「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
同時也有1部Youtube影片,追蹤數超過60萬的網紅飲食男女,也在其Youtube影片中提到,噓…… 天空墨黑,厚雲沒星。手錶上指針是凌晨二時,大部分人已熟睡就寢,街上一片寂靜,黑暗滿佈街角,昏黃街燈,照得人睡意濃濃。 嗞嗞…… 機器的轉動聲卻在深水埗福華街,一排關閉的鐵皮小排檔叢後,一間鋪頂上書「坤記士多」四個大字,在鐵閘縫中透出幾扇白光,聲音就從這製糕工場發出,訴說着眾人皆睡我獨醒,明...
舞光感應吸頂燈 在 Facebook 的最佳貼文
疫情爆發以來,藝術家能做的事不多,平常就閉關在家其實挺習慣,但是總想為社會做些事、幫上忙,想了半天安撫人心也許還行吧!於是另一本「地獄空」將趕在中元普渡八月初出版上市,由典藏出版社社長發心首肯出版,設計名家黃子欽操刀,附贈很多符咒給大家趨吉避凶。諸惡莫作,眾善奉行,疫情消退,平安喜樂。附上後記給大家解封後參訪這些宮廟,觀照自己的心所。全文如下:
野放台灣五十餘年,貪狼獨坐,三方四正殺破狼格局,少年多舛,白手起家,隨展覽雲遊四海,如閒雲野鶴常持各類底片機流連廢墟、山川、宮廟忘返,遂設幻影堂自詡堂主,一日三省「凡所有相皆是虛妄」,常宅於暗房沖片放大通宵、鐘情黑白世界之單純,彩色照片俗世繽紛花俏做作甜美甚至比現實更現實故少拍也。知天命之年有餘,了悟人生一瞬、眨眼即逝,雖非仙人,亦無道骨,初聞離垢地生清淨心,但離華嚴「不動地」尚遠,待修持也。
2017年盛暑拍畢「巨神連線」,心律不整差點心肌梗塞向閻羅王報到,意識死神隨伺在側,人生苦短,如何了生脫死、盡斷煩惱、無所罣礙、遠離顛倒…總不得解,蒙釋迦摩尼佛開示飆淚三晝夜,聞佛法數載始知自我渺如塵埃,甚感慚愧。閒暇乃參訪名寺古剎,禮敬焚香佛陀菩薩羅漢諸神天仙王爺媽娘,台灣宮廟千奇百怪、宗派錯綜複雜(佛教、道教、一貫道、天主教、基督教、齋教、回教&大同教、儒教鸞堂、天帝教&天德教、慈惠堂&勝安宮、軒轅教、道院、理教、萬國道德會、會靈山…)、神棍橫行(依人不依法、偶像崇拜、斂財、邪淫),因歷史變遷、社會動盪、政治鬥爭、意識形態等因素導致佛道混雜,但地獄造景稀少,後專注拍攝各殿閻王、判官、陰司、獄卒、七爺、八爺乃至一切罪人,各寺造景巧妙、耐人尋味,意境乖張溢於言表,造型扭曲非常人所能塑也,然匠心獨運、自成一格,專研西方藝術數十載方知真誠樸拙最美,絲毫不輸喬托(Giotto di Bondone,1267~1337)乃至米開郎基羅(Michelangelo Di lodovico Buonarroti Simoni 1475 ~ 1564)矣。
創立於1986年的石門金剛宮風景優美可眺望北濱,雖主祀四面佛,儒釋道眾神尊也不含糊,可過七星橋解厄、繞行五百黝黑羅漢敲鑼印心、跪拜亞洲最大臥佛涅槃像,安太歲自不在話下,甲子太歲爺雙眼長出手掌印象甚深,1994年經閻羅王指示廟公建造一條肚內設極樂世界及陰曹地府之神龍,行走暗黑通道觸動感應機關,只見面容猙獰受刑者呼天搶地喊冤、身邊盡是血肉糢糊殘肢敗屍腦漿塗地,十殿閻羅各司其職、威儀攝人。新北市林口區青嶺湖北文紫祥宮包公廟則以壁面彩塑地獄浮雕獨步全台,粉嫩色彩搭配卡漫風格,尤為造型簡直恐怖到可愛透頂,該廟主祀森羅殿閻羅天子包拯(包青天),陽世冤屈者可至此參拜祭解,求破懸案者眾,逢中元普渡皆以紙紮船渡亡魂至彼岸,全台唯一閻羅天子巨像籌備中,四周環繞墓地,適合修不淨觀也。台灣首尊彰化八卦山大佛旁南天宮(1971)地府則是首座電動地府,規模精小但驚嚇度破表,略顯破敗但五光十色仍蠻凶悍,出自已故台南大道長金登富之作,而電動神明起始可追溯至1960年代北港朝天宮。倒是嘉義水上鄉白人牙膏觀光工廠「戴相府」、「將軍府」設置十殿地府出乎意料之外,乾淨亮麗、ㄧ殿ㄧ間、簡單樸實。由高雄蓮潭龍虎塔龍口入內可見全臺唯一交趾陶地獄牆面,尊尊栩栩如生,續入龍身乃進聞聲救苦白衣觀音大士三十三化身浮雕隧道,造型設色甚為古錐。高雄大岡山超峰寺入口處「西方三聖蓮池海會」(阿彌陀佛、觀世音菩薩、大勢至菩薩巨像)旁設靜態十殿閻羅(1970年代初),雖略為陳舊然韻味猶存,續往上行可抵「證菩提道-釋迦如來應化事迹」雕塑園區,一攬世尊畢生精華。如來年邁時,琉璃國王為報長期被釋迦族輕蔑之傲慢心,世尊雖三次單獨伽跌坐阻擋大軍進攻之路,但因緣果報無法逆轉,昔日婢女所生王子瞋恨無以復加,還是滅了祖國。自持神通第一目犍連不忍無辜百姓慘糟屠殺,遂以缽盛救度五百族人,最終卻化為血水,佛言神通廣大仍不敵千百劫業力,因緣果報屢試不爽。其母死後墜入餓鬼道飢餓難耐,目犍連遂展神通救渡,但所食尚未入口皆化為赤火,佛陀囑咐農曆七月十五日僧眾解安居自恣日,於盆中設甘露美食供養十方僧眾,因此超度亡母。後世「盂蘭盆法會」乃至「水懺法會」、「瑜珈焰口法會」皆為消業障、斷塵垢之超渡儀軌,既渡亡魂也自懺悔。
