬斷的觸角在地上蠕動了一下，顏色轉灰、硬化，化為隨風散去的灰燼。
　
璐平狂冒冷汗，趴倒在地，「沒事的……我可以治癒。」顫抖的手掌發出微弱的金光，治癒的力量根本不敵毒素的擴張。
　
眼看黑色毒素即將擴散至整個背部，身旁又有巨大的花妖威脅，米歐選擇最快最有效率的解決方式，拔掉璐平身上的毒刺。璐平因痛苦而顫抖，米歐緊鎖雙眉，手指扒開破裂的衣物，將雙唇貼過去，吸吮殘留於傷口的毒素。
　
璐平感到搔癢，面孔泛紅，「米歐，你這樣會不會被感染？」
　
米歐吐掉嘴裡的毒，又吸了一口。眼角餘光瞥見觸角再次襲來，右手一揮，嘴一吐，起身面對下一波攻擊。
　
「你等我一下。」米歐擋在璐平身前，心想，要是凱因這時候能醒來就好了。至少一人可當誘餌，一人可攻擊。
　
一面想，一面飛快地跑開，將觸角誘離璐平與漢瑟爾。
　
璐平緩緩撐起身體，看著米歐奮戰的身影，猶如紅寶石的雙眼越顯鮮紅。身體微微散發金光，不僅治癒了自己，也連帶治癒了漢瑟爾。
　
雙手撐著膝蓋，毒針扎刺讓視線變得模糊，思緒恍惚，還有些幻象出現。他抿緊雙唇，全力拉弓，「不准……傷害米歐！」
　
離弦之箭飛向米歐身側的新生花妖，花妖立刻化為灰燼。但不止這一株，周圍冒出來的花妖越來越多。璐平抬頭瞇眼細看，花粉正隨風傳播。他一箭射向花托，將之貫穿。罌粟花妖不甘地掙扎著，把所有種子和花粉都傳播出去，隨後枯萎變黃、粉化，隨風散去。
　
璐平踩死周遭的種子，但成功播種的花妖迅速成長起來，估計每一個都能長成高大的母體。怎麼辦？救醒漢瑟爾，請他寫接下來的劇情嗎？可是漢瑟爾說過，書寫的是心中的另一個自己，結局不一定是好的。
　
米歐也猜到接下來這堆花妖很難應付，驀地撿起漢瑟爾遺落的書與羽毛筆。羽毛筆在他手中放電排斥，他咬牙握緊，硬是寫下新情節。
　
沒有水分灌溉的種子不多久就沒了生命，殘留的罌粟花妖很快……
　
原本想寫很快就被解決，但掌心猛然閃出一道電光，他的手被炸出傷口，沒辦法繼續握筆。
　
璐平訝異地看著能碰觸羽毛筆與書的米歐，米歐什麼時候學會了這種技能？除了已經長出來的花妖，土裡播下的其他種子都沒了生長的跡象。
　
米歐握住流血的手，既然成功使用了在夢中吞噬的漢瑟爾的能力，撫子的能力，他應該也能運用。
　
雙掌於胸前圍出三角形，「犬神……招來！」
　
轟然巨響，花園的土壤隆起，土堆爆裂，從中現形的，是身周飄著雲氣的犬神。
　
召喚成功了！米歐其實同璐平一樣詫異。原本沒有多少把握，想不到自己真能透過夢境奪走並運用他人的能力。
　
而且，他喚出的幻獸，體型比夢中大了兩倍！
　
犬神後腿一蹬，衝向花妖群，首先咬斷一株迅速長到三公尺高的花妖，而後前爪一揮，折斷其他花妖。
　
米歐回過神，連忙加入攻擊，消滅最幼小的那些花妖。
　
犬神躍起一層樓高，重重落下，用身體的力量壓垮持續生長的花妖。尾巴一掃，除去四處攀附的枝梗。璐平見前方的戰況得到控制，趕緊蹲下來繼續治療漢瑟爾，高階治癒法術讓漢瑟爾的皮膚逐漸染上紅潤。
　
犬神周邊的雲朵以螺旋方式自轉，召出強勁的風，將花妖從花托處切成兩半。短短幾分鐘，罌粟花園化為灰燼，恢復為森林與草地。
　
確認已將罌粟花園徹底夷為平地，犬神回到米歐身邊，舔了舔前爪、清理一下毛髮，化為透明，消失不見。