關於 human beings or human being ，我們在網路上蒐集到這些相關的討論、資訊與評價

This was #FatimahOmarMukhlis exactly 2 years ago, on 18th July 2019 - 2 months after her beloved Mamajee @adamdidam passed away. The photos were taken at 2.16 in the morning. These are the raw images of pain. These are the proof of love.

I have never shared these photos before plus many other photos too. So why am I sharing it now then?

Well, when my sisters lost our brother @adamdidam and my parents lost their son, I lost my daughter too. Yes, my old Fatimah was lost when her Mamajee passed away. It was too painful to watch her suffering. And I know many of you were worried and concerned about her too but some just simply refused to understand and preferred to keep on being insensitive, ignorant, judgmental and whatnot.

And the reason why I chose to share it today is because…when I woke up this morning, these photos popped up in the phone memory. As soon as I saw them, I cried. And I’ve decided to share them with all of you. Not so you can cry too but so you know the truth. So you know the pain. So you know that grief is real. So you know that it is not attention seeking. So you know that kids grieve too.

But why do they grieve? Aren’t they too young to understand? How can they grieve? Do the parents force them to grieve? No, because they are just normal human beings like all of us adults too. Yes, simply because they are human too, you know.

Kids have feelings too. They were born with a heart that can feel the exact same things that we feel. They can feel happiness and they too can feel the sadness. And our role as adults is to treat them like a real ‘human’ - be understanding, caring, nurturing, sensitive, supportive and guide them. Don’t just treat them like a joke or a laughing stock! Don’t belittle their feelings. Acknowledge their feelings. Allow them to be happy. Allow them to be sad.

And I’m glad that I kept Fatimah away so she can fully grieve. And I’m beyond blessed that we are surrounded by supportive family and friends who not only acknowledge Fatimah’s grief but also fully supported her to get back up and wake up from her deep wound…Alhamdulillah, she has come back stronger! 💪🏻

It’s ok to grieve,
Mrs Mom
#wisemomsays
#GRIEFAWARENESS 🤍

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另一個生命

Translation: @benkongenglish
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小兔子可愛
記得小學時候 想趁著學校自然課養寵物單元
以作業之由 讓媽媽買隻兔子給我
結果只買了一對十姊妹
.
我沒養過哺乳類動物
因為媽媽堅持
「養一隻狗像養一個小孩
要認真照顧牠 沒照顧好又怕對不起牠」
(但她自己養了四個人類)
也許受其影響 也許不是
現在的我好憂慮對其他生命負責
仰躺的孔雀魚 斷折的玉米莖 枯萎的豆苗
尚且讓我低落好幾天
又如何能面對更長 更活潑的生命呢？
.
當堅毅不屈 義無反顧
方得帶領另一個生命於自己的生活中 於這世上吧
.
Rabbits are adorable.
I begged my mum to buy a rabbit for me when I was having a lesson about keeping a pet.
I ended up getting a pair of lonchura striata.
.
I have never kept any mammal as pet
My mum insisted “keeping a dog is like having a child. We have to take care of it very seriously. We will feel guilty if we do not do a good job”
(While she nurtured 4 human beings)
I may or may not have been influenced by her
I’m anxious about being responsible for another creature.
Be it upside down guppy, broken corn stalk or withered bean sprouts
These all make me depressed for a few days.
How do I deal with longer, more vibrant lives?
.
Perseverance and giving are key
Only then can we lead another life into ours and into this world.

「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

This is a message that I would like to share with the world.
A message from Taiwan.

Hi there, this is Vivi from Taiwan.
There’s something that I would like to share with you.

With more than 1.7 million confirmed cases and 100 thousand deaths around the world, the COVID19 pandemic outbreak has become the most challenging global health crisis of our time. This is an unprecedented time that has affected the lives of everyone in our global community, regardless of race, gender, culture, or skin colour.

At this defining moment in history, cooperation will bring upon the relief and clarity needed to triumph over a common threat facing humankind. In this fight, I, as a citizen of this global community, believe health is a fundamental human right that is inherent to all human beings. ‘Health For All, Leave No One Behind’ is a guiding principle of all health professionals, as well as a message that has resonated with us Taiwanese people through the toughest of times. In 2003, the SARS outbreak devastated my home country. Left isolated and marginalised by the WHO in the fight against SARS, we learned, through fearful uncertainty, how to tenaciously combat pandemics. But most importantly, the people of Taiwan experienced firsthand what it felt like to be left behind. Taiwan, despite just being miles off the coast of China, has effectively managed the spread of coronavirus in our country. And it is the belief that we should ‘leave no one behind’ that motivates us to play our role in the global community.

