關於 once i was seven years old ，我們在網路上蒐集到這些相關的討論、資訊與評價

7 years　◎Lukas Graham
　
Once I was seven years old, my mama told me
那年七歲，媽媽告訴我
Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely
去交些朋友吧，否則會很寂寞的
Once I was seven years old
那年我七歲的時候
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It was a big big world, but we thought we were bigger
世界如此廣闊，我們卻認為自己更加強大
Pushing each other to the limits, we were learning quicker
把彼此推到極限的邊界，學得太快
By 11 smoking herb and drinking burning liquor
在十一歲時就吸著大麻、喝著烈酒
Never rich so we were out to make that steady figure
不曾富有，為了穩定收入在外奔走
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Once I was 11 years old, my daddy told me
那年十一歲，爸爸告訴我
Go get yourself a wife or you'll be lonely
娶個老婆吧，否則會很寂寞的
Once I was 11 years old
那年我十一歲的時候
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I always had that dream like my daddy before me
我一直想成為跟父親一樣的人
So I started writing songs, I started writing stories
所以我開始寫歌、寫下故事
Something about the glory, just always seemed to bore me
名譽一事，對我來說微不足道
'Cause only those I really love will ever really know me
我明白唯有我愛著的人，才真的懂我
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Once I was 20 years old, my story got told
那年二十歲，換我的故事被人訴說
Before the morning sun, when life was lonely
但太陽升起之前，生命仍是如此寂寞
Once I was 20 years old
那年我二十歲的時候
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I only see my goals, I don't believe in failure
我眼裡只有目標，不相信失敗
'Cause I know the smallest voices, they can make it major
我知道最微小的聲音，有一天也會響徹雲霄
I got my boys with me atleast those in favor
交了幾個志同道合的兄弟
And if we don't meet before I leave, I hope I'll see you later
若在我離開以前仍無緣份，也希望以後能夠相見
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Once I was 20 years old, my story got told
那年二十歲，換我的故事被人訴說
I was writing 'bout everything, I saw before me
我寫下一切眼見所及
Once I was 20 years old
那年我二十歲的時候
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Soon we'll be 30 years old, our songs have been sold
很快就要三十歲了，我們的歌曲受到青睞
We've traveled around the world and we're still roaming
環遊世界，從不停止漫遊
Soon we'll be 30 years old
在我們快要三十歲的時候
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I'm still learning about life
我仍在學習面對生命
My woman brought children for me
妻子生下我們的孩子
So I can sing them all my songs and I can tell them stories
我可以唱著自己的歌，跟他們說我所有的故事
Most of my boys are with me
哥兒們大都還在我身邊
Some are still out seeking glory
有些則仍在追求名利
And some I had to leave behind
有些朋友必須被留在過去
My brother I'm still sorry
兄弟，我很遺憾
⠀　
Soon I'll be 60 years old, my daddy got 61
轉眼間我就要六十歲了，但父親永遠停留在六十一
Remember life and then your life becomes a better one
要記住生活的每一刻，你才會感受到更好的人生
I made the man so happy when I wrote a letter once
我寫了一封信，就讓他展開了笑顏
I hope my children come and visit, once or twice a month
我希望我的孩子來看看我，一個月一兩次也好
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Soon I'll be 60 years old, will I think the world is cold
很快我就要六十歲了，到時會不會覺得這世界很冷漠？
Or will I have a lot of children who can warm me
會有暖心的孩子陪伴在我身邊嗎？
Soon I'll be 60 years old
轉眼間我就要六十歲了
⠀　
Soon I'll be 60 years old, will I think the world is cold
很快我就要六十歲了，到時會不會覺得這世界很冷酷？
Or will I have a lot of children who can hold me
會有孩子在我身邊，扶持著我嗎？
Soon I'll be 60 years old
很快我也要六十歲了
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Once I was seven years old, my mama told me
那年七歲，媽媽告訴我
Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely
去交些朋友吧，否則會很寂寞的
Once I was seven years old
那年，我只有七歲的時候
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◎作者簡介
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盧卡斯葛拉漢樂團（Lukas Graham）是一支丹麥流行樂及靈魂樂樂團，。現時樂團成員包括主唱Lukas Forchhammer、鼓手Mark Falgren、貝斯手Magnus Larsson 。
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◎小編品嫺賞析
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這首歌從僅有七歲的童年時期開始，帶著聽眾一起體驗了主唱 Lukas 的人生。歌詞淺白易懂，甚至有些琅琅上口，讓聽覺與靈魂得以貼合著音樂，感受這首歌當中譜出的故事。
⠀　
並非富裕的童年，讓 Lukas 從小就被迫長大，毒品與烈酒就是他的兒時玩伴。但他沒有因此走上歪路，父親一直是他心中的領袖，為了成為跟父親一樣的人，他開始接觸音樂、寫歌。到了二十歲， Lukas 的心境也有了成長。
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二十歲的自己充滿了力量與衝勁，擁有犯錯的餘地也不畏嘗試；三十歲便開始小有名氣。而〈7 years〉的發行年份（2015）正是Lukas快要邁入三十的時期，這段歌詞可以說是對自己野心的描寫，數年後回頭來看，更是成了自傳的一部分。隨著歌曲的推進，在三十歲之後，家庭成了新的和弦，也必然要面對關係的離別，這些都是生命要持續學習的重要課題。
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接著歌詞跳到了六十歲的人生，嘹亮的歌聲彷彿是在對世界吶喊。少了年輕時的那份衝動，到了六十歲，對生活有了更多的體悟：理解了要把握當下的每一刻、理解了到了老年希望有孩子在身邊陪伴的渴望。主唱不斷對世界提出疑問，在懷疑、不安的同時，也勾勒出了自己想要的模樣。時間的消逝如此之快，但往往都是等到過去了才會意識到自己的不珍惜。
⠀　
至此年齡就不再推進，因為影響至深的父親只活到六十一歲，接下來就沒有藍圖可以參考。在歌曲的最後，我們又回到了原點，一切激昂的情緒恢復平靜，緩慢地重新審視經歷過的一切──那年，還只有七歲的時候。
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四分鐘的歌曲就道盡了六十年的一切，同時寫給自己，也寫給父親。
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▨ 美術設計 _ 浩瑋
　
#每天為你讀一首詩 #當代詞選 #Lukas_Graham #7years
https://cendalirit.blogspot.com/2021/09/20210915.html

