妙法蓮華經 提婆達多品第十二
『一切眾生皆可成佛』這句話，到這一品，被推到了最險的兩端。
一端，是佛的仇人。提婆達多——那個一生一世害佛、放狂象、推大石、想要佛命、還分裂僧團的人。佛卻當眾說：當年那位為我說法、我事奉了一千年的仙人，就是他；正因有他這位善知識，我才成就了佛道。於是佛替這位仇人授記，說他將來也要成佛，號叫天王如來。連害過佛的人，佛都不記他的仇，只記他的佛。
另一端，是一個八歲的龍女。是畜生，是女身，是孩童——世間所有「不夠格」的標籤，她都佔全了。舍利弗當面攔她：女身有五種障礙，連梵天、帝釋都作不得，何況作佛？龍女沒有辯。她把一顆價值抵得上三千大千世界的寶珠獻給佛，佛當下接了；她只問了一句：這一獻一受，快不快？——「極快。」她說：那你們看著，我成佛，比這還快。話音才落，滿座的人都親眼看見：她一瞬之間成了佛，正為十方眾生說法。方才不信的人，都默然信了。
所以這一品的心是：成佛的門，開到了連最惡的、連最不夠格的，也都在裡面。你若曾自問『像我這樣的人，也能成佛嗎』——這一品，就是佛給你的回答。
且入此品，看佛怎樣替仇人授記、看八歲的龍女怎樣一瞬成佛；然後，也替自己把那扇一直以為關著的門，輕輕推開。
“All sentient beings can become buddhas.” In this chapter, that promise is carried to its two most perilous limits.
At one limit stands the Buddha’s enemy. Devadatta—the man who spent his life harming the Buddha, released a maddened elephant against him, pushed down a great rock, sought the Buddha’s life, and even split the monastic community. Yet before the whole assembly, the Buddha says: the seer who once taught me the Dharma, whom I served for a thousand years, was this very man. It was because I had him as a good friend that I accomplished the buddha-way. The Buddha then bestows a prediction upon this enemy, declaring that he too will become a buddha in the future, named Heavenly King Tathāgata. The Buddha remembers not the wrong done against him, but the buddhahood to come.
At the other limit stands an eight-year-old dragon girl. An animal, female, and a child—she bears every label by which the world says, “Not qualified.” Śāriputra challenges her to her face: a woman’s body has five obstacles; she cannot even become Brahmā or Śakra, much less a buddha. The dragon girl does not argue. She offers the Buddha a jewel worth an entire three-thousand-great-thousand world, and the Buddha accepts it at once. She asks only: Was this giving and receiving swift or not?—“Exceedingly swift.” Then watch, she says: my becoming a buddha will be swifter still. The words have scarcely left her mouth when the whole assembly sees her become a buddha in a single instant, teaching the Dharma to sentient beings throughout the ten directions. Those who moments before did not believe fall silent and accept it in trust.
The heart of this chapter, then, is this: the gate of buddhahood opens so wide that even those deemed most evil and most unqualified are within it. If you have ever asked yourself, “Can someone like me become a buddha?”—this chapter is the Buddha’s answer.
Enter this chapter. See the Buddha bestow a prediction upon his enemy; see an eight-year-old dragon girl become a buddha in a single instant. Then, for yourself, gently push open the gate you had always thought was closed.