Taiwan can help, and Taiwan is helping.

In the past few weeks, the Taiwanese government has donated more than 10 million surgical masks to the United States, Europe, Southeast Asia, India, Central America and South America. Other medical supplies are also finding their way to all continents around the globe. Since the very first days of the outbreak, the Taiwanese government has devoted itself to fighting this pandemic. Through information transparency, quick response, early deployment and the effective use of big data, the functions of our society continue without interruption. To share our knowledge on COVID-19 with the world, we created virtual forums, participated by numerous countries, of our successful and internationally recognised public health policies. Our government and research centres have also teamed up with the Czech Republic, European Union and the United States in sharing tactics and technology and collaborating on the development of vaccines and rapid test kits. Finally, we have worked with different governments in analysing the economic, social and psychological impact of the epidemic and related isolation measures.

Taiwan cares, and Taiwan helps.

This virus can tear up the world, but it will not shake the foundations of humanity’s values. For a worldwide pandemic that does not discriminate based on borders and nationalities, it is crucial that we, in times of a crisis like this, stay stronger together.

Taiwan never forgets her friends from around the world.
We are part of this global team and we are in solidarity with the rest of the world.
Taiwan stands with you.


這是一個我想要傳遞給世界的訊息。
一則，來自臺灣的訊息。

嗨，今天過得好嗎？
我是來自臺灣的Vivi。讓我跟你分享一件事，好嗎？

COVID19爆發至今，已在全球造成超過一百七十萬人確診、十萬人犧牲。這次的疫情，是這個世代面臨最大的全球衛生危機。這是一場影響了全人類，不論種族、性別、文化、與膚色，我們都必須共同面對的，前所未有的挑戰。

在這個歷史性的浪尖上，並肩合作、共同抗疫，才能夠引領我們贏得這場對抗病毒的戰役。身為全球公民的一員，我始終相信「健康，是每一個人都享有的基本人權」。而「全民均健」，不只是每一個醫衛人員所堅守的價值，更是在這樣艱難的時刻中，臺灣人民付諸實行的信念。在2003年時，我們經歷了SARS的考驗，並學會了如何在前方情形未知、還被WHO排除在外的情況下，仍舊堅韌地戰勝傳染病。但最重要的是，臺灣人比誰都了解孤軍奮戰的心情。而在這次的疫情當中，臺灣即便緊鄰中國，依然有效地阻擋了疫情擴散。同時也正是「全民均健，不可遺落任何一個人」的信念，引領臺灣始終積極地在國際社會中，貢獻一己之力。

臺灣可以幫忙，我們也正在全力幫忙。

在過去幾週內，臺灣捐贈了超過一千萬個醫療口罩至美國、歐洲、東南亞、印度及中南美洲。同時，也有許多捐贈給各大洲的防疫醫療器材，正在運送與安排當中。自從疫情爆發的第一天起，我們的政府就全體動員，合力對抗傳染病。經由公開透明的疫情資訊、超前部署、快速溝通與反應、以及大數據運用等防疫策略，臺灣社會才得以繼續維持日常生活不受影響。而我們也開始舉辦線上會議，與許多國家分享我們的防疫經驗——臺灣的防疫成果，是國際有目共睹的。我們的政府與醫衛研究機構，也跟捷克、歐盟、美國合作，不僅分享防疫策略、技術，也開始共同研發疫苗與快篩。近期，我們也跟他國政府共同合作，研究此次疫情所帶來在經濟、社會與心理健康上的影響。

臺灣因為在乎，所以我們實際幫忙。

病毒或許可以分裂這個世界，但沒辦法撼動人類最根深蒂固堅守的價值。面對著這個跨越邊界、國籍的傳染病危機，這個世界必須攜手合作，共同強大。

臺灣從來沒有忘記我們全球的友邦與朋友。
我們是這個世界的一份子，也會持續跟全世界站在一起，抵禦病毒。
臺灣與你並肩。

#COVID19 #TWStandsWithU #TaiwanCanHelp #TaiwanIsHelping

—
影片製作 Video/ Vivi Lin
內容撰寫 Script/ Vivi Lin, Roy Cheng
相片版權 PC/ Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Taiwan)
（照片翻攝至外交部、Taiwan in the Netherlands、Taiwan in EU and Belgium、Taiwan in Holy See、Taiwan in Poland、AIT Facebook & Twitter，如有侵權敬請告知）
特別感謝 Special Thanks/ MOFA (Taiwan) and NEX Foundation