台南麻豆代天府規模宏大、造型豔麗,不但可遊十八層地獄尚可逛天堂(1979年興建,1983年開放),燈光絢爛、聲響駭人,獨自漫步宛如觀落陰、地獄走一回。先過「心頭山」、入「清心池」、進「陰陽界」、抵「交簿廳」、達「鬼門關」、遊「補經所」、探「枉死城」、行「奈何橋」,至ㄧ殿泰廣王照「孽鏡台」現造惡原形,睹抱柱、火床等小地獄。二殿楚江王開「陰查簿」判案定奪,觀糞尿泥、餓鬼、舞池、寒冰、膿血、鞭韃、舌犁、劍葉、戟腹拋接、砧截…等小地獄。三殿宋帝王刑罰為倒吊、銅鐵刮臉、挖眼、搗樁、倒烤、吸血、穿肋、抽筋、蛆蛀等小地獄…兼遊「四生(胎、卵、濕、化)回魂府」。四殿五官王掌管腰斬、拔舌、沸湯、刺嘴、剝皮、箭樹、車崩、射眼…等十六小地獄。隨五殿森羅王豋「望鄉臺」回眸親人最終眼後觀擊膝、誅心、刀山、飛刀火石…小地獄。六殿卞城王別稱「大叫喚大地獄」,轄火牛、虎啖、噬腎、鉗嘴含鍼、釘喉、磨摧、砍頭…等小地獄。七殿泰山王為「熱惱大地獄」,窺烙手指、抽腸、頂石蹲身、油釜滾烹、割舌穿腮…等十六小地獄。八殿都市王掌管「大熱惱大地獄」兼火狗、鐵汁、鐵蛇、鋸劈斷肢、釘板、灸脊、鐵丸、磅秤…等小地獄。九殿平等王直轄十八層「阿鼻大地獄」,直透地心、內中陰森、不見五指、滿溢地漿,皆為極犯,另轄紫赤毒蛇鑽孔、夾頂、鐵鴉、針雨、蜂蠍…等小地獄。至十殿輪轉王上「觀生臺」、「轉劫所八司」(查驗司 、稽善司 、考過司 、恩怨司 、壽命司 、支配司、掌劫司 、授生司)後至「孟婆亭」飲「醧忘湯」忘盡前塵往事,依前世功德過金、銀、玉、石、木、竹六種橋樑至「轉輪臺(紫河車)」入六道輪迴轉生投胎。據「十八泥犁經」記載,人過世後七七四十九天為「中陰生」,經閻羅王審判善惡業力判定去留或懲罰百千萬劫,犯五逆重罪則墮入「無間地獄(阿鼻地獄)」永劫不復。地藏王乃幽冥教主,統轄十殿閻羅,逢三曹普渡便在各殿設「講道所」超度尚存善根之鬼魂。
人類居於五趣(阿修羅、人、傍生、餓鬼、地獄)雜居地五濁惡世之堪忍世界,犯十惡業(殺生、偷盜、邪淫、妄語、兩舌、惡口、綺語、貪慾、嗔恚、愚痴)者必墮三趣惡道。如何出「三界」(欲界、色界、無色界)二十八天?凡人無此意識,別說能破「十二因緣」(無明、行、識、名色、六入、觸、受、愛、取、有、生、老死)還滅門,更別想斷除「四聖諦」(苦、集、滅、道)集地八十一品見惑與八十八使思惑(五利使-身見、邊見、邪見、見取見、戒禁取見、五鈍使-貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑),了悟「五蘊」(色、受、想、行、識)本空、「十二入」(眼、耳、鼻、舌、意、色、聲、香、味、觸、法)空、「十八界」空,破俱生我執與分別我執、法執甚至空執,生十一處「善心所」(信、精進、慚、愧、無貪、無瞋、無痴、輕安、不放逸、行捨、不害),降二十六處「惡心所」(貪、瞋、癡、慢、疑、惡見、忿、恨、覆、惱、嫉、慳、誑、諂、害、憍、無慚、無愧、掉舉、惛沉、不信、懈怠、放逸、失念、散亂、不正知),須知善根斷盡則陷永劫輪迴、無垠轉世之苦。
地獄可能空滅嗎?若地獄空乏人間多鬼怪,地獄淨空世間何嘗非淨土?若能證空性何處現地獄?
地獄曠古來便廣泛流傳各部族間,老死生滅為自然運行之基礎、宇宙意識之核心,然今文明昌盛如咱城邦並非慾望消弭之所,惡性所及實無可根除,礙於憲法國家法律社會軍隊企業公司學校家庭團體之層層束縛不亞於十八層,乃遁於壓抑、束己情懷,暗埋心底、日久貪嗔痴慢疑怨噌會疊穢。而六塵未熄,心多妄念,妖魔鬼怪魑魅魍魎孤魂閃靈出沒於荒郊乃至人間,會靈於曠野密林以增性靈乃出世高人修煉之舉,我等凡人擅闖宛如迪士尼般之人造地獄,三魂七魄尚不足以出竅,驚邪恐怖淒厲猙獰倒滿足了自以為是的慚愧,豈不謬哉?