「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

"You'll always be special to me, my dear." ❤

I love how the two of us always get to spend one-on-one time every day because he goes to school later and dismisses much earlier than his sisters. Today, we spent time cuddling in bed just whispering sweet nothings and telling each other "I love you so much".

Yup, this boy will be a big brother next month and while I was initially worried to see if he would be receptive to not being the youngest in the family anymore, he has been taking it positively and plants kisses on my tummy every day, telling Didi how much he loves him, giggling every time he feels a kick and saying how he will teach him all kinds of things like cycling, walking, running, eating, writing, reading, peeing (yes, that too) and so on. Awww.

That makes me really excited to see how these brothers will get along and I am feeling extremely thankful for this pregnancy, stretch marks and all. Well, at nearly 33 weeks, I can now declare I can't fit into my normal bras anymore so I have switched to nursing bras instead.

I am wearing the dark blue Pro Feed Seamless Nursing Bra which is made of microfiber materials, grows up to 3 cup sizes and provides optimal support. It makes me feel comfortable when I go about doing my chores and even when I sleep. See my stories on how easy it is to clip on and it makes me look forward to breastfeeding once more. It was one of the things I enjoyed and missed most in my motherhood journey so yes, I am very grateful that I will get to experience it once more. ❤

P.S. I breastfed this boy till he was three and a half years old, which might be partly why we share this super close bond, and with all three kids combined, I breastfed for a total of seven and a half years. Think I can make it to a decade with baby #4? I sure hope so!

The award-winning Pro Feed Seamless Nursing Bra can be found in @mothercaresg stores. Thanks to @pretapregger for sending it over!

#ahappymum #pregnancy #justmeandyou #gonnabeabigbrother #iloveyousomuch #motherandson #pretapregger #nursingbra #mediadrop #feelingthankful

今日は、皆さんからたくさんのリクエストをいただいた、デンマーク出身のポップバンドLukas Graham（ﾙｰｶｽ・ｸﾞﾗﾊﾑ）の7 Years（意味：７歳）を日本語で歌ってみました。実は以前から訳詞を手がけていました(;´･ω･)　すぐには日本語詞がピンとこなくて、何度も考え直す必要がありました。