更多臺灣防疫成果國際分享，請見外交部專區https://bit.ly/mofacovid19

*Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this video are those of the authors. 影片內容僅代表作者本身之觀點。*

The global outbreak of novel coronavirus has shaken up the world and many of us are being forced to let go of the life we are familiar with. Those who are infected with the virus were first treated as victims, but now they are considered as victimizers, a threat to others, and are feeling unnecessary indignity and distress in the process.

Not knowing who is infected, including ourselves, creates and spreads fears that lead to bigotry and discrimination pitting one community or one nation against the other. Fears that the whole nation may be put in a state of chaos and paralysis are causing all sorts of social disruptions such as hoarding facial masks and other supplies or the rise in racist sentiment including hurling abuses and refusing entry to restaurants and public facilities. Fear, hatred, and cruelty of human beings seem more terrifying than the virus itself. That is why I strongly believe that it is necessary to remain calm, get facts right, and reach out and help each other.

We and the supporters in China discussed and decided to create a song for Chinese people living in anxiety and fear, and I immediately started to work on a piece, hoping to help in whatever way possible. The work is now finished and we decided to distribute it for free in China. And this music and video is now available for streaming in other countries as well.

In the process of creating this piece of music I recognize that this is a song for not only Chinese people but also Japanese and all the people around the world who are fighting the threat of COVID-19.

There is only so much what music can do, but I believe that many of us find solace in music. As I wrote in the lyrics to this song, I truly hope that when the outbreak winds down and normalcy is restored even if we are not totally unscathed, we will be able to laugh about it with our families and friends. Until then, we are going to hang in there.


Yojiro



世界的な流行をみせる新型コロナウィルスの流行にともない、多くの人が普段とは違う生活を強いられています。本来「被害者」であるはずの感染者は、いつのまにか「加害者」へと見られ方を変え窮屈な想いをしながら日々を生活しています。どこに感染者がいるか分からない、自分が感染しているかもしれないという恐怖が伝播し、それは地域単位、国単位の差別的な偏見をも助長させます。社会機能の麻痺や混乱が来る恐れから、あらゆる歪みも生じてきています。マスク、生活用品の買い占め、特定の人種への迫害、心ない言葉、飲食店や公共施設などへの立ち入り拒否。ウィルスよりも恐ろしいのは人間の恐怖心や憎悪、冷酷さなのかもしれません。こんな時こそ冷静な判断、情報収集、そして手を取り合う心が必要なのではと強く感じます。
　今回、中国でお世話になっている方々から「中国で不安な生活を送る人たちを励ます曲を作ってはもらえませんか」と提案を受けました。ぜひ力になれるのならばと、急いで楽曲の制作に入りました。そして今回完成にこぎつけることができ、無料で中国内の皆さんへ配信することを決めました。
　曲を作りながら、これは中国の方に向けたものであると同時に日本、そして世界中でウィルスの脅威と闘うすべての人に向けた曲だと感じました。そして今回、他の国々でのストリーミングと映像の公開もできることになりました。
　音楽にできることはとても小さいです。でも時にその小ささに救われることもあるのではと、僕は思っています。歌詞の中でも書きました。この事態が無事終息し、無傷ではなくとも平穏な日々が戻ってきた時には「あの時は本当どうなるかと思ったね」と笑いながら皆大事な家族や友と話ができたらいいなと心から願っています。その時まで、皆で頑張り抜きたいです。


洋次郎





■Lyrics
English
https://radwimps.jp/lightthelight/lyrics/en/
Japanese
https://radwimps.jp/lightthelight/lyrics/
Chinese
https://radwimps.jp/lightthelight/lyrics/cn/

■Music streaming
https://linkco.re/1ErEycQ1




Alive Painting : Akiko Nakayama

Director : Daisuke Shimada
Assistant Director : Mizuki Jin
Cinematographer : Yuki Nakamura（Gonshiro）
D.I.T : Yosuke Tominaga（Gonshiro）
Lighting : Osamu Yamamori
Producer : Koji Takayama

