關於 十一面神咒心經 ，我們在網路上蒐集到這些相關的討論、資訊與評價

有人問起我關於日蓮宗唸『南摩妙法蓮華經』，到底是在唸咒還是唸其他的？

其實在漢傳佛教裡面，這是唸經名或唸經題，漢傳佛教本來就有拜經的做法，把經名當咒來唸。那些相信華嚴經的，也有唸『南摩大方廣佛華嚴經』。

正統的做法，是有先後次序。例如，他本身已經研究過妙法蓮華經或華嚴經的內容，已經熟稔於心，那麼他唸經題，是幫他用唸經題或經名來提醒經典內容的禪修。

一般傳統佛教法師會站在正統做法的一邊。

那是否代表非正統的做法沒有效益呢？

這就很難說了。

天德教有唸二十字真言，其實就是「忠、恕、廉、明、德、正、義、信、忍、公、博、孝、仁、慈、覺、節、儉、真、禮、和」二十種美德，但本來是提醒美德的，也變成好像咒語一樣，用來治病。

佛教的緣起偈『諸法因緣生，法亦因緣滅，是諸因緣法，佛大沙門說』，本來也是用來憶念緣起的。

後來在藏傳也變成了如同咒語般，一些西藏人還會把它唸上十萬遍。

漢傳有唸經名，也有拜經。一些就是簡單的把一本經拜在佛壇上，當作是佛來膜拜。一些的做法唸誦經的內容，每唸一個字，就拜一次，唸第一個『如』字後，就下拜一次，再唸第二個『是』字，又下拜第二次，以此類推。所以如法華經或華嚴經這種很長的經典，要拜很久很久。

在密宗就有把般若經當成是一個菩薩來拜，後來也把般若經神格化成為一個佛母，叫做般若佛母。她的形象有多種，藏傳比較常見的是一面四臂，身金色。

她和綠度母的年齡是不同的。

綠度母的形象是16歲，少女形象。般若佛母不是少女形象，歲數我忘了，應該是二十以上，可能是30，顯現的是成熟女人。

她的咒語是 Om gate gate para gate para sam gate bodhi soha
嗡 噶貼 噶貼 帕啦 噶貼 帕啦 山 噶貼 波地 所哈

