哥癡癡等好久的淡水愛店 之間 茶食器 的中秋禮盒「月河《MOON RIVER》」終於到手，好美，好有質感，好窩心啊❤️❤️❤️

必須說，這禮盒的巧思和用心，實在是讓人佩服！單是那手工絹印的玉兔布包，和包裝布綁的方式，就讓人感受到濃濃的設計感和獨創性。而一打開後，一隻燙金飛兔飛躍在英國進口黑卡紙上，那細緻的小細節，就反映了兩位老闆的個性與品味，讓人情不自禁的嘴角就微微一笑，想起了他們店內的角落，和上桌的一道道美好滋味，好生雅致，也好誘惑人啊！

月光琥珀糖，是由觀音山的柚子、坪林包種茶和石花菜寒天研製而成，溫媽媽嚐了一口，馬上眉開眼笑說：我以為是水晶，沒想到好好吃，味道也很清香，而且入口即化，好舒服和享受。👍👍👍

大屯山自種花草果乾茶 則是山間栽種香草花卉、自烘果乾的淡水河系茶，美麗的讓人捨不得獨享，決定了先偷藏起來，等中秋團聚時，再拿出來驚喜家人😊😊😊

#謝謝學弟

玉兔布包款與燙金
https://www.facebook.com/BetweenTeaHouse/posts/2325041790960215

平時常人使用一成功力，對我來說可能需要耗盡十成功力才能達成。大魔王來襲時，恐怕會驟升一百倍！很不恰巧地，最近可能剛好踏進這個週期。那天靈機一動決定做的靈機一動小組合，對於做過勇健組合後，這個都不算什麼了，但因為適逢週期，還是勉強了些，不過慶幸自己還是努力地完成了！

鹽可頌與磅蛋糕各選了三個口味，限定九組而已。因為是靈機一動，就把會絕版的鐵觀音茶霜、可能絕版的南瓜乳酪與現在可遇不可求的九層塔放進去，私心滿滿。磅蛋糕也藏了自己愛的花椒、不是很多人敢嘗試的迷迭柚香與充滿違和美的黑糖肉桂酥頂鹹蛋黃紅豆抹茶磅蛋糕進去。

期許著，希望你們依舊讓人喜歡~

當覺得自己太過孱弱而什麼都做不到時，就只能一丁一點慢慢築起，可能過程太過挫敗而自暴自棄數百萬次，卻還是會心有不捨而再慢慢疊起。或許哪一天，終會看到屬於自己，獨一無二的模樣。

只有自己看到也沒關係的，告訴我自己。

#雅軒的靈機一動小組合
#鐵觀音茶霜鹽可頌
#南瓜乳酪鹽可頌
#九層塔鹽可頌
#迷迭柚香磅蛋糕
#黑糖肉桂酥頂鹹蛋黃紅豆抹茶磅蛋糕
#帕瑪森鹹蛋黃酥頂花椒磅蛋糕
#雅軒的鹽可頌
#雅軒的阿磅
#我的小日子

「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

綿綿雨粉如風飄絮，灑落於石板地上。
隨着羊腸石徑而行，兩旁植物悠悠揚揚，被修剪過的痕迹，顯得有點造作。終於走出迂迴，晃入眼眸的，是「香港公園」四個大字。水珠從牌坊滑落至花叢，細葉輕抖，對啊，下着雨呢。
回過神來，驀地前瞻一下，眼前是座白色建築物，正可擋雨。
甫踏進平房內，方發覺此乃一間茶藝館，左手邊是一條迴旋樓梯，正要舉步之際，竟傳來陣陣茶香撲鼻，剎那瞄了瞄上方的木牌，手已不禁將前方木門推開，默想着剛才的三個直度大字——「樂茶軒」。
果然，木門後，別有離塵天地。

瞳孔裏反照出一片古色，木地板鋪上一層輕蠟，門口的左方擱了數個木架，分別放了不同的茶壺、茶杯，靠牆有一貌似百子櫃般的木具，相信是安置茶葉的地方，數位身穿寶藍色長袍的茶藝師，正專注地泡水試茶。右方則是另一木櫃，一個個小圓罐整齊地排列在內，拿起一瞧，罐子上寫了茶葉的名目，裏面則放了一小撮茶葉，好讓品茗者挑選茶種。來到店子的前方，散發着濃厚中國味的正方木桌及木椅正有員工在拭淨，數個紋路相當細緻的木屏風，稍稍分間了兩至三個空間，免卻侷促，並列的數個雙門大窗透着日光，而窗框及窗花都一致地用上了木材，貫徹始終。