病毒肆虐年半有餘,全球確診者逼近一億八千萬,枉死者近四百萬,堪比戰爭規模,望眾生發慈悲心、令往生者安息、善待其他物種、平等有情眾生。地獄本空,唯妄念生起一切羨慕嫉妒恨而地獄現前。盡以此書作為世界新冷戰獨裁者、超限戰者、暗網駭客、陰險狡猾冷嘲熱諷落井下石者之良知備忘錄矣。
姚瑞中寫於2021年端午節
舞光感應吸頂燈 在 你(妳)好,我是莎拉。 Facebook 的最佳解答
[錢曦合](下)(短篇小說)
【過去】
許志保是我見過最虔誠的火山孝子。不管小錢去哪、多晚下班,他都會坐在他那輛二手偉士牌上,吸著菸在外頭等小錢出來。而不論小錢喝得多醉、身上混雜了多少淫靡的氣味,在她眼神觸到許志保那一刻,她十七歲時那種直接、不帶矯飾、一桿入洞的天真就會瞬間回來,如天剛破曉,大地隨著陽光觸手的輕柔觸碰而一瞬舒展。
然而小錢和許志保分手過後,唯一保留在她身上不受污染的淨土,大概僅剩下她的名字了。
名字是爺爺取的。爺爺說,在小錢出生的那個清晨,他才聽見哭聲,婦產科窗外原先濃重的黑夜,須臾就亮了,像誰拉開了幕簾,一齣好戲將要上演。
爺爺半生戎馬,這輩子夜不閉目,強行抖擻著精神迎接天光到來的經驗不知凡幾。在戰況最激烈的時候,像他這種拿著聽診器的人也必須提槍上陣。他無力拯救生命,甚至必須消滅生命以保全自己。夜最深沉的時刻便是黎明之前。每次不知道自己能不能活過今晚,爺爺就會讓這種擔憂充斥全身血液,成為一種生於憂患的護身符,直至老天爺沒事人般輕輕篩落陽光,他緊繃的情緒才得以稍稍緩解。
然後,又是一記槍響,又是疲於奔命的一天。
戰爭結束,爺爺跟著部隊來到台灣,鼻間再也聞不到硝煙的氣味許久以後,爺爺心裡卻始終感覺不到圓滿。他總記惦著海的那一邊的故鄉,所以不願踏實在島嶼上;總維持著一種觀望的姿態,像離開那天撥開人群衝到甲板倚在船欄,望著廣袤的山河越搖越杳。
直至年近半百,成為島民口中的老芋仔,他才不得不承認自己也有落地生根的衝動,和菜市場裡離了婚的梅香姨結為連理。
爺爺在小錢國中時就過世,但在世期間對小錢極盡寵愛。
爺爺總說,小錢哭聲響亮,趕走了他心中對於夜日交替的陰霾。像鞭炮聲能趕走年獸,這個家也因為小錢的出生而圓滿。小小的島不再是一條隨時準備回家的船,而是搖籃,輕輕搖著小錢、搖著爺爺、搖著每一個對家有憧憬的小小國度。
但名字終究只是名字。能印在身分證上卻烙不進骨血。像登山之人攻頂後總愛插旗,但山還是山,不屬於誰,也沒人能征服。
許志保大學畢業後,原先打算繼續升學,逃避兵役,甚至家境不錯的他,還曾考慮出國深造,逃個徹底。但小錢因為爺爺的關係,總覺得沒當過兵的不算男人,許志保也不願與她分開,最後才決定快刀斬亂麻,直接先當兵再說。
事情就發生在許志保當兵那年。
工作結束後,店家大多會招待小姐留下來玩樂;有時廠商也會邀請小姐再去續攤。雖然下班後小姐就不需再接受公司管束,但身為督導,我們多少都傾向希望小姐可以多跟店家、廠商建立私交,「博感情」讓大家於公於私都能一條心。
一晚,在台北市某夜店的包廂內,一個西裝筆挺的男人如天神般走來。
「陳樂。」男人叫住我,我應聲回頭。
我知道他可能會來,但我終究不確定他會不會來,也不敢傳訊息問他會不會出現。只能做好他會來的準備。出門之前在臥房裡的全身鏡前擺弄許久,踏出家門那刻卻旋即後悔:應該穿大家都說在我身上特別好看那套,不該穿新買的卻一次也沒穿過、知道也許不適合自己可是在櫥窗裡閃閃發光、也在想像裡閃閃發光的這套。
我瞇起雙眼,右側嘴角不自然地加重了點力道,感覺自己眼波射出光芒,穿透空氣中的微塵,希望能令他心神蕩漾。
他露出潔白的牙齒,對我張開雙臂。受西方教育長大的他能對任何人展出親暱的友善,將人圈進他張牙舞爪卻令人無法厭惡的高級香水味裡。我上身貼合他結實的胸肌,在雙手鉗進他腰窩之際,也移動左腳一步向前,跨進他的雙腿之間,好像那兒有一道門檻,而我不願踏踩。「妳越來越漂亮了。」他的聲波透過胸腔共鳴,穿透我的右耳沁入心脾,勾得我稍抬左腿回應,感覺他總微微鼓脹的陰莖。
我在他懷裡燦笑,想順著嘴角弧度拉長曖昧氛圍,可是他卻一瞬放開了我,我的左腳還勾著,忽地重重落地,差點重心不穩。
「你怎麼會來?」我只好伸手順順瀏海,展現一點從容。
「台灣很久沒有大活動了,就覺得該來看看。」
我很清楚一定會聽到這種官方回應,可是我在「一定」之外,還是順著慾望填進了一點純然的期待,就像我徒手梳著瀏海,可是瀏海其實已經很整齊。
「樂樂姐,」這是我在這個當下最不願聽見的聲音,可那聲音還繼續:「陪我去跳舞!」
「這是?」男人突然退開一步,像我們之間只是純友誼。
如果我必須承認自己對小錢也有過恨意,那便是從這一刻開始。
後來我們玩到隔天中午才結束。
當我看著比一貫明亮的錢櫃還要光潔的天空而微微暈眩,身上的菸酒氣味無聲地在敦化南路樹梢的鳥鳴中提醒自己一夜腐敗,我知道至少我活過了這晚。女人間的戰爭激烈,不亞於小錢爺爺當年的真槍實彈。
男人伸手攔了輛計程車,我在他開門瞬間,將小錢推了進去,然後自己也進入車內旋即關上車門。男人手指屈成勾狀,敲了敲車窗:「開門。」他微揚起聲喊。雖然我不聽聲音光看嘴型也知道他在說什麼,我還是假裝聽不清楚,擠出最後一分體力,給了他一個疲憊的微笑,就向司機報了我家路名。