後秦龜茲國三藏法師鳩摩羅什奉詔譯《妙法蓮華經》卷四〈提婆達多品第十二〉· 大正藏 T09n0262〔起 T09 0034b24〕。段/行首〔T09 …〕＝大正藏頁·欄·行錨。
〔T09 0034b24〕爾時佛告諸菩薩及天人四眾：「吾於過去無量劫中，求法華經，無有懈惓。於多劫中常作國王，發願求於無上菩提，心不退轉。為欲滿足六波羅蜜，勤行布施，心無悋惜，象、馬、七珍、國、城、妻、子，奴婢、僕從，頭、目、髓、腦，身、肉、手、足，不惜軀命。時世人民壽命無量，為於法故，捐捨國位，委政太子，擊鼓宣令四方求法：『誰能為我說大乘者，吾當終身供給走使。』時有仙人來白王言：『我有大乘，名妙法華經。若不違我，當為宣說。』王聞仙言，歡喜踊躍，即隨仙人，供給所須——採菓、汲水、拾薪、設食，乃至以身而為床座——身心無惓，于時奉事。經於千歲，為於法故，精勤給侍，令無所乏。」
爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言：
「我念過去劫，為求大法故，
雖作世國王，不貪五欲樂。
搥鍾告四方，誰有大法者，
若為我解說，身當為奴僕。
時有阿私仙，來白於大王：
『我有微妙法，世間所希有。
若能修行者，吾當為汝說。』
時王聞仙言，心生大喜悅，
即便隨仙人，供給於所須，
採薪及菓蓏，隨時恭敬與，
情存妙法故，身心無懈惓。
普為諸眾生，勤求於大法，
亦不為己身，及以五欲樂。
故為大國王，勤求獲此法，
遂致得成佛，今故為汝說。」
佛告諸比丘：「爾時王者，則我身是；時仙人者，今提婆達多是。由提婆達多善知識故，令我具足六波羅蜜，慈悲喜捨，三十二相，八十種好，紫磨金色，十力、四無所畏、四攝法、十八不共神通道力，成等正覺，廣度眾生，皆因提婆達多善知識故。」
〔T09 0035a01〕告諸四眾：「提婆達多却後過無量劫，當得成佛，號曰天王如來、應供、正遍知、明行足、善逝、世間解、無上士、調御丈夫、天人師、佛、世尊。世界名天道。時天王佛住世二十中劫，廣為眾生說於妙法，恒河沙眾生得阿羅漢果，無量眾生發緣覺心，恒河沙眾生發無上道心，得無生忍，至不退轉。時天王佛般涅槃後，正法住世二十中劫。全身舍利起七寶塔，高六十由旬，縱廣四十由旬，諸天人民，悉以雜華、末香、燒香、塗香，衣服、瓔珞、幢幡、寶蓋，伎樂、歌頌，禮拜供養七寶妙塔。無量眾生得阿羅漢果，無量眾生悟辟支佛，不可思議眾生發菩提心，至不退轉。」
佛告諸比丘：「未來世中，若有善男子、善女人，聞妙法華經提婆達多品，淨心信敬不生疑惑者，不墮地獄、餓鬼、畜生，生十方佛前，所生之處，常聞此經。若生人天中，受勝妙樂，若在佛前，蓮華化生。」
於時下方多寶世尊所從菩薩，名曰智積，白多寶佛：「當還本土。」釋迦牟尼佛告智積曰：「善男子！且待須臾。此有菩薩，名文殊師利，可與相見，論說妙法，可還本土。」
爾時文殊師利坐千葉蓮華，大如車輪——俱來菩薩亦坐寶蓮華——從於大海娑竭羅龍宮自然踊出，住虛空中，詣靈鷲山，從蓮華下，至於佛所，頭面敬禮二世尊足。修敬已畢，往智積所，共相慰問，却坐一面。
智積菩薩問文殊師利：「仁往龍宮，所化眾生，其數幾何？」
文殊師利言：「其數無量，不可稱計，非口所宣，非心所測，且待須臾，自當有證。」所言未竟，無數菩薩坐寶蓮華，從海踊出，詣靈鷲山，住在虛空。此諸菩薩，皆是文殊師利之所化度，具菩薩行，皆共論說六波羅蜜。本聲聞人，在虛空中說聲聞行，今皆修行大乘空義。文殊師利謂智積曰：「於海教化，其事如是。」
爾時智積菩薩以偈讚曰：
「大智德勇健，化度無量眾，
今此諸大會，及我皆已見。
演暢實相義，開闡一乘法，
廣導諸眾生，令速成菩提。」
文殊師利言：「我於海中，唯常宣說妙法華經。」
智積問文殊師利言：「此經甚深微妙，諸經中寶，世所希有。頗有眾生，勤加精進，修行此經，速得佛不？」
文殊師利言：「有娑竭羅龍王女，年始八歲，智慧利根，善知眾生諸根行業，得陀羅尼，諸佛所說甚深祕藏，悉能受持。深入禪定，了達諸法，於剎那頃發菩提心，得不退轉，辯才無礙。慈念眾生、猶如赤子，功德具足，心念口演，微妙廣大，慈悲仁讓，志意和雅，能至菩提。」