凡塵本歸自然
確定這是一家茶館後，一名身穿沈紅寛衣的老人步及。怎麼說，他綁起銀髮，一額清爽；圓弧的黑框眼鏡，擋不住深邃的雙眼皮，一雙明眸似乎沒有被歲月壓昏；微笑底下，連着一束白鬍子，左手把其執起一掃，對了，就像遠古的智者。伸出右手一握，他報上「葉榮枝」一名來，於茶藝界相當有名氣的他，被尊稱為老師，亦是茶館的主人。
茶館歷年廿七，說長不長。老師接過茶藝師的茶，小嘗一口，緩緩道出每晨試茶乃茶館的傳統，重點是水。香港不吃香，水質一般，即使採用了優質的濾水器，每天仍要先確保水味如貫，方放心泡茶。地方各有優劣，本是自然，盡本份泡出一壺好茶，就是尊重天然、順應自然。說起這一點，就關乎茶館成立的原因，其實有些少因緣。
早於八十年代，老師跟維他奶的創辦人羅桂祥合作，賣紫砂茶壺維生。當時是一九八六年，對茶道還是一知半解的他，遇上了他的啟蒙者，亦即是他的員工。這名員工來自安溪，家族以種茶維生。一次機緣，他帶老師到故鄉去，踏上茶山一刻，完全震撼了。高山雲霧，地方唯美不在話下，最大的感動，來自茶農認真的精神。當時做茶葉很樸素，由種植、採收、挑葉、搖茶、發酵、殺青，到包裝都一手一腳、一板一眼，沒有機器輔助，一切講求天時、地利、人和。由一個普通的飲品，變成有生命的東西，不單好喝，不是完美，但有一種個性，猶與大自然結合。說起，他仍覺激動：「好感動，嗰刻我發現，呢樣先係人所追求嘅嘢。」那個年代，茶種不明確，某地的普洱、哪方的水仙，反正各類茶葉全都由政府先收購，再混合出售。於是，老師帶了好些茶葉回港試賣，發明了「單採」這個名詞，明確地劃分了地區及茶類。流傳間，大家覺得這概念很好，引發他開創了樂茶軒。
老師呷下第二杯茶之時，已見有客人步進茶館，時間尚早，多為品茗而來。放下玻璃茶杯，他徐徐站起，迎賓去。


專心不染塵濁
客人是三名女士，打扮樸實，徑自走到放置茶葉的木櫃前喃喃互語。老師見狀，上前打着招呼，又拿起茶葉小罐讓各人嗅嗅。這是茶館的執着，了解客人口味，為其挑選合適的茶種，賣茶之餘，解釋何謂好茶，如何品茶、泡茶。「由八十年代起，我見盡好多茶館，而家執得七七八八，佢哋最大問題係將重心放喺食物，令茶館風味減少。」他強調，茶永遠是主角。
言談間，發覺三人有意學茶，老師於是把各種茶葉、茶具拿出，準備泡茶。用小勺子舀起茶葉一瞬，他神情忽而嚴肅起來。這是他的信念——專注。細心專注地喝，就發現味道確是不同。他把熱水壺插電，將茶的種類娓娓道來。
從前，茶葉分類很簡單，分為不發酵、半發酵、全發酵及後發酵四種。現時則較講究，劃分了六大茶類。綠茶、青茶、白茶、黃茶、黑茶及紅茶。
此刻在老師面前的，正是不發酵的綠茶，碧螺春。只見，老師於熱水壺旁邊放了一瓶溫水。不需預熱杯子，因為愈少發酵的茶葉，沖水溫度愈低。綠茶雅淡，宜用薄身茶具，他慢條斯理地把泡好的茶倒入玻璃杯中，茶的表面浮起了一層茶毫，即茶茸毛，茶毫愈多，代表茶葉愈細嫩。淺嘗一口，清香的餘韻仍於舌尖徘徊之際，老師已換上一套小巧的薄紫砂泡烏龍茶。稍稍預熱茶具，倒掉熱水後，就把屬於半發酵的青茶塞到茶壺中注水，把第一壺茶倒掉，他解釋：「唔係每隻茶都要倒走第一泡，烏龍茶第一轉茶葉未張開，唔香，所以唔要。」把茶飲盡，老師走到擺放茶葉的木櫃前，逐一解說。
手上的水仙是白茶，屬低發酵茶，宜低溫沖泡；旁邊擺放着罕有的黃茶，則屬後發酵，他一解狐疑：「等於你媽媽留菜，菜心芥蘭，我用碟蓋住，返嚟再蒸熱，菜變成黃色，咁咪係黃茶囉！」同屬後發酵的黑茶亦然，變成黃色的菜再慢慢曬乾閒置，變成菜乾，就是黑茶。往下方一看，是為人所知的普洱，即紅茶，紅茶以全發酵製作，要用高溫沖泡。見有人口水直流，老師知情地舀起一撮，返回泡茶的位置，用大熱的滾水灌滿厚紫砂壺，放入茶葉，把水柱拉高注入壺中。細心一看，茶葉比剛才的兩種茶粗大得多，故此水溫需較高，原理如煮牛肉一樣，牛肉切得薄，火鍋時熗熗就吃；如果牛肉切得厚，就需多浸兩下。這正是人云亦云的表現，原來水滾，不一定茶靚。
想當初，教他喝茶的師傅，主要是茶農，與之生活，取溪水沖茶，訓練專注，細心體會時，慢慢找到茶的樂趣、茶的精髓，繼而，才變成了他生命的一部分。
茶，其實是一種經驗，需要累積。這是他送別三名女士時，留下的一句話。