小錢酒量不好,在我身邊的她,早已靠著另一邊車門呼呼大睡。
我若有所思地看了她一眼,還是不禁愛憐地伸出左手替她捋順落在額前的長髮。我的恨意在看著她天使般熟睡的側臉時又消退了大半。但一轉頭,望向窗外不同於昨夜喧囂的耿直街道,我又背道而馳地任由自己的心腐朽成和身上氣味相仿的樣子。
何霆威是我們合作菸商的員工,負責亞洲區業務。
早些年台灣經濟還好,還是重點發展樞紐時,他很常來台灣出差。娃娃臉又單眼皮的他,笑的時候右側嘴角會餒出一個小梨窩;在香港出生長大的他,又有一種稱霸亞洲金融圈而堆砌出的傲氣。這兩種極端氣質完美地融合在他身上,使得公司裡頭每個小姐或多或少都有些傾心於他。
我們真正開始熟稔時,我已經在當督導而不是小姐了。
某年公司尾牙,剛好辦在他當時下榻的飯店。一位和我交情甚篤的小姐喝多吐了一身,我在廁所替她稍事清理後,決定先帶爛醉如泥的她回家。當我一拐一拐地攙著她進入電梯,突然有人從另一側支起她,減輕了我肩頭的重量。
我轉頭望向來人。
「按住電梯,我幫妳扶她。」是何霆威。原來他正要去廁所,卻看見我狼狽的樣子,因而過來幫忙。
我知道他是誰。有時在公司或在活動遇見,也會說上兩句公務話。但我們不算真正認識。他是我得罪不起的客戶高層,也是我招惹不起的戀愛高手。早就聽過不少關於他的花名在外,儘管對他的能力外表默默欣賞,我卻傲嬌地維護自己的心在一個街口之外。
沒想到才進入電梯,那位小姐又嘔了一聲,直接吐了何霆威滿懷。「Shit。」他忍不住咒罵,然後旋即意識到還有我在,轉頭對我投以一個抱歉的苦笑。那也是我第一次發現他的小梨窩。
我呆了一瞬,馬上打開包包掏出面紙要替他擦拭,他卻伸手阻止:「沒關係,我已經髒了,擦了也沒用。我房間就在樓上,我直接上去洗澡就好。」我連忙點頭,然後當電梯抵達大廳後,再替他從後側口袋抽出房卡感應,按了他房間所在樓層。我本想接過小姐,自己帶她回家,何霆威卻沒鬆手:「妳帶她去我房間休息一下吧,妳這樣太辛苦了。等她酒醒再送她回去。」
我能嗅出他話中的的另有隱情,可是我假裝嘔吐味太濃掩蓋了我靈敏的覺察。剛好又有一批人進入電梯,我插翅也難飛了,就這麼跟著他上樓。
他紳士地先讓我在浴室處理小姐,待我替她清理乾淨換上浴袍,他才進入浴室清理自己。我讓小姐躺在客廳的沙發上,自己則坐在另一側的圓凳,有些恍惚地看著這間飯店前衛的裝潢。
「可以陪我喝一點嗎?」他清理完後,換上乾淨的衣服,手上拿著一瓶威士忌朝我走來。
我循聲望向他,再度泯滅自己的覺察,說了好啊。
然後,我們從客廳喝到床上。然後,我喝下了他的精液。
酒醉的小姐一直在外頭的客廳熟睡,就像現在我身旁的小錢一樣。
計程車開到家門口,我付了錢,撥了電話叫老腰下樓。
老腰是我男友。綽號老腰不是因為他腰特別好或特別不好,純粹因為他姓腰,身體部位的那個腰。
「腰暐昇你快點!」一見他我就大聲吆喝。在公司裡出了名好相處的我,只有在面對老腰時敢長出一些頤指氣使的花火。因為他不單是個爛好人,還比我愛他還要愛我更多。我知道這樣對他不公平,尤其不該欺負他這樣的老實人,可情緒這東西就像水往低處流,當你發現有人比你低時,你很難控制不噴發過去。
老腰將小錢揹上我們無電梯的舊公寓三樓家中。小錢家在北投山上, 進市區很不方便,所以幾乎都住在許志保家。但這時許志保在當兵,她不喜歡一個人在那,我便讓她常常過來。
「妳很久沒通宵了。」待我處理完小錢,老腰才敢出聲埋怨,口氣卻像泡在火鍋裡太久的蒟蒻。「菸商派人來。」我們交往也四年了,他很了解我的工作內容、利害關係,講幾個關鍵名詞他大概就能懂個大半。「我晚上還要上班,快睡吧。」我又道,然後補償似的拉著他環抱我的那隻手覆上我的奶。我很少對他在身體方面這麼主動,所以他開心地抓了幾下,像在玩小時候的彈力球。
見我沒抗拒,老腰又大了一點膽子,把手伸進我的下腹部。
我閉上眼睛,享受著老腰的愛撫,把時空移回我和何霆威瘋狂又激情的歲月。
何霆威說自己有性愛成癮症,而且是看過醫生證實的。
我儘管外表恬靜,對那檔事卻有種不由分說的迷戀。他說他最喜歡我這點,在外是聖女,關起門來卻是浪女。他還說他儘管是生病了才這麼需要做愛,可他若是跟不喜歡的人上床,結束後也曾空虛到裸著身子瑟縮在床角發抖,更別提一夜多次。
那晚我們做了四遍。結束後他沒瑟縮在角落,而是細細密密地替我沖洗身子。
「我注意妳很久了,妳跟其他小姐不一樣,妳讓人有溫暖的感覺。」不曉得做到哪一次結束,何霆威抱著我耳鬢廝磨。
「我不是小姐,我是督導。」我壓低聲音嗔道。
「妳是誰不重要,我只想知道,妳願不願意當我在台灣的家?」何霆威問,眼神還深深望進我的。雖然他在香港早有女友,但需要常常出差的他,為了解決生理需求,只好在每個地點都找一個固定炮友。可是他覺得這樣稱呼太沒感情,畢竟他也是真心喜歡她們,所以他都暱稱這些炮友們為「家」,也會讓女友充分掌握各家資訊。
剛開始聽到這些,我有些幻滅。可女人好像是這樣,只要陰道一鬆,心裡的矜持也不好意思繼續嘴硬。所以我只是突地抬起身子吻他,讓自己反客為主坐到他身上像坐著旋轉木馬,搖啊搖,搖到三過外婆橋而不入,直至所有少女情懷都拋到九霄雲外。