如果你覺得這個咒好像很熟，是的，它就是《心經》最後的那個咒。

這咒本來是用來做經典內容的記號，後來也變成了被視為有神奇力量的咒語，而廣用於漢傳藏傳的法會當中，還可以用來供天或超渡。（農曆七月怕怕的人，可以唸唸來息怖安心）

然後這咒又變成了一個女神（佛母）。

這是很典型的一個『如何從一本小冊子變成一個女神』的勵志故事。

從歷史的角度來看待這些發展，神，都是人造出來的。

#江魔設教
#廣渡魔粉

《「拴馬索」——念珠之功德與作用之二 》
　
十幾歲時，我獲得了一串念珠，當時對於念珠的概念，並不像現在這麼在行，只覺得這串念珠，淡黃色上面佈滿了如星辰般密密麻麻，也像螞蟻築巢穴窩般的坑坑洞洞，極不規則，但拿在手裡就是有股說不出的溫暖和安心。這串一百零八顆的菩提子念珠，是來自於一位從中國福州鼓山的湧泉寺來台的老和尚，人們都管他叫傳心師父。傳心師父外型有一點酷似晚年的弘一大師，清瘦嶙峋，但卻有股不可言喻的、詩人般的氣質，風雅脫俗，我最早有些詩詞的啟蒙，也是來自此師。等到日後我讀書求學，跟隨了我的國文老師之後，愈發地覺得這老和尚本就是俱足古代翰林多墨般慧行才子，只可惜傳心老和尚當時業已圓寂多年。
　
傳心老和尚是一位禪淨雙修的老和尚，據說老和尚和虛雲老和尚也有段頗深的因緣，當時傳心老和尚還只是一位沙彌、學習僧，關於此事，和傳心老和尚稍熟之後，也曾聽聞虛雲老和尚在鼓山的一些玄妙事蹟，例如虛雲老和尚曾經在湧泉寺傳戒的時候，寺廟中的鐵樹竟然會無故開放出如同水盆般、奇大無比的花，這可是百年難得的奇聞。鐵樹也有人稱做鳳尾蕉，這原來聽老輩的講法，是有故事的，這故事又有一些傳奇，也說不清楚到底是多遙遠以前的故事，據說是來自於一隻鳳凰，這鳳凰被一位有錢的暴發戶拾獲，他便把牠關在籠子內，每天給他餵食最好的飼料和鳥食，希望博取這隻鳳凰的開心，據說如果可以見到鳳凰展翅飛翔或欣賞到曼妙的鳳姿，是極為喜慶的事，在中國一直是被看做吉祥的象徵，也是國祚綿延之兆，通常被稱為鳥中之王，也有一說，鳳凰是天龍後代。話說這土豪強學風雅，每天期盼著這隻鳳凰可以在他眼前振翅舞蹈，但沒想到，過了很長一段時間，從來未曾如願過，最後他火大，就將鳳凰一把火給燒死。鄰近多事的人，在焚燒過後的灰燼中卻發現長出了樹苗，附近的民眾便認為是鳳凰的靈魂不死所長出來的鐵樹。鐵樹也因為這段神話，常常被形容百折不撓，堅忍不拔的象徵。
　
根據傳心法師的描述，他少年時所見到的虛雲老和尚當時已經九十多歲，但卻身體極為矯健硬朗，並且日日出坡，還在寺中種植了多棵樹木。更有一件稀奇的事，那便是龍王曾經化現為一老者，求戒於虛雲老和尚的事蹟⋯⋯或許由於傳心法師的贈送菩提念珠以及經常耳聞虛老的事蹟，那段時期對於禪生起了極為深切的興趣，於是在這位傳心法師的啟蒙下，開始念誦《楞嚴經》、《心經》、《金剛經》等和宗門相關的經書⋯⋯。
　
傳心老法師是位解行並重、通達三藏的善知識，平日裡極為和善，溫潤有儀，因此頗得人心。特別對於年少孩童，他最常做的就是準備好一罐罐的瓶裝水，裡面通常會放上冬瓜糖等甜品混雜水中給小孩喝，原來他每天都會持誦一百零八次的大悲咒加持這些水，和來訪的眾生結緣。遇到比較有佛緣的小孩，他便會送一串念珠。只不過如此過了很多年，我始終看到的都是菩提子念珠與人結緣，後來有一次，當時我已經年歲漸長，回去他的精舍探望他老人家。他有一具從中國帶來的大銅缽，每次他都會放置許多星月菩提子念珠在缽內與人結緣。我便好奇地問老和尚：「師父，這麼多年來我始終看到的你和別人結緣都是用菩提子，不知道這其中是否另有因緣？」
　
師父用他一貫的慈悲溫暖的笑容回答說：「你既然問到了，我便告訴你，日後你也可查閱有一部經叫做《佛說校量數珠功德經》，這部經是文殊師利菩薩為了未來有情的眾生而講述，目的是要眾生了解念珠的功德是為了可以利益自己的善業成就，同時也可以保護眾生，這其中就有提到菩提子念珠。我個人認為菩提子念珠除了經文上有提，用菩提子念珠的人，不管是放置在手中，手指掐念，或者手持握菩提子念珠，只要用此念珠撥念一次，它的功德所得到的福報是無量無邊，沒有辦法用現在的數字來計算功德。就算沒有辦法用此念珠計算佛號，但只要持有此菩提子念珠，隨身手持，在行、住、坐、臥之中，不管所說言語內容如何，但因為此人保有菩提子念珠的緣故，他的福德因緣就如同持誦諸佛名號及咒語一般是無二無別的，所得到的功德也是無量無邊。但是如果要如理如法最好要滿數一百零八顆，才算圓滿。
　
如果作為手珠、提珠，也可以五十四顆，或者二十七顆，最少也可以用十四顆⋯⋯」老和尚一邊很熟練地講述著這部經的功德利益，一邊轉過身習慣性地吹口氣為在他身旁大缽內的一捆一捆用紅絲線牽綁的菩提子念珠加持，這是老和尚的習慣，他平常二六時中總是阿彌陀佛和大悲咒從不中斷地於心中默念，更了不得的是即便他和人聊天、說法、開示，也是心不散亂地默持心誦。原來這菩提子的功德殊勝是如此地無與倫比，並且經中還特別讚說，為何特別讚嘆用菩提子是獲得利益最殊勝的原因？
　
菩提子殊勝的功德因緣諸多，但經中曾經有說到在過去世佛出世的時候也是在菩提樹下悟道成佛，當時有邪見的外道毀謗三寶，其中有一位男眾值遇非人打殺，這外道就說：「如今是我道昌盛，不知道諸佛有什麼威神力？既然佛是在菩提樹下成佛，那這棵樹應該要很有感應才對！」就把男子置臥在菩提樹下，同時說：「此樹若是聖樹，此子必當完好如初、甦醒過來。」如此經過七日七夜，稱念佛的名號，後來其子果然復活，甦醒過來，這外道便讚嘆說：「一切佛的威德力我過去未曾見聞，但在佛成道的樹下，如此的示現甚為稀奇，如此大威大德真是不可思議。」因為這般因緣，所有的一切外道都改邪歸正，發菩提心，並且堅信佛力是不可思議的，因為如此，所有的人皆稱頌此樹為延命樹⋯⋯。
　
如今歲月如漏沙般，於指縫間頃刻流逝，傳心老和尚和我唯一心靈傳遞相通的，也只有幾幀發黃的照片及當時他和我結緣的菩提子念珠。這串念珠伴隨我持誦過不可數的佛號及咒語，珠身也從青澀薄黃，經由歲月的摩娑，一顆顆棗紅、咖啡色的珠子輪流在指縫間雁傳心語，願老和尚早日重返娑婆。（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：

