在《金剛經》上說：「無有定法，是名阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」這就是說成佛的方法沒有什麼一定的。所以，佛說出來八萬四千法門，每一門都能到成佛的果位上。不過，你要認真，腳踏實地，躬行實踐地去做去；不是知道了就可以了，也不是說一說就可以了，必須要實實在在去做。
這位龍女，雖然說她「以女身成佛」，可是相信她在無量劫以前就種諸善根。龍本來是畜生，那麼她做畜生的女，受這個報做為龍女。可是文殊菩薩，他會觀機逗教，因人說法，他看龍宮裡頭這個龍女機緣成熟了，於是乎他就到龍宮去，講說《妙法蓮華經》。龍女她是智慧聰明利根的，所以她能深入經藏，能把諸佛所說的秘密之藏，深入這種的法海裡頭，得諸禪定，一切沒有執著，可以得到解脫。這位龍女，她年只有八歲的時候，就聞佛法，發菩提心。她發菩提心，可是即刻成佛了。
這時候，在多寶佛塔，多寶如來也因為他發願：有佛要說《法華經》，他和他的多寶佛塔，一定要從地湧出給作證。所以這個時候，他帶著他的侍者也來給在法華會上作證。
因為龍女是個女身成佛了，這位智積菩薩就對佛法生了懷疑。說本來這個女人的身，不能成佛的；因為什麼不能成佛呢？就因為她有五種障。五種障是：她也不能做梵天王，也不能做帝釋，也不能做魔王，也不能做轉聖王，也不能成佛。那麼現在這個女身居然就成佛了，於是乎他就生了懷疑了，他說：「佛在三千大千世界，沒有一粒微塵的地方不是釋迦牟尼佛的捨身命處，這個龍女她怎麼這麼快就成佛了？」
舍利弗尊者也說：「佛在三大阿僧祇劫，修福修慧，所謂『三祇修福慧，百劫種相好。』然後才夜睹明星，而成正覺。那麼這個龍女是個女身，她以什麼因緣成佛？」他說了這個話，龍女就現身，以這個寶珠獻給佛，佛就受了。她就問在法會的人，說你現在看我供養佛這個寶珠，這個事情快不快？迅速不迅速？那麼一般人說這個很迅速的，於是乎，這個龍女即刻就轉為男身，到南方無垢世界成佛去了。雖然她成佛，還是轉女成男身成佛。
贊曰：
難捨能捨 難行能行
難讓能讓 難成能成
難度能度 難修能修
難證能證 難得能得
贊是這麼說的：「難捨能捨」：龍的寶珠，是她最捨不得的，可是她能捨。「難行能行」：人家做不到的事情，她能做到。「難讓能讓」：人家不能讓給旁人的東西，她也能讓。「難成能成」：女人不成佛，可是她也成了。「難度能度」：難度的眾生，剛強的眾生，她也能度。「難修能修」：難修，她也修了，所以「難證能證」：難證，她也證了。「難得能得」：難得，她也得到了，她得到佛的果位。
所以說，龍女因為把她不能捨的東西，她捨了，這一念的真誠心，她很快就成佛了。我們這個人哪，為什麼不能成佛？不能那麼快成佛？也就因為我們猶豫不決，想要捨，又捨不得；捨不得，又要捨；想要去做去，又不做；不做呢，又要做。這麼來回推車磨豆腐，所以把時間都空過了，耽誤了。龍女她就能看得破，放得下，所以她就得到自在。
又說偈曰：
龍女獻珠速成佛 超越僧祇法身活
萬緣放下識本體 一塵不染悟蜜多
法華會上顯奇蹟 無垢世界演摩訶
時節因緣相遇合 如是如是不可說
「龍女獻珠速成佛」：她最捨不得的東西，她能把它捨了，所以「超越僧祇法身活」：她能超越阿僧祇劫。法身活，她法身活起來了。「萬緣放下識本體」：她把萬緣都放下了，所以她認識本來的佛性，本來的法身。「一塵不染悟蜜多」：她一塵不染，所以她就悟得波羅蜜這個法門。
「法華會上顯奇蹟」：她在法華會上即刻成佛，「無垢世界演摩訶」：到無垢世界去，她演大摩訶教理。「時節因緣相遇合」：這都是時節因緣配合得恰到好處。「如是如是不可說」：所以這也是沒什麼出奇的，以這種很快的因緣，她成佛了。
我們要難捨能捨，放不下的，也能放下，也就很快成佛了。我們能把這個情情愛愛放下，那個法身也就快活了。可惜啊！人都在情情愛愛上用功夫，所以把自性的光明智慧都遮住了，都現不出來了，也不知在這個世界多久了，到現在也沒成佛！
想要成佛嘛？就萬緣要放下，一塵不染，就夠了。
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The Vajra Sutra says,“There is no dharma that is fixed. This is called Anuttarasamyaksambodhi.” That is to say, there is no one certain method for becoming a Buddha. For that reason, the Buddha spoke 84,000 Dharma-doors, each of which leads ultimately to Buddhahood. But you must earnestly and actually practice those methods. It's not enough just to know that they exist. Nor is talking about them sufficient. You must truly put them into practice.
Although it's said that this dragon maiden “realized Buddhahood in a female body,” one can be sure that she had been planting good roots for infinite eons. Dragons are basically animals, and she was born a female animal. Her retribution was that she had to be the daughter of a dragon. But Manjushri Bodhisattva knew how to contemplate the opportunities and bestow the teaching; he knew how to speak the right dharma at the right time. He saw that in the dragon palace lived a dragon maiden whose conditions were ripe. That's why he went to the dragon palace to explain the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. The dragon maiden was both wise and intelligent due to her sharp faculties, and so she could deeply enter the secret treasury the Buddha spoke. She was able to enter profoundly into the sea of Dharma, and she attained all samadhis. She was not attached to anything, and so she was able to attain liberation. The dragon maiden was only eight years old at the time. As soon as she heard the Dharma, she brought forth the resolve for Bodhi; but in her case, bringing forth the Bodhi mind brought her immediately to Buddhahood.