我當了何霆威兩年的家。雖然他沒有不准我有其他男人,但我卻默默為他守貞,一如我之前把對他的欣賞種成櫻花,花開了才令人發覺。
後來,台灣經濟狀況開始下滑,菸商將亞洲經營重心移往大陸,他也漸漸不來了,甚至來了也沒有找我。我心裡便明白,我這棟豬大哥的茅草屋,已經被吹垮。
何霆威在台灣那幾天,我緊緊看著小錢。甚至動了點手腳調換她一些工作,避免他們見面。無奈魔高一尺,道高一丈,何霆威還是打聽到了小錢的聯絡方法,然後在下一次來台灣時,背著我和她約起會來。
小錢不曉得我和他的過去,我又和她情同姊妹,所以最終我還是透過小錢得知了他們開始來往的消息。
「我有跟他說我有男友,可是他說沒關係,他願意等我分手。」一天,小錢來到我的公寓,竟是和我傾訴關於何霆威的煩惱。我只能苦笑成一抹敦厚,小心翼翼地問起我最想知道的問題:「你們上床了嗎?」小錢竟害羞了,嗔笑著輕打了我一下:「只有親而已,他說他只跟女友做。」這下我倒是真的想笑了。結果到頭來,我才是那個患有性愛成癮症的人。
後來,小錢決定先行和何霆威交往,待許志保下次放假回來,再尋個理由和他分手。我則在許志保回台北之前,偷偷告訴了他小錢和何霆威的事。
結果,小錢兩頭空。
而我永遠是她最好的姐妹。共承雨露於同一個男人,還能展演一團和氣。
許志保和何霆威的雙重打擊,讓小錢忽然奇異地自覺這一生被拒絕的空間滿載了。然後如願般,她的最後一個男人便出現。
彭學熙祖籍上海,據說是清末高官之後,家裡有的是富過三代吞吐出的老錢;身上的氣質也是久富養出雍容。
因著小錢的關係,彭先生待我極好,每每和他們出去,吃喝玩樂少不了卻一毛不用。所以雖然看過小錢和許志保在一起的樣子,也看過小錢和何霆威在一起的樣子,我儘管心裡排擠小錢和彭先生在一起的樣子,也不敢置喙什麼。
我以為小錢只是沒被人用錢砸過,所以第一次遇到彭先生這種男人很是受用。小錢雖然賺得多,但孝順的她賺的錢大部分都交給媽媽,身上沒有太多奢侈品。但開始和彭先生來往後,突然她一直嚷嚷著想要的香奈兒就掛在肩上了。接著又是這個、又是那個,弄得我都有點羨慕起來。
然後,不出半年,他們就要結婚。
「他都四十了,爸媽很想抱孫子。反正他說以後每個月給我五萬塊家用,我就在家當少奶奶就好。工作這麼久我也累了,有人願意養我有什麼不好?」小錢說話的同時,一邊用手指撥弄剛種的睫毛,指頭上是別致的光療。
我縱然覺得小錢結婚太急,但心裡也明白,像我們這樣的女人,除了找個長期飯票,也別無他法能過上令人稱羨的好日子,所以也沒攔著,就當人生總要走這一遭,不如加緊腳步。
彭家雖有錢,彭先生卻是自己白手起家。因為他不願繼承家裡事業,而想追求自己喜歡的事物。「她是我看過最美的。」彭先生總這麼形容小錢。看著彭先生牽著打扮愈發精緻出格的她,我有時會突然分不清,究竟他為她付出的是愛情,還是只是花錢買一個擺飾?
然而,這種想法可能是出於一種自我安慰。不得不承認,年紀比小錢大上十歲、工作多年,還要靠著老腰分擔才能勉力維持生活在一個水平之上,我總是有些嫉妒。所以在小錢婚後,我便自發性地減少和她的約會,省得她總一再讓我發掘自己心中黑暗。
一個何霆威已經夠了。彭學熙僅是有錢,但不是我的菜,嫁不得這樣的豪門多少也維持了我的一些清高和對小錢的喜愛。況且老腰當初也是苦苦追了我半年。身為工程師,他能讓我過上一年買一個包、家裡裝潢雖是IKEA但好歹是自己喜歡的樣子、必須雙薪才有機會買得起房子的日子,我已經很感激。
他不有錢,可是他傾盡所有,這不正是一個女人才該追求的?
當上貴婦閒來無事的小錢,搭上時下一股炫富炫美的風潮,開始經營社群版面。講話肆無忌憚的她,配上文不對題的美照,很快就培養出一群粉絲。
大家都以為她很幸褔。畢竟她的社群頁面上不是大餐、旅遊、包包,就是天知道有沒有效的業配廣告;即使和丈夫偶有齟齬,也是很快又能看見他們曬恩愛的合照。我甚至將她包裝成抱怨的炫耀當成砝碼,作為平衡生活的消遣。一個白富美,有什麼痛苦都是為賦新詞強說愁。當有人向我問起她時,我總不忘大肆吹捧彭家的有錢有勢,儘管心底酸澀得像檸檬,卻有一種報復的快感氤氳在苦楚之外。
至少我沒說她壞話。我總如是安慰自己。
小錢擁有太多了,如果還耐不住一些高處不勝寒,我們這些平凡人豈不生無可戀?
直到有一晚,家裡門鈴響起。我以為是網購,沒想到卻是小錢。
「妳看。」才開門,小錢就哭,然後急急忙忙把孩子朝我遞來。
我手忙腳亂接過,還弄不清楚發生什麼事,小錢又吼了一句:「我好想死!」
小錢嫁入彭家才三年,就生了兩個孩子。第一胎是女兒,小錢很歡喜也不願再生,卻因婆家的壓力,再生了小兒子。
她來按電鈴那晚,老二還未滿月。她偷偷摸摸地抱著孩子從月子中心出來,就是為了要讓我這個乾媽看一看。
乾兒子很乖,整晚沒哭鬧過,安靜地像個天使。小錢在抽抽答答地和我哭完之後,也像從前那般,縮著身子在沙發上睡著了。
這片刻的祥和讓我頹喪。我很累,精神卻異常地好。這樣的身體狀態讓我只能靠向老腰,試圖從他微胖的身軀汲取一點溫暖。他一向體溫很高,可我的心還是好冷。
誰來救小錢、誰來救我?