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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

居庸關在距北京市區50餘公里外的昌平境內。相傳秦始皇修築長城時，將囚犯、士卒和強征來的民夫徙居於此，後取「徙居庸徒」之意，故名居庸關。
1 券城與南北關: 南關甕城呈馬蹄形，南關主城門南北走，向上有重簷歇山城樓一座，自地面計算高31.8米，甕城西側有甕城城門通往關城向南的大道，在弧形甕城城臺上設有炮臺，陳列著明代古燈，外牆有垛口，內側牆低矮無垛口。作戰時可將敵人誘入甕城，主城關閉阻其入城，再放甕城閘門，敵人就被困在甕城裡，只能束手就擒，有“甕中捉鼈”之意，因此得名甕城，在甕城之中建有一座福佑關城的關王廟。北關與南關作用相同，呈長方形的甕城上設有炮臺，甕城城門朝向北側，北甕城中建有北方鎮守大神真武廟，廟內供有十二生肖神，水火。
2 古炮:在居庸關南券城和北券城城牆之上，分別陳列5門古炮。南券城陳列“大將軍鐵炮”2門，長1.7米，炮口口徑8釐米。“竹節鐵炮”3門，長1.7米，炮口口徑15釐米;北券城陳列“大將軍鐵炮”2門，長1.77米和1.79米，炮口口徑7釐米。“竹節鐵炮”3門;長為1.08米、1.5米、1.7米，炮口口徑為14釐米和8釐米。明代是我國古代大炮製鑄和使用最興盛時期。元朝末年，朱元璋起義，和州人焦立向他呈獻十支新式武器“火銃”。用火藥發射鐵彈丸，當時稱為“火龍槍”。明朝建立以後，專門設有兵仗軍器局，研製鑄造大炮。大炮被稱為“神威大將軍”。在軍隊中，設有使用大炮的軍機營。京城衛戎，長城關口要衝，配備神機營。明成祖時，下令在長城沿線安置大炮。還“佛郎機”“神槍”“鐵銃”等。《明史.兵志》記載，到了明代中葉，大炮的鑄造工業逐于精良，製造出的“紅夷大炮”長可二丈有餘，重三千斤。發之洞裂石城，聲震數十裡。這種炮，有照門和準星用於瞄準，射程可達500多米。在修復居庸關北關城時，發掘出土石炮彈23枚，最大直徑為15釐米，鐵炮彈6枚，最大直徑5 釐米。
3 雲台石刻:堪稱一絕，券門內兩側右壁及頂部遍刻佛像，佛像造型生動，雕刻技藝高超，六種文字的石刻經文、咒語為歷史研究提供了難能可貴的資料。據專家考證，石刻造像具有典型的藏傳佛教薩迦教派的特徵。進入券門兩壁刻四大天王像。天王身軀高大，怒目圓睜，並有厲鬼在其左右，是護持佛法，鎮守國家四方的尊神。據說明朝正德年間，武宗皇帝朱厚燳微服出遊，夜間騎馬偷偷混出居庸關時，他的坐騎見到四大天王像，嚇得不敢前行。無奈之下武宗下令用煙火把像熏黑了，才得以出關。券門兩壁四天王的空間處，有用梵、藏、八思巴、畏兀兒、西夏、漢等六種文字鐫刻的《如來心經》經文、咒語、造塔功德記等，西夏文是紀錄我國古代黨項族語言的文字，創制於西元1036—1038年間，當時約有六千多字流行。八思巴文是元世祖忽然必烈命其帝師八思巴創立的蒙古新字。它脫胎於藏文，採用拼音的方式書寫，並於西元1269年頒詔推行。以上兩種文字流傳時間很短便廢棄不用，而保存下來的石刻文字對破譯古代文字，以及研究西夏、蒙古歷史都提供了非常珍貴的實物資料。券門頂部刻有五個曼荼羅，即五組圓形圖案式佛像，佛界稱其為壇場。壇場的設立有保護眾佛修煉鐵，防止魔眾侵犯的意思。五曼荼羅的主尊佛像，由北往南依次為： 釋迦牟尼佛(如來佛)、阿彌陀佛(菩薩形)、阿佛(菩薩形)、金剛手菩薩、普明菩薩。其中除釋迦牟尼為佛祖之外，其他四菩薩在此顯現，則有四方教主的意思。五曼荼羅連同其他佛像，共197尊。