悲心牽動萬麈
轉身步回茶館一刻，門外剛好有人送來點心，老師見無人閒暇，於是出外交接。雨露依然連綿，他倒是一臉無所謂，與門外送貨工人核對着單據。驀地，一名挽着兩袋蔬菜的光頭男人站在身後察聽內容，見一切順利，就急步往炊煙裊裊的廚房走。老師忙畢，見店內已半滿，不慌不忙地踏入廚房。「劉經理，客人開始到啦。」他稍稍吊高嗓子，喚着正忙得不可開交的光頭漢。劉經理原來主力負責廚房及菜單。茶館雖然只賣素食，但七成的點心都是當天即包即蒸，其餘三成向某寺院叫貨。劉經理每早都需要外出挑選新鮮貨，原則是不時不吃。既然茶是主角，食物理所當然，就是配角，因此茶館每天只售約二十款點心，但選擇少，客人容易生厭，故每天都要轉換款式。至於，最令二人頭痛的，就是如何讓菜式配合醇茶，因為茶本身是一個減的元素，用來清潔口腔，素菜清淡，易致「口寡」，所以他們要不斷嘗試，例如油膩的，配普洱茶來清膩感；淡味的，就配清茶。
離開廚房，發現店裏已經近乎滿座，看來最旺場的午市已至，緊隨身後的老師開腔：「附近做嘢嘅人想食素，但附近冇素餐館，所以就會嚟晒呢度。」素蝦餃、素燒賣、豆腐餅、燉湯，一籠籠點心不息地送到席間。看着穿著整齊的上班族忙於咀嚼，使得他憶起九十年代的上環。
一九九一年至二零零二年間，茶館於上環樓梯街開業，只賣茶葉，旁邊很多老茶鋪。被嘲是黃毛小子的他，卻憑着一份慈悲，而站穩陣腳。他相信幫人要盡全力，故此，有任何人到茶舍請教茶道，即使沒有光顧，都會傾囊相授。也不求暴利。估計，全中國屬他的茶最便宜，三十八元一斤起，到現時都沒有漲價。他常跟客人直言，他們的茶並不特別名貴，並非得獎，只是好喝。清心明明，令他結識了一群「茶道中人」，因而闖出名堂。但老師強調，不要讓一片悲心受蒙騙，例如茶價未必直接反映品質，「我好討厭大陸啲小罐茶，話咩總裁飲嘅茶，世界上有幾多總裁？其實就是要令你虛榮。」有些茶賣幾萬元一斤，根本騙人。故此，他要尋根，親自到中國內地不同的茶山試茶，好茶方買，成為了全香港第一個跑茶山的人，幾乎全中國的茶山都跑過。熱心的他，更冒着生命危險去試茶。
有一次，老師到龍井向茶農買茶，碰到一個炒茶的人，二人聊開了，他就嗟嘆黃茶難求，因為做茶過程繁複，沒有幾個人做了，不料對方竟然指他的爺爺會做，老師二話不說，立即動身隨他到安徽故鄉找黃茶老人。然而，不知道是因為過於興奮而忘記，還是刻意遺忘，當年是二零零三年，正值沙士疫間，聞說此病就是從該處傳來，故被列作禁區。幸而，他最後都無病歸來，更帶來了珍貴的黃茶，對方被其誠意打動，更每年為他做茶。
從思憶中掙脫，老師揑一把汗。最令他覺得驚險的，是在眾多老行尊面前，能夠生存過來。最後，茶鋪愈做愈好，於是二零零三年投標現址，開始做茶館，如他的口頭禪「From farm to table（從茶山到桌面）」。於他而言，茶道雖盛載了很多文化及歷史，但經常把文化掛於嘴邊，終成包袱。所以他的信念是讓人快快樂樂地喝茶，故名「樂茶軒」。
回頭，他已坐於客席，與數名外國人茗茶閒聊。如斯氛圍，吸引不少遊客遠道而來，牽塵萬里。