智積菩薩言：「我見釋迦如來，於無量劫難行苦行，積功累德，求菩提道，未曾止息。觀三千大千世界，乃至無有如芥子許非是菩薩捨身命處，為眾生故，然後乃得成菩提道。不信此女於須臾頃、便成正覺。」
言論未訖，時龍王女忽現於前，頭面禮敬，却住一面，以偈讚曰：
「深達罪福相，遍照於十方，
微妙淨法身，具相三十二，
以八十種好，用莊嚴法身。
天人所戴仰，龍神咸恭敬，
一切眾生類，無不宗奉者。
又聞成菩提，唯佛當證知，
我闡大乘教，度脫苦眾生。」
時舍利弗語龍女言：「汝謂不久得無上道，是事難信。所以者何？女身垢穢，非是法器，云何能得無上菩提。佛道懸曠，經無量劫勤苦積行，具修諸度，然後乃成。又女人身猶有五障：一者、不得作梵天王，二者、帝釋，三者、魔王，四者、轉輪聖王，五者、佛身。云何女身速得成佛？」
爾時龍女有一寶珠，價直三千大千世界，持以上佛。佛即受之。龍女謂智積菩薩、尊者舍利弗言：「我獻寶珠，世尊納受，是事疾不？」
答言：「甚疾。」
女言：「以汝神力，觀我成佛，復速於此。」
當時眾會，皆見龍女忽然之間變成男子，具菩薩行，即往南方無垢世界，坐寶蓮華，成等正覺，三十二相、八十種好，普為十方一切眾生演說妙法。
爾時娑婆世界，菩薩、聲聞、天龍八部、人與非人，皆遙見彼龍女成佛，普為時會人天說法，心大歡喜，悉遙敬禮。無量眾生，聞法解悟，得不退轉；無量眾生，得受道記。無垢世界，六反震動；娑婆世界，三千眾生住不退地，三千眾生發菩提心而得受記。智積菩薩及舍利弗，一切眾會，默然信受。
The canonical text stands in Chinese only. This edition renders the essence, the plain reading, the exposition and the apparatus into English — never the sūtra itself. Switch to 漢讀本 or 並行雙語 above to read it.
佛過去求法·捨國事仙千歲
那時候，佛告訴諸位菩薩以及天眾、人眾、四眾（比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷）說：「我在過去無量劫（無數的長遠時間）當中，尋求《法華經》，從來不曾懈怠疲倦。在許多劫的漫長歲月裡，我常常做著國王，發下誓願追求無上菩提（至高無上的覺悟），心意始終不曾退轉。為了要圓滿具足六波羅蜜（布施、持戒、忍辱、精進、禪定、智慧這六種到彼岸的修行），勤勉地修行布施，心裡沒有一絲吝惜，連大象、馬匹、七種珍寶、國家、城池、妻子、兒女、奴婢、僕從，乃至於自己的頭顱、眼目、骨髓、腦漿、身軀、血肉、雙手、雙腳，都毫不吝惜、不顧惜自己的性命而施捨出去。那時候世間的人民壽命長得無量無邊，我為了正法的緣故，捨棄了國王的地位，把政事託付給太子，敲擊大鼓向四方宣布號令，遍求正法：『有誰能夠替我宣說大乘（成佛的廣大法門）的，我情願終身供給他、替他奔走服役。』那時候有一位仙人前來稟白國王說：『我有一部大乘之法，名叫《妙法華經》。假使你不違逆我，我就替你宣說。』國王聽了仙人的話，歡喜得手舞足蹈，當下就跟隨這位仙人，供給他一切所需——採摘果子、汲取泉水、拾撿柴薪、擺設飲食，甚至於用自己的身體來充當床座——身心都沒有一點疲倦厭惓，就這樣長時奉事著他。經歷了一千年，都為了正法的緣故，精進勤勉地供給侍奉，讓他沒有一樣短缺匱乏。」
重宣此義·勤求大法遂致成佛
那時候，世尊想要把這個意思再宣說一遍，就說了偈頌：
「我回想過去的劫數當中，
為了追求大法的緣故，
雖然身為世間的國王，
卻不貪戀五欲（色、聲、香、味、觸五種欲樂）的享樂。
我敲擊大鐘向四方宣告：
有誰擁有大法的，
假使能替我解說，
我情願終身給他當奴僕。
那時候有一位阿私仙（一位修苦行的仙人），
前來稟白於大王說：
『我有一部微妙之法，
是世間所稀有難得的。