券頂兩側的斜面上，刻有十方佛，在每方佛的周圍還分別刻有小佛102座，共計小佛1020座，取共千佛之意。這些小佛，是明朝正統年間，修建泰安寺(1443—1449年)時，由鎮守永寧(今延慶縣境)的太監谷春主持補刻的。連同十方佛下的菩薩、比丘，券項兩側部共有刻像1060尊。券門的南北券面上，雕刻著造型獨特、別具一格的一組造像，其中有大鵬、鯨魚、龍子、童男、獸王、象王等等，佛界稱其為“六拿具”。大鵬寓意慈悲鯨魚為保護之相，龍子表示救護之意，童男騎在獸王上自然是寓意福資在天，而象王則有溫馴善師的含意，券面最下端的石刻紋飾為交杵,又稱羯魔杵、金剛杵。原本為古印度的一種兵器，在此為斷煩惱、伏惡魔，護持佛法的法器。鑒於雲台刻石造像的歷史與文物價值，1961年，經國務院批准，雲台刻石造像被列為第一批全國重點保護文物。
4 真武廟(1996年修復):明洪熙元年(1425年)建。真武廟所祀主神為真武大帝。真武即玄武，是中國古代神話中的北方之神，道教所奉的神。相傳古淨樂國王的太子，生而神猛，越東海來遊，遇天神授寶劍，入湖北武當山修煉，經42年而功成，白日飛升，威鎮北方，號玄武君，宋代皇帝因避其祖趙玄朗名諱，改玄武為“真武”。宋真宗時尊為“鎮天真武靈應聖帝君”，簡稱“真武帝君”。元朝時加封真武為“元聖仁威玄天上帝”，成為北方最高神。明代對真武信仰達到鼎盛。朱棣稱帝后，特加封真武為“北極鎮天真武玄天上帝”，並將其所謂修煉之地──武當山賜名“大嶽太和山”。相傳，洪武初大將軍徐達北征“屢有真武靈助之”，因而在關內修建此廟。修復的廟內有道教真武神八大元帥、六丁六甲神將、水火二將和青龍、白虎等神像。
5 城隍廟:這組廟宇規模較大。城隍是道教所傳守護城池的神。中國古代稱有水的城塹為“池”，無水的城塹為“隍”。據說三千多年前的周代，除夕要祭祀八種神，其中就有城神、隍神。以後兩神合二為一，就成為城池之神了。道教認為城隍是剪惡除凶、護城安民之神，能應人之求，旱時降雨，澇時轉晴，以保五穀豐登，百姓安泰。最早是三國東吳時，在安徽蕪湖建城隍神廟，以供拜祭。到了唐代，祭祀城隍逐漸普遍，人們把一些在地方有功的開明人士死後奉為城隍神，希望他能繼續福佑鄉土，保護百姓。宋代祭祀城隍更是遍行各鄉。到了明朝，明太祖元璋即位不久，就下令在都城南京修建規模宏大的城隍廟，並頒佈城隍神的封號爵級，敕封京城城隍為帝，開封臨濠等地的城隍為王;府級城隍為威靈公，官居二品，州級城隍為顯佑伯，官居四品，並按照級別，配製服飾。另外，城隍還管領亡魂。朱元璋還為城隍組織了一套機構，設有判官和衙役，道教乘機聲稱“城隍老爺”有權拘捕活人到陰間，死人的陰魂也都首先到城隍廟去接受審問。新官上任必須齋戒沐浴去祭祀城隍廟後，方得進衙理事，每月初一、十五還得前往祭拜。
朱元璋如此重視城隍神是有他的目的的。朱元璋曾對大學士宋濂透露過心裡話：“朕立城隍神，使人知畏，人有所畏，則不敢妄為”。說穿了，大肆鼓吹神鬼的威力，不過是震懾臣民，目的是鞏固封建統治。居庸關的城隍廟建於明洪武年間(1368-1397年)。清代乾隆三十年(1765年)重修。在這裡建置城隍廟除為了護佑關城外，還有約束軍民的用意。這次修復是1996年，廟內塑有城隍、閻王、山神、地神等神像。
6 水門:居庸關地形險要兩側高山，中間一水，水道，南北方向貫穿關城。長城與河道交叉之處，建有雙孔圓拱水門，水門上有閘樓，內設水閘，借此控制門內外水量。洪水季節打開閘口，瀉洪，枯水季節，儲備河水供關城使用。水門橋墩為南北尖狀，以利於減少洪水對水門的作用力，起到了防止毀壞，延長使用時間的作用。