原來,小錢並不幸福。
彭學熙雖然有錢,卻在每月給小錢的家用上東扣西扣,連水電瓦斯都一毫不差地算,所以她實際拿到的極少,大概等於一個大學生的零用錢;彭學熙會買奢侈品給她,但每一樣都是他覺得適合小錢才買,而不是因為她喜歡;婚前彭學熙曾請阿姨來打掃,婚後他卻說家務是小錢份內的事,所以辭退了阿姨,甚至要求她一週至少煮三次飯,飯菜要在他進門那一刻才端上桌,冒著熱氣;彭學熙時常喝酒應酬、手機常有不明女子的訊息來電,但小錢不能管,因為這就是生意;為了讓小錢懷孕,彭學熙每月算準了時間才行房,也不管她想不想;小錢學歷不好,公婆因此對她不很待見,直到確定她懷上了帶把的,才替她請了菲傭⋯⋯。
夫妻關係就在這樣的惡性循環下越演越劣。「妳在過什麼生活,大家都知道」每當小錢不滿,和彭學熙吵架,他就用這句話堵回去。而這又是小錢的另一個悲哀。因為生活不快樂,所以小錢轉向積極經營社群頁面尋求慰藉。社會風氣偏向夢幻豪奢的事物,所以小錢變成放羊的孩子,欺騙自己的良心,拿她最不齒的丈夫的恩惠,填補心底的空缺。
隨著謊言越滾越大,小錢也越走越偏。
「我真的很想要那個包,已經絕版了而且九成新才賣十九萬,我朋友花三十才買到,所以我就直接付訂了。可是那時候戶頭剛好沒錢,就拿做產檢的錢去付。反正他們只關心是男是女,我還那麼年輕,姐姐也很健康啊,怎麼知道會這樣⋯⋯」小錢說著說著又哽咽了起來,然後來來回回好多次,她才終於說出最關鍵的三個字。
唐氏症。
【以後】
我穿著某年生日小錢送我的白色洋裝,偕同老腰去參加許志保的婚禮。
就像許志保說的,如果人都會死,還有什麼好計較的?
新娘進場,在鎂光燈的強烈照耀下,我忽然發現站在紅毯那端的其實是小錢啊。然後我就流淚了,告別式那天都沒哭那麼慘,像是把最後和小錢見面那天該流而未流的淚都給哭了出來。
那天我特地起了大早,趁小錢還沒起床,到市場賣菜,做了一鍋小錢最喜歡的小魚稀飯。其實只是很簡單的電鍋料理,也是我會的為數不多的菜色之一。我想我應該不是辜負最深小錢的那個人,最辜負她的恐怕是她自己。但做菜時,我還是加入了一些莫名的虧欠調味,那是我從未告訴小錢的對許志保的心儀、對何霆威的狂戀、對彭學熙的欣羨和對她兩極的愛恨組織而成的豐富味料。
寶寶的臉孔那時還看不出異樣,我和老腰把他當成一般孩子似的哄著,小錢則在一旁微笑,像極了十七歲時的她。我才明白,一個人,要像什麼樣子都是容易的,只有像自己最難,因為沒有人肯真正看見自己,看見的都是別人眼中的倒影。
我們度過了極為平靜的一個早上,然後老腰開車送小錢回去。我以為一切就該沒事,回頭小錢又會開始發文改寫「唐媽媽奮鬥史」,散發富貴正能量,把她的謊圓下去。沒想到從此她不再更新頁面,我卻收到了一封信:
「如果我死了,請幫我把這封信公布在粉專上,密碼是我女兒生日。我要全世界知道,是彭學熙逼死我的!我要讓他身敗名裂!讓大家知道他是一個害老婆自殺的爛人⋯⋯」信件後來都在細數彭家如何待她不是,但並未提及兒子症狀,只說要把監護權給我,讓我和彭學熙要錢將孩子撫養長大。
我不知道這樣一封信有沒有法律效用,也沒認真去追究,因為我知道於情於理,我都不是養母的好人選,也無力擔待這麼大的責任。彭家對外口徑一致說媳婦是因外傭過失致死,我也沒敢拿著信去質問彭學熙真相。只敢帶著信來參加許志保婚禮,還沒敢拿信給他。
待我的情緒較平復,沒等發喜糖,我們就先出來了。然後,才出會場,老腰就從口袋裡掏出一只絨布盒子。
「結婚吧。」他說。短短三個字,也沒在人前單膝下跪,卻聽得出他話在抖動。
也許是剛剛太激動,面對求婚,我竟沒有太多感覺。
「我一直都沒有真的愛過你。」誠實卻在這一刻開錯門。
「我知道,妳從來沒說過我愛你。」他回。手還舉著。
「分手好了。」說完,我就逕自望外走,攔了輛計程車。
我知道接下來老腰就會自己開車回來,然後我們又會像沒事一樣相處,或許打一炮,用激烈的抽插弭平異樣的坦然。
忽然覺得自己猥瑣得可以。但我也不過是一顆小螺絲釘,按著人世軌跡運轉。就像窗外月光皎潔,卻緊緊跟隨。再美再偉大的事物,不過如此。
舞光感應吸頂燈 在 飲食男女 Youtube 的最佳解答
噓……
天空墨黑,厚雲沒星。手錶上指針是凌晨二時,大部分人已熟睡就寢,街上一片寂靜,黑暗滿佈街角,昏黃街燈,照得人睡意濃濃。
嗞嗞……
機器的轉動聲卻在深水埗福華街,一排關閉的鐵皮小排檔叢後,一間鋪頂上書「坤記士多」四個大字,在鐵閘縫中透出幾扇白光,聲音就從這製糕工場發出,訴說着眾人皆睡我獨醒,明碼實價的起早摸黑,辛勤的一天就從這嗞嗞作響揭開序幕。
「由晚到朝,由早到夜,循環不息,兩三點鐘起身開工磨米,做埋洗埋嘢賣埋,兩更人,收埋鋪夜晚八點幾,年中冇息休㗎!不過唔緊要,慣㗎啦!」半頭白髮的傳永祥一口沙啞地說。
傳永祥是坤記老闆和掌舵人,64歲,對這數十年如一日的辛勞已司空見慣。還有弟弟傅永康,三個協力的阿哥阿姐夥計,同時在凌晨開工,默默無語。守在四五十度高溫的火爐邊,人人揮汗如雨,各佔各崗位的忙着磨米、抽出抽入竹筲簊、提上提落重甸甸的石頭壓漿,誰也沒注意到這百忙的街外上一絲靜態。
咔嚓……