假使你能夠依此修行，
我就替你宣說。』
那時候國王聽了仙人的話，
心裡生起了極大的喜悅，
當下就跟隨這位仙人，
供給他一切所需，
採撿柴薪以及果子瓜蓏（各種瓜果），
隨時恭恭敬敬地奉獻給他，
只因為心裡存念著妙法的緣故，
身心都沒有一絲懈怠疲倦。
我普遍地為了一切眾生，
勤勉地追求這大法，
也不是為了自己一身，
以及那五欲的享樂。
所以才身為大國王，
勤勉地追求而獲得了這部法，
終於因此得以成佛，
如今才特地為你們宣說。」
仙人即提婆達多·善知識令我成佛
佛告訴諸位比丘說：「那時候的國王，就是我自己這個身；那時候的仙人，就是如今的提婆達多（佛的堂弟，曾害佛破僧）。正因為有提婆達多這位善知識（引導向善向道的良師益友）的緣故，才使得我具足了六波羅蜜、慈悲喜捨（四種無量心）、三十二相（佛身的三十二種殊勝相貌）、八十種好（佛身的八十種微細美好）、紫磨金色（純金般紫中帶赤的身色）、十力（佛所具的十種智力）、四無所畏（佛說法時的四種無所畏懼）、四攝法（布施、愛語、利行、同事這四種攝化眾生的方法）、十八不共（佛獨有、不與二乘所共的十八種功德）的神通道力，成就了等正覺（圓滿的正覺），廣泛地度化眾生，這一切全都是因為提婆達多這位善知識的緣故。」
提婆達多授記·當來天王如來
佛告訴四眾說：「提婆達多在往後過了無量劫以後，當會成佛，名號叫作天王如來、應供（應受供養）、正遍知（正確而普遍地了知一切）、明行足（智慧與德行都圓滿具足）、善逝（善巧地離世而去）、世間解（透徹了解世間）、無上士（至高無上的大士）、調御丈夫（善能調伏御導眾生的大丈夫）、天人師（天眾與人眾的導師）、佛、世尊。他的世界名叫天道。那時候，天王佛住在世間二十個中劫（一種極長的時間單位），廣泛地為眾生宣說微妙之法，有恆河沙那麼多的眾生證得阿羅漢果（聲聞乘的最高果位），有無量的眾生發起緣覺心（辟支佛的心願），有恆河沙那麼多的眾生發起了無上道心，證得無生法忍（安住於諸法不生不滅的智慧），達到不退轉的境地。那時候，天王佛入了般涅槃（究竟的圓寂）以後，正法住留世間二十個中劫。人們把佛的全身舍利（遺骨聖體）建起一座七寶塔，高有六十由旬（古印度長度單位），縱橫寬廣有四十由旬，諸位天眾、人眾，全都用種種雜色的花、末香（研成粉末的香）、燒香、塗香（塗身的香）、衣服、瓔珞（珠玉串成的飾物）、幢幡（旌旗）、寶蓋（珍寶製的傘蓋）、伎樂（歌舞音樂）、歌頌，來禮拜供養這座七寶妙塔。有無量的眾生證得阿羅漢果，有無量的眾生悟入辟支佛（獨自覺悟的聖者），有不可思議那麼多的眾生發起了菩提心（求覺悟的心），達到不退轉的境地。」
聞提婆達多品之福
佛告訴諸位比丘說：「未來世當中，假使有善男子、善女人，聽聞《妙法華經》的〈提婆達多品〉，能以清淨的心信受敬奉、不生起疑惑的，就不會墮入地獄、餓鬼、畜生這三惡道，而生到十方諸佛的面前，所生的地方，常常能聽聞這部經。假使生在人道天道當中，享受殊勝微妙的安樂；假使生在佛的面前，就從蓮花中化生（不經胎藏，直接在蓮花裡出生）。」
智積請還·文殊自龍宮踊出
這時候，下方多寶世尊所帶來的隨從菩薩，名叫智積，向多寶佛稟白說：「該回到本國去了。」釋迦牟尼佛告訴智積說：「善男子！姑且再等待片刻。這裡有一位菩薩，名叫文殊師利，可以和他相見，一同談論宣說微妙之法，然後再回到本國去。」
那時候，文殊師利坐在千葉的蓮花上，那花大得像車輪一般——一同前來的菩薩們也各自坐在寶蓮花上——從那大海中的娑竭羅龍宮（海龍王的宮殿）自然而然地湧了出來，停住在虛空當中，前往靈鷲山（耆闍崛山），從蓮花上下來，來到佛的所在，以頭面頂禮兩位世尊的雙足。行完了恭敬的禮節之後，就前往智積菩薩的所在，彼此慰問，然後退坐到一旁。
文殊龍宮教化·所度無量現前為證
智積菩薩問文殊師利說：「仁者您前往龍宮，所教化的眾生，數目有多少呢？」