At that time the stupa of Many Jewels Buddha was there. That's because Many Jewels Thus Come One made a vow that whenever a Buddha wanted to speak the Dharma Flower Sutra, he would definitely well up from the earth in the Stupa of Many Jewels Buddha to act as certifier. And so it was that he came to that Dharma Flower Assembly to act as certifier, bringing his attendant, Bodhisattva Accumulated Wisdom, with him.
Well, because the dragon maiden, in a female body, realized Buddhahood, the Bodhisattva Accumulated Wisdom began to doubt the Buddhadharma. He said that basically she was female; she shouldn's be able to become a Buddha! Why not? It's because as a female, she was suppoed to have five obstacles. The Five Obstacles are :
1. she could not be a Brahma Heaven King;
2. she could not be a demon king;
3. she could not be a Lord Shakra;
4. she could not be a wheel-turning sage king;
5. she could not be a Buddha.
Now, because she had suddenly become a Buddha, he had doubts. He said, “Throughout the three thousand great thousand world systems there isn't even a tiny mote of dust that hasn't been a place where Shakyamuni Buddha sacrificed his body. What is a dragon maiden doing becoming a Buddha so fast?”
Venerable Shariputra also said, “The Buddha cultivated blessings and wisdom for three asamkhyeyas. It's said, 'He cultivated blessings and wisdom for three asamkhycyas and perfected the hallmarks and subtle characteristics for a hundred eons.’ Only after that did he, upon seeing a star at night, realize Proper Enlightenment. How can this dragon maiden-a female-become a Buddha?”
After he said that, the dragon maiden appeared and offered her precious pearl to the Buddha. After the Buddha accepted it, she asked those in the Dharma assembly, “You just saw me offer up my pearl to the Buddha. Did that happen fast or not?” People replied that she had done it very fast. Then the dragon maiden instantly turned into a male and went to the southern region to become a Buddha there. Although she became a Buddha, she did it by first becoming a male and then realizing Buddhahood.
The praise says :
Giving what was hard to give,
Doing what was hard to do,
Yielding what was hard to yield,
She accomplished what was hard to accomplish.
Saving those hard to save,
Cultivating what is hard to cultivate,
Proving what is hard to prove,
She attained what was hard to attain.
This praise says: Giving what was hard to give. A dragon's pearl is the thing that would be hardest for her to give up, but she gave it. Doing what is hard to do. She was able to do what others cannot do. Yielding what is hard to yield. She could give away things that others could not bear to part with. She accomplished what was hard to accomplish. Women cannot become Buddhas, but she became one.
Saving those hard to save, she could rescue stubborn beings who were difficult to rescue. Cultivating what is hard to cultivate, she did the difficult practices. And so she proved what is hard to prove; certifying to the most difficult level, she attained what was hard to attain.
That one sincere thought to give away the thing that was hardest for her to give made it possible for her to become a Buddha very quickly. Why can't we become Buddhas that fast? It's because we waver and are indecisive. We'd like to give, but then we don't. Although we can't give, we'd like to be able to. We'd like to do something, but then we don't go do it; we don't do it, but we wish we had. We vacillate and procrastinate, frittering away the time. The dragon maiden was able to see through everything and put it all down. That's why she attained freedom and ease.
Another verse says :
The dragon maiden offered her pearl and quickly became a Buddha.
Transcending asamkhyeyas, her Dharma body came to life.
She set aside every last affinity, having recognized the origin.
Not the least bit defiled, she awakened to Prajna-paramita.
In the Dharma Flower Assembly, a miracle was revealed.
In the Undefiled world she proclaims the Mahayana.
The time and conditions were just right to bring about this event.
“So it is! So it is! Ineffable!”
The Dragon maiden offered her pearl and quickly became a Buddha. She was able to give up the thing she found hardest to give up and so transcending asamkhyeyas, her Dharma body came to life. She was able to leap beyond asamkhyeya eons. Her Dharma body took on life. She set aside every last affinity, having recognized the origin. She let go of the myriad conditions and so she came to know her inherent Buddha nature, her own Dharma body. Not the least bit defiled, she awakened to Prajna-paramita. She was untainted by anything in the mundane world and so she awakened to the Dharma door of Prajna-paramita.
In the Dharma Flower Assembly, a miracle was revealed. In the Dharma Flower Assembly she instantly attained Buddhahood. In the Undefiled World she proclaims the Mahayana. She went to world called Undefiled where she explains the principles of the Great Mahayana Teaching. The time and conditions were just right to bring about this event. This was a case of the time and affinities being exactly right.“So it is! So it is! Ineffable!” There wasn't anything strange about there being these conditions which brought her to Buddhahood so fast.
If we can renounce what's difficult to renounce and let go of what's hard to let go of, then we, too, can become Buddhas very quickly. If we can cast aside emotions and love, then our Dharma body will immediately come to life. What a shame! Most people put their efforts into developing relationships based on emotions and love. And because of that they cover over the brightness and wisdom of their own natures so that it cannot come forth. One knows not how long we've been in this world and up to now we still have not become Buddhas. Do you want to become a Buddha? Well, all you have to do is let go of the myriad conditions and not let yourself be defiled by anything in this mundane world.
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