一手拉開了店面的鐵閘。時為早上七時許,深水埗地鐡站B2出口旁,這不過百呎,80年代士多的舊模樣,汽水、香煙、啤酒、土炮……,老士多的產品。然而主角是陸續放到店門當眼處的各式老糕,白糖糕砵仔糕芝麻糕紅豆糕……琳瑯滿目,吸引途人。連銷售也數十年不變。現時外面的糕都早已包裝好,這裏卻依舊即切即放磅上秤重量,再入小袋給客,這樣的動作常惹客人投訴慢。
「件糕幾重就收幾多,冇呃秤,夠均真!幾廿年都係咁,冇變過,舊時啲人冇投訴㗎!」
隨時代變遷,深水埗生活改變了,舊的事物正在消失,他仍竭力保留這裏的一點一滴。分毫不動,緊握着舊。
「我都後生過,輕佻過,試過變新,錯咗一次,唔可以再錯!」像他的白糖糕,水靈模樣,心眼兒透亮,會有點調皮。他也曾稚氣未脫,違反父旨,背叛自己,陷於迷惘,卻終歸是貼心的。還不忘父訓:「做人做生意要對得住天地良心。」
一度無心之心,使他念茲在茲,謹遵此宗旨,勤懇守着,天荒地老。縱使父已逝,精神卻長存。
父技藝恭謹以待
嗯……
閉目沉思的他,想起父親,思緒如泉湧。他祖籍順德,鄉下作為魚米之鄉,河澤廣佈,水域通達,適於稻米生長。賦予了製作米糕的創造力。選粘米、糖、水這些家常材料製成的白糖糕、砵仔糕等,是稻米變身的傑作。
看來簡單,實際上製作十分繁瑣。父親傳承的技藝,他不怠慢,淘米、浸米、磨粉、壓水、和餡、發酵、灌籠、水蒸,做足八道工序,糕才爽香可口。
滴噠滴噠……
磨米的滴水聲,回應着石頭壓印米漿滴出的米水聲,格外清脆。他將用半新舊的泰國粘米按比例混合,浸泡一晚軟了的米放進磨機,扭動水喉,米粒漸研磨成漿,奶白的水柱細細流進布袋。紮好裝滿米漿的布袋,然後抬塊大石把米漿重重壓着,待水分全部流走,壓成半乾濕的米粉糰。以壓乾的米粉糰上秤,斤両才準確。
「用磨米壓出嘅米漿嚟蒸糕,啲糕有一種膠質,特別煙韌。」他一時忙着調校不同糕點的糖水米漿,這個要加黑芝麻漿,那個要放紅豆……一時又要磨糯米粉,做煎堆、包茶果。磨米機在一邊動,他也像機器一樣,沒有一刻停下來,多磨人!
最不容易是順德獨有的白糖糕,壓成的米粉糰,加入糖水搓勻,擺放到晚上,粉糰不停發酵,晚上變「老種」,又配搭新加了糖的米粉糰去,再發酵到第二日才蒸,往而復來,日日如是。白糖糕好不好吃?還是靠發酵。米與糖水的比例怎樣?發酵時溫度如何?全靠他拌和米漿時,一雙巧手去感應。
將發了酵的米漿倒在竹箕上,拿去蒸。「蒸起咗啦!蒸起咗啦!」隨着他揭開蒸鍋,熱氣上升,夾著帶酒味的甜米香,一股複合香氣撲面而來。剛蒸好的白糖糕白嫩蓬鬆,密密的小氣孔如同蜂巢一般,光滑剔透。嘗一口,軟滑爽口,甜甜的滋味帶着剛出爐的暖意在舌尖化開,口感綿密帶韌勁,微微似米酒的香氣,意想不到的清新吸引。
家傳秘方不易來
呼……
他大力地呼出一口煙圈。這個做糕的家傳秘方,是寶貴的經驗及睿智,都是他的父輩,順德人一代代口耳相傳下來的結晶。最初,也與一口煙有關。
「我老竇叫傅坤信,戰前喺順德嘅茶樓打工學整糕,佢個師傅做嘅白糖糕爽彈細膩,點樣整?佢就教啲唔教啲。不過呢個師傅係食大煙嘅!」
食大煙,即抽鴉片,當年是合法的,很平常,但價格高昂,普通打工的吃幾遍可花掉一個月人工。他父親知師傅有煙癮,出錢請食,期望師傅上足電,會過招教他。這樣的討好非一推即就,師傅一次不教、兩次不教,直到第八次才教少許。之後不斷請食,師傅才像擠牙膏般逐少逐少地教。
「請佢食個大煙,嗰份糧畀晒佢㗎啦!老竇先慢慢學到做糕竅門!」到他父親成功獲知箇中秘訣,幾已傾盡家財,可謂得來不易。和平後,他父親就帶着這秘方,到香港打工。
做米糕養家餬口
依呀﹗依呀﹗
石磨在轉動,轉一圈就依呀一聲,昔時就是用石磨磨米做糕。「我老竇嗰時喺香港嘅油器白粥大牌檔做糕,用石磨磨米,憑學番嚟嘅秘方整出好食嘅糕,其他師傅都冇佢整得咁好,啲客咪叫我老竇不如自己出嚟做生意!」
1965年,他家住唐九樓,在十樓的天台自立做糕,山寨原始,做批發生意。「點知攞貨買嗰啲商戶客,好生意就嚟攞,唔好生意就唔攞,落雨唔嚟攞又唔找數,啲糕剩喺度唔通倒咗佢,我阿媽咪拎出街賣囉!」山不轉路轉,他母親挑起擔挑,秤兩隻竹籮,糕點放在籮上,到福華街、北河街沿街擺賣。那時小小的傅永祥,已跟着媽媽一起上街。
「老竇真係好勤力,佢一個人,用手磨米、石頭壓水、米漿溝糖水、發酵、入爐蒸,嗰時仲用燒柴,乜都一腳踢!」父親就靠這糕養活一家九口,逐漸做到有生意,坤記的雛形就是這樣形成。
窮人孩子早當家
鈴鈴鈴鈴……
鬧鐘響起,早上六點,傳永祥兒時最痛恨這聲音,他不情不願的起床來。「起身幫老竇開檔,之後七點幾返學,到下晝三四點放學返嚟,又磨米、搓糕,整呢樣整嗰樣,到夜晚九點,先去做功課……」
對一個小孩,體力及精神都往做糕去,上學沒精神,成績也越來越差。「整整下無心機讀書,升唔到班,咪冇讀,一路跟住老竇去做糕。」中二就輟學,這遺憾一度令他無法釋懷。
「人哋放學就去玩去踢波,禮拜六禮拜日去露營、去旅行。我禮拜六禮拜日都要開工,好辛苦架!做糕有咩樂趣?」他很矛盾,對做糕,嘴裏說着嫌棄,實則卻又留有美好回憶。「當年冇咁多電子產品,我細個陪老竇開檔有得食,又同其他檔口嘅細路玩,賣出啲糕,老竇賞我零用錢,幾開心㗎!」多年後憶起與父親一起賣糕的時光,苦中有樂,很寶貴,他特別珍惜!
