Regarding the title 'Infernal Affairs': How does the film, through the fates of Lau Kin Ming and Chan Wing Yan, interpret the Buddhist concept of Avīci (the Hell of Uninterrupted Suffering), specifically the ideas of 'eternal suffering' and 'no hope of escape'? At the film's conclusion, who is closer to the heart of this hell?

I. The Buddhist Concept of "Avīci Hell"

• Avīci: The deepest hell in the Six Realms, characterized by "unceasing torment without a moment's respite," offering no hope of escape.
• The title Infernal Affairs captures this essence: a path that appears escapable yet leads to no exit; it also alludes to the mirrored existence and karmic entanglement of the two protagonists.

II. Lau Kin Ming and Chan Wing Yan: Dual Narrative of "Avīci"

Dual narrative structure:

1. Audiences witness their mirrored reflections—one seeks light in darkness, the other drowns in darkness while bathed in light.
2. This intertwined causality, mutual entrapment embodies "Avīci": every step tightens their imprisonment.

III. Cinematic Interpretation of "Eternal Suffering, No Escape"

1. Cyclical Structure:
   • Temple scenes and Buddha statues frame the film, mirroring "hell—human world—hell" reincarnation.
   • Recurring coded messages and ringtones symbolize endless karmic echoes.
2. Spatial Symbolism:
   • "Police HQ" (light) and "triad dens" (dark) connected by elevators, stairs, rooftops—layered like the eight hells.
   • Rooftop as "Bardo" zone: overlooking the city yet one step from falling; a liminal space between life/death, karma/consequence.
3. Sound Design:
   • Monotonous beeping (like an ECG) and sirens create relentless "Avīci"-style tension.
4. Character Choices:
   • Every escape attempt (Chan reclaiming identity, Lau deleting files) deepens their entrapment, reflecting "no way out."

IV. Ending: Who Descends Deeper into Hell?

1. Chan Wing Yan

   • Shot dead by Lau at the elevator.
   • Death may not mean Buddhist liberation, but his decade-long torment ceases—suffering finds respite.
   • Close-up on his memorial photo and requiem imply partial transcendence and closure.

2. Lau Kin Ming

   • Superficially "cleared," trusted by colleagues—yet:
     a. All witnesses to his crimes are dead—no proof of "innocence" remains;
     b. He must eternally play the "good man," where any slip brings ruin;
     c. Haunted by three murders (Hon Sam, Chan, colleague), torn between conscience and survival—his mind becomes "Avīci."
   • Final shot: Lau on overpass, camera pulls back; glass walls form a cross, Buddhist chants swell—physically in the human world, spiritually in hell.

Conclusion—

Lau Kin Ming is closer to "Avīci Hell."

Alive yet shackled by lies, guilt, and fear in an "eternal suffering, no escape" cycle; Chan’s death ends his pain, granting release. Their fates converge inversely, crystallizing Buddhism’s metaphor: true hell isn’t death, but living eternally masked, severed from one’s true self.

The film Infernal Affairs masterfully uses the fates of its two protagonists, Liu Jianming and Chen Yongren, to profoundly illustrate the core Buddhist concept of "Avīci" (the Uninterrupted Hell) – the notion of "eternal suffering with no hope of escape."

How the Fates of Liu Jianming and Chen Yongren Embody "Eternal Suffering with No Hope of Escape":

1. Liu Jianming (Gangster Mole in the Police Force):

   • No Hope of Escape: From the outset, Liu Jianming desperately craves to shed his triad identity, become a "good person," and live a normal life. He goes to extreme lengths to achieve this, including killing Hon Sam and ultimately Chen Yongren, trying to erase all traces of his past. However, every attempt at "escape" only plunges him deeper into sin and deceit. The "good person" identity he constructs is a house of cards built on countless lies and murders. He can never truly escape the shadow of his past because he is that shadow.
   • Eternal Suffering: Even as he successfully climbs the ranks within the police force, even becoming a model officer, his inner self finds no peace. He lives under the immense weight of lies and fear, terrified of exposure, haunted by past crimes. He tries to convince himself through self-deception that he is good, but his inner turmoil and torment never cease. His "infernal" state lies in his eternal inability to truly cleanse himself; his soul is trapped in the limbo between good and evil, finding no respite. This is a spiritual purgatory far more profound than physical torture. The "bright" life he pursues becomes his eternal prison.

2. Chen Yongren (Police Mole in the Gang):

   • No Hope of Escape: As an undercover police officer, Chen Yongren's greatest desire is to reclaim his true identity and return to the light. He pays an enormous price for this, losing a normal life, family, love, and even his own sense of self. He comes agonizingly close to success countless times, each instance rekindling hope, only to have it cruelly snatched away. The death of Superintendent Wong robs him of his only witness. Ultimately, just as he is on the verge of seeing the light of day and reclaiming his police identity, he is gunned down by Liu Jianming.
   • Eternal Suffering: His "infernal" state stems from his prolonged existence in a dangerous limbo of identity, enduring immense psychological pressure and profound loneliness. He cannot reveal his true self to anyone, even facing misunderstanding and rejection from within the police force. His agony lies in being the embodiment of justice forced to play the role of evil; the mental torture caused by this dislocation of identity is immense. His final death pushes "no hope of escape" to its extreme – he is forever denied recognition as a police officer by the world. His sacrifice and suffering seem rendered meaningless; his soul is eternally trapped on the unrecognized "infernal path."

At the film's end, whose situation is closer to the abyss of hell?

At the film's end, Liu Jianming's situation is closer to the abyss of hell.

• Chen Yongren, though he dies tragically and fails to reclaim his identity, his physical pain and mental anguish cease with death. While he never achieved "escape," his "suffering" has ended. His death, in a way, is a release, freeing him from the endless identity crisis and danger.
• Liu Jianming, however, survives. Even superficially becoming a "good person," he is forever imprisoned within the web of lies and sins he himself wove. He must bear the guilt of killing Chen Yongren, Hon Sam, and others for the rest of his life, condemned to an eternity of inner turmoil, living in an inferno of fear, suspicion, and self-deception. His "infernal" state is eternal, internal, and inescapable. The "bright" life he sought has become the very source of his eternal torment. He lacks the release death brings, possessing only endless self-flagellation and spiritual imprisonment. This is the true meaning of "eternal suffering with no hope of escape." The film's ending implies Liu Jianming will forever dwell in his own personal hell, finding no peace.