このバンドのリードボーカルLukas Forchhammer（ルーカス・フォルクハマー）は、デンマークの貧しい街で生まれ育ち、そこは麻薬を売っている人が普通のところより多かったそうで、幼少時から貧困だったことや麻薬に囲まれたことを、この曲で振り返っています。いつか貧困から逃げるために夢を見て、一緒に逃げた仲間たちと、その街に置き去りにしないといけなかった幼馴染たちなどを思い、歌っているのではないかと思います。

日本語カバーを気に入っていただけると嬉しいです♪

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曲情報 / SONG INFO
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Lukas Graham / 7 Years
2015年リリース
作詞曲:：Lukas Forchammer, Stefan Forrest, Morten Ristorp, Morten Pilegaard
英語詞： 渡辺レベッカ

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リンク / LINKS
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■HP⇒ http://BlueEyedUtaUtai.jimdo.com
■Facebook⇒ http://facebook.com/blueeyedutautai
■Twitter⇒ @BlueEyedUtaUtai

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歌詞／LYRICS
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７歳の僕に　ママが言った
「友達作ってみなさい　一人じゃ寂しい」と

広い世界に僕ら向き合い
互い限界まで押し込み合い
たった１１歳でハーブ吸い酒を飲み
稼げる日を待つ貧困の日々

１１歳の僕に　パパが言った
「嫁を探せばいいんだよ　いなけりゃ寂しい」と

パパと同じ　夢を描いて
僕は曲を作り始めたけど
栄光なんて必要としない
大事な人がいれば大丈夫

２０歳でやっと　夢叶った
夜が明ける前の寂しいある朝のこと

この夢しかない　失敗なんてないさ
小さな声でも　いつか鳴り響く
いつもの連中　まだ一緒で
支えてくれる人も大事にするさ

２０歳でやっと
見てきたすべてを曲にして
世界中に知らしめたんだ

もうすぐ３０歳になるとこで
僕らは売れてきて
世界を旅してきたよね

だけど　まだまだ学ぶことあるさ
いつか我が子に歌も捧げたいし
同じ連中　ほとんどあの日のまま
置き去りにした人は本当にごめんね

いずれは６０歳
パパはこの位の歳でこの世を去ったんだよ
過去を忘れずに未来へ進もう
子供が訪れると嬉しいな

６０歳の時　寂しくなるかな
それともたくさんの子供に囲まれるのかな

Soon I'll be sixty years old, will I think the world is cold?
Or will I have a lot of children who can warm me?
Soon I'll be sixty years old

Once I was seven years old, my mama told me
"Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely"
Once I was seven years old
Once I was seven years old

～♪～♪～♪～♪～♪～
歌詞／LYRICS
～♪～♪～♪～♪～♪～

nana-sai no boku ni mama ga itta
"tomodachi tsukutte mi-nasai hitori ja sabishii" to

hiroi sekai ni bokura muki-ai
tagai genkai made oshikomi-ai
tatta juu-issai de haabu sui sake wo nomi
kasegeru hi wo matsu hinkon no hibi

juu-issai no boku ni papa ga itta
"yome wo sagaseba ii n' da yo inakerya sabishii" to

papa to onaji yume wo egaite
boku wo kyoku wo tsukuri-hajimeta kedo
eikou nante hitsuyou to shinai
daiji na hito ga ireba daijoubu

hatachi de yatto yume kanatta
yo ga akeru mae no sabishii aru asa no koto

kono yume shika nai shippai nante nai sa
chiisa na koe demo itsuka nari-hibiku
itsumo no renchuu mada issho de
sasaete kureru hito mo daiji ni suru sa

hatachi de yatto
mite kita subete wo kyoku ni shite
sekaijuu ni shirashimeta n' da

mou sugu san-jussai ni naru toko de
bokura wa urete kite
sekai wo tabi shite kita yo ne

dakedo mada-mada manabu koto aru sa
itsuka wagako ni uta mo sasagetai shi
onaji renchuu hotondo ano hi no mama
okizari ni shita hito wa hontou ni gomen ne

izure wa roku-jussai papa wa kono gurai no
toshi de kono yo satta n' da yo
kako wo wasurezu ni mirai e susumou
kodomo ga otozureru to ureshii na

roku-jussai no toki sabishiku naru ka na
soretomo takusan no kodomo ni kakomareru no ka na

Soon I'll be sixty years old, will I think the world is cold?
Or will I have a lot of children who can warm me?
Soon I'll be sixty years old

Once I was seven years old, my mama told me
"Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely"
Once I was seven years old
Once I was seven years old