文殊師利說：「那數目無量無邊，無法計算，不是言語所能宣說，不是心思所能測度，姑且等待片刻，自然會有證明。」話還沒說完，就有無數的菩薩坐在寶蓮花上，從海中湧了出來，前往靈鷲山，停住在虛空當中。這些菩薩，全都是文殊師利所教化度脫的，具足了菩薩的行持，全都一同談論宣說著六波羅蜜。那些本來是聲聞乘的人，在虛空中宣說著聲聞乘的行持，如今全都修行起大乘的空義（一切法空的道理）。文殊師利對智積說：「我在海中教化的情形，就是像這樣。」
那時候，智積菩薩用偈頌讚歎說：
「您有大智慧、大德行，勇猛剛健，
教化度脫了無量的眾生，
如今這一場大法會之中，
以及我自己都已經親眼見到了。
您演說暢明實相的義理，
開闡宣揚一乘（唯一究竟的成佛法門）之法，
廣泛地引導諸位眾生，
讓他們迅速成就菩提。」
文殊唯宣法華·龍女八歲成菩提
文殊師利說：「我在海中，只常常宣說《妙法華經》這一部經。」
智積問文殊師利說：「這部經極為深奧微妙，是眾經當中的珍寶，世間所稀有難得。可有眾生，勤勉加倍地精進，修行這部經，能迅速得以成佛的嗎？」
文殊師利說：「有一位娑竭羅龍王的女兒，年紀才八歲，智慧敏利、根器銳明，善能了知眾生種種的根性行業，證得了陀羅尼（總持·記持不失、能持善遮惡之力），諸佛所宣說的甚深祕藏之法，全都能夠受持不忘。她深入禪定，透徹通達一切法，在剎那頃（極短的一瞬之間）發起了菩提心，證得不退轉，辯才無礙。她慈悲護念眾生，就好像慈母護念嬰兒一般，功德圓滿具足，心中念想、口中演說，都微妙而廣大，慈悲仁愛謙讓，心志意念和順文雅，能夠達到菩提。」
智積不信·女不應速成正覺
智積菩薩說：「我見過釋迦如來，在無量劫當中修難行的苦行，積累功勳、累積德行，追求菩提之道，從來不曾停止歇息。觀遍三千大千世界，乃至於連一顆芥子那麼大的地方，都沒有一處不是這位菩薩曾為眾生的緣故而捨棄身命的地方，這樣然後才得以成就菩提之道。我不相信這個女子能在片刻之間、便成就正覺。」
龍女現前讚佛
話還沒說完，那時候龍王的女兒忽然出現在眾人面前，以頭面頂禮恭敬，然後退住到一旁，用偈頌讚歎說：
「您深徹通達了罪與福的相貌，
智慧的光明遍照於十方，
您那微妙清淨的法身，
具足了三十二種殊勝相，
又用八十種微細美好，
來莊嚴這清淨的法身。
天眾人眾所敬戴仰慕，
龍神也全都恭敬，
一切眾生的種類，
沒有不尊崇奉事您的。
我又聽說：要成就菩提，
唯有佛才能證知——
（而如今）我闡揚大乘的教法，
度脫在苦難中的眾生。」
舍利弗難女身五障
那時候，舍利弗對龍女說：「你說自己不久就能證得無上道，這件事很難令人相信。為什麼呢？女子的身體污垢不淨，不是能容受正法的法器，怎麼能夠證得無上菩提呢？佛道那樣高遠曠遠，要經歷無量劫勤苦地積累修行，具足修習種種的度（波羅蜜），這樣然後才得以成就。再說，女人的身體還有五種障礙：第一、不能夠做梵天王（色界初禪天的天主）；第二、不能做帝釋（忉利天的天主）；第三、不能做魔王（欲界他化自在天的天主）；第四、不能做轉輪聖王（統御四天下的理想君王）；第五、不能得佛身。怎麼能以女身迅速地成佛呢？」
獻珠喻·變男成佛
那時候，龍女有一顆寶珠，它的價值抵得上整個三千大千世界，她拿著寶珠獻給佛。佛當下就接受了。龍女對智積菩薩以及尊者舍利弗說：「我獻上寶珠，世尊接納受下，這件事快不快呢？」
他們回答說：「非常快。」
龍女說：「請你們用你們的神通力，看著我成佛，還要比這更快。」
當時與會的大眾，全都看見龍女在忽然之間變成了男子，具足了菩薩的行持，當下就前往南方的無垢世界，坐上寶蓮花，成就了等正覺，具足三十二相、八十種好，普遍地為十方一切眾生演說微妙之法。
會眾遙見受記
那時候，娑婆世界（釋迦牟尼佛所教化的堪忍世界）當中的菩薩、聲聞、天龍八部（天、龍、夜叉等八類護法眾）、人與非人等等，全都遙遙地看見那位龍女成佛，普遍地為當時法會中的天眾人眾說法，心裡生起了極大的歡喜，全都遙遙地敬禮。有無量的眾生，聽了法而理解開悟，證得不退轉；有無量的眾生，得到了成道的授記。那無垢世界，發生了六種震動；娑婆世界，有三千眾生安住在不退轉的地位，有三千眾生發起了菩提心而得到授記。智積菩薩以及舍利弗，還有一切與會的大眾，全都默然信受了。