喜捨一切如塵
送走了最後一位客人，仰首一望，已經四時許。穿戴整齊的店員，開始重新於餐桌上鋪上竹蓆，一雙筷子、一套碗碟，都有條不紊。手輕腳動，不發出一點繁音。倏地，幾位手執樂器的男女推開大門，朝老師這邊打招呼。茶館平日不做晚市，每逢周末晚則有粵曲或南音表演，很多客人特地來，邊欣賞邊享用晚膳，相當熱鬧。南音徐徐揚起，老師輕敲拍子，訴說着，表演樂隊駐場多年，早已成為老友。堅持做音樂表演，並沒有為他帶來更高的利潤，由始至終，他都只視茶舍為一個以茶會友的地方：「你想發達千祈唔好做茶，呢行能夠過到生活，維持落去已經好好。」喜捨，是他的座右銘。
喜捨，即有些東西要懂得放棄，懂得與人分享。正如要得好情誼，凡事就不能賺到盡。說實話，對年輕人而言，茶館有點老套，但老師一點沒有想過以年輕化來擴大客源：「好難將就年輕人，好似佢哋鍾意飲珍珠奶茶，但呢個係我底線，叫我畀啲化學劑你飲，我做唔到。但年輕人會長大，總有一日發覺乜嘢對自己好，佢哋需要幫助，而唔係將就。」堅持原則，就要捨棄獲利。
對於茶的執着，又豈止一二。時至今日，老師仍然會去茶山試茶，尤其是多產的地方，好茶需要發掘。當然，很多茶都不需他親自去買，畢竟，認識了十多年的相熟茶農芸芸，每年都自動替其留一批好茶，他咧嘴笑道：「而家係賣幾分老臉皮！」縱然臉皮多厚，事實上如今很多茶都買不到了，就如他一直光顧的一個茶農家庭。老師憶述，這家人做的鐵觀音非常香醇，還記得第一次到他們家中看他們做茶，一絲不苟的全手工製作，更要用腳搓茶葉，深深被他們的堅持震懾。可惜，九十年代時，茶農的兒子自殺死了，夫婦二人傷心過度，又缺少了兒子的幫忙，也就不再做茶，那種茶至今也再嘗不了，此乃茶館的一大缺失。
只是，不捨不捨，還需捨。

被傷痛籠罩着的老師，略帶蒼然。睿智的光芒稍熄，暴露了六十有七的點點老態。茶館雖好，人卻會衰。說到傳承問題，他確實沒有頭緒。第一，有興趣的人不多；第二，懂茶的人不多，但最令他憂心的，是感情關係轉移問題：「茶農老，我又老，佢哋嘅接班人同我嘅接班人可唔可以共處，都係未知之數，老啦，唔可以帶走任何嘢，咁交畀邊個呢？」他自覺唯一能做的，是讓人感到茶館有生命力，畢竟誰願意接手一間小店？碰巧，最近大館邀請他去開店，自嘲一把年紀；一把鬍子；一把鼻涕；一把眼淚；一把衝勁；一把茶壺，最後把心一橫就去做。他，就賭一鋪。
揑着鬍子，智者深知世外桃源，虛無縹緲。何不暢飲一杯，暫洗風塵，於此天地胡哼亂唱，一番逍遙。
明天的事，明天了。