Thank you to everyone who's been adding this to their Spotify playlist! It's blowing up over there and we are so excited!!! LISTEN NOW ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/track/27yLF6BOzUKkxQiJ8vaUpg
■DOWNLOAD / ダウンロード・サイト:
GET IT NOW on iTunes USA: https://music.apple.com/us/album/outside-inside-single/1490709852
GET IT NOW on KAT's iTunes: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/kat-mcdowell/219663601
iTunes JAPAN: https://music.apple.com/jp/album/outside-inside-single/1490709852

"OUTSIDE INSIDE" Words & Music by EDEN KAI, KAT MCDOWELL & KAZUMI SHIMOKAWA
Produced by KAZUMI SHIMOKAWA
EDEN KAI: Vocals, Background Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Ukulele
KAT MCDOWELL: Vocals, Background Vocals
KAZUMI SHIMOKAWA: Keyboards, Bass Guitar
Recording & Programming engineer: KAZUMI SHIMOKAWA
Mixing engineer: NIC MANDERS
Mastering engineer: ERNESTO HOMEYER
Artist Vocal second engineer: DAVE TUCCIARONE

G-STUDIOS presents:
"OUTSIDE INSIDE" a Film by JONAS GAIDA
Featuring KAT MCDOWELL and EDEN KAI
Band: KAZUMI SHIMOKAWA, MASAKI K
Dancers: OZORA, HONOKA, MAMI
Director of Photography JONAS GAIDA
Edited by JONAS GAIDA
SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYONE AND OUR HELPERS: ISAAC & MOTO
Filmed in Los Angeles, November 2019

"This song is about the struggle of having an identity crisis, especially for biracial people not being accepted in their own community. The inspiration came from our experiences growing up as multiracial kids and having to deal with issues of being on the inside of a community but feeling like we are on the outside. We hope this song inspires and helps empower others going through these issues to be true to themselves and 'Just be'…ourselves.”

***CHECK OUT OUR ACOUSTIC VERSION VIDEO!!!
Outside Inside Acoustic Beach ver. - Eden Kai & Kat McDowell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akQQlWxQI6o

KAT MCDOWELL:
WEBSITE: https://kat-mcdowell.com/
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/katmcdowell
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/katmcdowell/

KAZUMI SHIMOKAWA:
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/kazumimusic/

EDEN KAI:
CONTACT/BOOKING（連絡）: imagine@edenkai.com
MERCH (グッズはこちらから) : http://edenkai.store
CAMEO (for personal video shoutouts ビデオメッセージをご希望の方はこちらまで）https://www.cameo.com/edenkai

Let's Connect!（SNSやってますー！）:

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"Outside Inside" - LYRICS
Words and Music by Eden Kai, Kat McDowell and Kazumi Shimokawa

Life of the party, that’s what they call me
Snap another shot to upload to my story
The lines I’m rehearsing, don’t wanna be boring
All the voices keeping me up ‘til the morning
How am I walking? What am I wearing?
If I’m honest, it can get a little exhausting
Take a step back and take a deep breath and just

Be, just be

I’m on the inside, but it feels like I’m on the outside
I’m on the inside, but it feels like I’m on the outside
Oh I’m on the inside, but it feels like I’m on the outside
Outside looking in, outside looking in

I’m on the outside inside out
I’m on the outside inside out

I’m in and out, filling the spaces
I don’t even know, who or what I am chasing
Treated as an outsider where I’m living in
Hit a couple shots, late at night am I fitting in?
Why am I different, why am I stressed?
Need a little time to think about me and life
At the end of the day we’re just human beings
Can’t we just

Be, just be

I’m on the inside, but it feels like I’m on the outside
’m on the inside, but it feels like I’m on the outside
Oh I’m on the inside, but it feels like I’m on the outside
Outside looking in, outside looking in

I’m on the inside, but it feels like I’m on the outside
I’m on the inside, but it feels like I’m on the outside
Oh I’m on the inside, but it feels like I’m on the outside
Outside looking in, outside looking in

I’m on the outside inside out
I’m on the outside inside out
I’m on the outside inside out
Outside looking in, outside looking in

I’m on the inside, but it feels like I’m on the outside
Outside looking in, outside looking in

© 2019 EDEN KAI PRODUCTIONS #OutsideInside #EdenKai #KatMcDowell