他與父母漸漸做到生意,從街頭做上排檔,他的工資也多了。「嗰時未識諗,冇儲低!啲錢淨係愛嚟行街睇戲食飯,唔夠咪問阿爸攞囉!」
人迹渺意興闌珊
轟隆轟隆……
地鐵行走聲音劃破寧靜的深水埗,時為79年起地鐵。坤記被迫搬到南昌街的大牌檔。「因為唔就腳,完全冇生意,做糕生意差,搵唔到錢。」同期麥當勞又進軍香港,市民多了選擇,坤記漸被擠到邊緣去。生意不佳,令傅永祥更加意興闌珊。
「我都要支人工,飲茶食飯都要錢。做糕冇前景,都諗轉吓行啦!由細對住呢行咁耐真係厭㗎,邊至想做?當然唔想做!」常言做那行,厭那行。他放下了做糕,離開父母和弟弟。當時他考到的士牌,就去揸的士搵食。
當了的士司機,他才發現爭食的士愈來愈多。「的士多,分薄咗,難搵食,我覺得揸的士已經唔合時宜。」他只好回家再做糕去。
人心之花散落時
哎呀﹗
這痛楚的嘶喊,如被一拳激中喚醒做糕的初心。他離去而再回來,父親沒有責怪,但最終也要靠父母,他感覺像欠了一個情。這時父親年事已高,還交付給他打理。他有感傳統磨米、壓漿、發酵,花工夫又費時,生產能力低。適逢工場拆樓,沒地方磨米,他打出如意算盤來。「新時代講求快,可以用現成嘅粘米粉,節省咗磨米艱辛嘅過程,慳番唔少成本。」
有不待風吹而自行散落者,人心之花是也。人心搖蕩、人性明暗,有跡可循卻難以理解。他騙得了自己,卻瞞不到客人,有些熟客吃過,覺得不是死實實,便是散收收,味道不同了。當他面前,把糕丟進垃圾桶,這恍如大力地摑了他一記耳光﹗「我好唔開心!」
客人騙不了,一個個離去,不單虧本,父親打下來的江山招牌也搖搖欲墜。他痛過,才領會,才醒覺。「老竇曾經同我講,做生意最緊要老實,對得住啲客,如果啲嘢唔得賣畀人,等於呃人。」
痛定思痛,自此,他堅持用傳統方法,磨米蒸糕,慢慢把客挽回來。
兵戎相見終告捷
傾哐!傾哐……
電視機傳來武俠劇的刀劍聲,短兵相接,仿如與同行舞刀弄劍的惡鬥……八十年代,大牌檔人稀少,父母接受他的提議,到較多人流的福華街租鋪,他可以邊看着電視邊賣糕。
如今他不辭勞苦,店仍維持磨米做糕,果然吸客,生意滔滔。那時深水埗有不少經營糕點的行家,見其客人川流不息,不免見獵心喜。某行家到來請教,叫他傳授做糕訣竅。「老竇當年都千辛萬苦先學識,而家問一問就要教你,有冇咁便宜嘅事?況且你又喺深水埗做糕,教咗你,咪搶自己嘅生意?傻㗎!」
他拒絕了,於是行家心生一計,急遽地將其租鋪買下。「佢買咗間舖,繼續租畀我哋,遲遲唔收,等我做旺咗佢先至要返,到時接收晒我啲客,賣佢嘅糕。」
他被擺了一道,但對方有鋪佔了優勢。他覺得租鋪不是長遠計,立意要父親買鋪。機緣下他們買到隔鄰的店,即現址的角落鋪,於是搬到鄰店繼續賣糕。行家業主收回原店,賣同樣的糕品,兩家並列打對台。「大家爭,佢鬥平,佢賣五蚊三件,我一件三個半。啲客嚟買,話我貴,但一樣幫襯,因為我嘅糕好食過佢。」
對家乏人光顧,大拍烏蠅,結果結了業。「以前一直覺得老竇嘅手藝好平常,而家我知道係寶。」他深深感到做糕秘方的強悍和魅惑力,亦全憑這贏了漂亮一仗。
仍不敢須臾或忘
啪啪啪啪……
掌聲響起,在百般磨難過後﹗97年金融風暴後生意轉淡,他想到增加產品提升銷售。「試過加整老婆餅、合桃酥,同芝麻糕、紅豆糕、馬蹄糕。啲客都係鍾意食用磨米做嘅糕,麵粉做嘅老婆餅冇得留低,磨米嘅紅豆糕同芝麻糕都賣得,就繼續賣到而家。」
他將芝麻磨粉混合米漿倒進盤內,先蒸熟第一層,然後第二層、第三層,如此類推,蒸到第九層,做出芝麻糕。入口綿細軟滑,慢慢化開,不甜膩,飄散出芝麻香氣,細嚼還能感覺到點點的黑芝麻末,滿嘴生香。內裏沿用父親的磨米米漿,糕身特別柔韌有米香。
03年,《飲食男女》報道坤記,指明香港製造。「由嗰時開始旺,生意幾倍咁升。到15年攞米芝蓮推介,多咗好多外國遊客慕名嚟幫襯。」
店子紅了,親友都建議他擴大工場、增加產量。「要快就要機器生產,就冇咗手做嘅味道。」用手做糕,時間有所局限,快不得,產量不多,如白糖糕一天最多二十多底,砵仔糕一天只一千幾百碗。他斷然回絕。
「唔會大量生產!我一定唔會再犯錯!」他絕不容犯下些許錯,縱使別人不追究,自己卻不敢須臾或忘。堅持遵循父法,不粗製濫造。09年父親因年邁身故。「我會盡自己能力細心做糕。咁樣做係為咗品質,亦係為咗啲客。更大嘅意義,係為咗阿爸。」他回憶中的父親,為人正直,扛起家庭和事業,勤懇堅忍,從未埋怨過辛苦。做人忠誠,對客童叟無欺,因而儲落大批熟客。
入夜,他開啟門口射燈,照着坤記的招牌,淡淡的糕香,歷五十年而不散,讓人念念不忘,有燈就有人,延續父親的精神。
撰文:孟惠良
攝影:關永浩
坤記糕品專家
地址:深水埗福華街115-117號北河商場地下十號鋪
電話:2360 0328
營業時間:7:30am-8pm
詳情: http://bit.ly/2QLfzLk
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