金鐘樂茶軒
地址：金鐘香港公園羅桂祥茶藝館地下
電話：2801 7177
營業時間：10am-8pm（星期日至五）；10am-9pm（星期六）；每月逢第二個星期二休館
詳情： http://bit.ly/2NuvBHi

中環樂茶軒
地址：中環荷李活道10號大館1座G06-07鋪
電話：2276 5777
營業時間：11am-11pm（全年無休）
詳情： http://bit.ly/2Nq1gte

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萬佛寺Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery位於香港沙田區排頭村萬佛山上，由月溪法師在1949年建設，於1957年落成，寺院佔地65,000平方呎，依山就勢，分成高低兩組建築群，共有5殿4亭1廊及1塔。1938年月溪法師離開廣州到香港沙田弘法，並開始籌備興建萬佛寺。1949年香港著名菸草商人南洋兄弟菸草公司簡玉階將私產「晦思園」捐贈建寺。月溪法師事必躬親，擔鐵運石，親手塑造佛像萬餘尊，歷時八載，於1957年建成萬佛寺，自此成為香港著名觀光熱點。1982年萬佛寺開始進行局部性的翻新及重建工程，包括重建韋馱亭、觀音亭及十八羅漢廊，翻新萬佛寺和萬佛塔。並為各尊像鋪上金箔及掃油漆。可惜於1997年7月，萬佛寺被暴雨嚴重沖毀，其中玉皇殿及觀音殿倒塌，由於損毀嚴重而被迫一度關閉，經過兩年重修，才能局部重新開放，更由私人寺院改為公眾所有的非牟利團體「沙田萬佛寺有限公司」負責管理。於2000年開展工程，在室外放置500具真人大小的金羅漢像。
月溪法師生於1879年，祖籍浙江錢塘，後遷雲南，俗姓吳，諱心圓，字月溪，生於富裕家庭，肄業於上海震旦大學，19歲毅然出家，禮靜安老和尚剃度受具戒，於佛前燃左無名指及小二指，在胸前肉上燃起四十八盞燈供奉在佛像面前。月溪法師性喜游，善七弦琴，游必擕琴隨身，到處講經說法，踏遍名山大川。九一八事變後，月溪法師南下廣州弘法，並重修大佛寺。1965年4月24日月溪法師準備講《圓覺經》，突感壽緣已盡，當晚8時，端坐圓寂，住世87載。弟子將法體封龕入土，8個月後，遵照法師生前囑咐撥土開龕，即見其肉身不化，五官俱全，整體呈金黃色。並依遺示以紅布包裹肉身並加漆鋪金，作肉身菩薩，供奉於寺中的「彌陀殿」，後於2001年初移往「萬佛殿」安奉。月溪法師警語:
人命無常，過於山水，今日雖存，明亦難保。念念不停，尤如奔馬，馬到崖前，收韁恐晚。是日已過，命亦隨減，如少水魚，斯有何樂？今生不將此生度，更向何生度此生。一口氣不來，惟有業隨身。生時不帶一文來，死時不帶一文去。努力今生須了卻，更莫屢劫受餘殃。不受一番寒徹骨，恁得梅花撲鼻香。拼著一條窮性命，銀牆鐵壁亦要穿。身到半山須努力，要登崖頂莫辭勞。念佛之念既真，了悟之心必至。念佛無秘訣，只要生死切。但辦肯心，決不相謙（賺）。念到半途須努力，要想成佛莫辭勞。釋迦不是天生，達摩亦非自證。心心相續，不自放逸。修行若遇真師友，敢保功夫一世休。無量劫的生死，要他和盤托出。修行本分大事，不是說了便休。假如今生不得念佛三昧，縱使骨枯髓乾，終不放捨。爾不在這裏磨礱，修行志氣，抖擻精神，一往直前，以求解脫。蒼天渺渺，大地茫茫，生死不了，如何問心？研窮法理，以悟為則。至道無難，唯嫌揀擇。惟守一法，然後見心。制心一處，無事不辦。百折千磨，終不退悔。受盡辛苦，惟道為是。千磨萬難，益勵精勤。臨渴掘井，時間不待。閑時辦，可待臨終日。身既到了寶山，切莫空手而歸。法無正像末三時之等差，人何上中下三根之端的。惟知近學之弗荒，不擬真功之自績。