跟著JR一起邊聽好歌邊學英文！
JR部落格：https://jrleeradio.wordpress.com
JR臉書： https://www.facebook.com/jrleeradio
JR影音： https://www.youtube.com/jrleeradio
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"7 Years" by Lukas Graham

Once I was seven years old, my mama told me,
"Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely."
Once I was seven years old

It was a big big world, but we thought we were bigger
Pushing each other to the limits, we were learning quicker
By eleven smoking herb and drinking burning liquor
Never rich so we were out to make that steady figure

Once I was eleven years old, my daddy told me,
"Go get yourself a wife or you'll be lonely."
Once I was eleven years old

I always had that dream, like my daddy before me
So I started writing songs, I started writing stories
Something about that glory just always seemed to bore me
'Cause only those I really love will ever really know me

Once I was twenty years old, my story got told
Before the morning sun, when life was lonely
Once I was twenty years old

(Lukas Graham!)

I only see my goals, I don't believe in failure
'Cause I know the smallest voices, they can make it major
I got my boys with me, at least those in favor
And if we don't meet before I leave, I hope I'll see you later

Once I was twenty years old, my story got told
I was writing about everything I saw before me
Once I was twenty years old

Soon we'll be thirty years old, our songs have been sold
We've traveled around the world and we're still roaming
Soon we'll be thirty years old

I'm still learning about life
My woman brought children for me
So I can sing them all my songs
And I can tell them stories
Most of my boys are with me
Some are still out seeking glory
And some I had to leave behind
My brother, I'm still sorry

Soon I'll be sixty years old, my daddy got sixty-one
Remember life, and then your life becomes a better one
I made a man so happy when I wrote a letter once
I hope my children come and visit once or twice a month

Soon I'll be sixty years old, will I think the world is cold
Or will I have a lot of children who can warm me?
Soon I'll be sixty years old

Soon I'll be sixty years old, will I think the world is cold
Or will I have a lot of children who can warm me?
Soon I'll be sixty years old

Once I was seven years old, my mama told me,
"Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely."
Once I was seven years old

Once I was seven years old

If Allen Iverson could have it all to do over again, he would have done everything the same.

All of it.

Except one thing.

He would have listened to Larry Brown.

Iverson and Brown had an often contentious relationship during their seven years together with the 76ers.

Brown was old-school and buttoned-down. Iverson was hip-hop and defiant.

They accomplished some great things together. But not at first.

On the day Iverson was selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the 11-time all-star expressed profound regret at the way he defied Brown, who preceded him in the Hall of Fame by 10 years.

“I don’t regret nothing,” Iverson said at a downtown Houston hotel after getting the Hall of Fame news. “Like nothing in my life. I love being who I am. I love the person that I am. I feel comfortable in my skin.

“But if I could have a wish as an athlete? I wish I would have bought in to what [Brown] was trying to give me all along (instead of) just being defiant. Being a certified ass---- for nothing. When all he wanted was the best for me.

“And I didn’t take constructive criticism the way I should have. You know what I mean?

“To me, in my eyes, he’s the best coach ever. To me. You know what I mean? And I didn’t take what God was giving me the right way. God sent him to me, and I was defiant at that time.”

Iverson played for Johnny Davis as a rookie in 1996-97 and then for Brown for the next six years.

He was an all-star all six years, led the 76ers to the NBA finals in 2001, was MVP in 2001, was All-Star game MVP in 2001 (“Where’s my coach?”) and led the NBA in scoring three of his six years under Brown.

“Once I bought in and caught up to what I was supposed to know, that’s when I became the MVP,” Iverson said. “That’s when it went from just a talented player to the best player on Earth.”

Brown went on to coach the Pistons, Knicks and Bobcats before moving back to the college ranks in 2012 and coaching Southern Methodist, where he remains.

Iverson’s Georgetown coach, John Thompson, was there Monday but Brown wasn’t at Iverson’s press conference, and Iverson hadn’t spoken to him yet.

But he promised he would soon.

“We going to talk,” he said. “Trust me. But I’m going to tell you exactly why I haven’t spoken to him yet. I know I have to speak to him today because it’s official. So I have to speak to him. But the emotional part of me, you know what I mean? Is why I haven’t spoken to him yet.

“Because I know that there won’t be no conversation, there will just be crying. I know it. As soon as I hear his voice. I already know it.”