Kumārajīva's Chinese root text (T09n0262) is retained as a visual anchor for bilingual readers; the English below renders it in plain, continuous prose.
The Buddha’s Past Search for the Dharma · Relinquishing His Kingdom and Serving a Seer for a Thousand Years
爾時佛告諸菩薩及天人四眾：「吾於過去無量劫中，求法華經，無有懈惓。於多劫中常作國王，發願求於無上菩提，心不退轉。為欲滿足六波羅蜜，勤行布施，心無悋惜，象、馬、七珍、國、城、妻、子，奴婢、僕從，頭、目、髓、腦，身、肉、手、足，不惜軀命。時世人民壽命無量，為於法故，捐捨國位，委政太子，擊鼓宣令四方求法：『誰能為我說大乘者，吾當終身供給走使。』時有仙人來白王言：『我有大乘，名妙法華經。若不違我，當為宣說。』王聞仙言，歡喜踊躍，即隨仙人，供給所須——採菓、汲水、拾薪、設食，乃至以身而為床座——身心無惓，于時奉事。經於千歲，為於法故，精勤給侍，令無所乏。」
At that time, the Buddha told the bodhisattvas, devas, humans, and the fourfold assembly of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen: “Throughout immeasurable aeons in the past, I sought the Lotus Sutra without ever growing negligent or weary. For many aeons I repeatedly became a king, vowing to seek unsurpassed awakening, and my mind never turned back. Wishing to fulfill the six perfections—giving, discipline, patience, vigor, meditation, and wisdom, the six practices that carry one to the farther shore—I diligently practiced giving without the slightest miserliness in my heart. I gave elephants, horses, the seven precious things, kingdoms, cities, wife, children, male and female servants, and attendants; my own head, eyes, marrow, brain, body, flesh, hands, and feet—without sparing body or life.
“At that time, the people of the world possessed immeasurably long lives. For the sake of the Dharma, I relinquished the royal throne, entrusted the government to the crown prince, beat a drum, and proclaimed throughout the four quarters that I was seeking the Dharma: ‘Whoever can teach me the great vehicle—the vast path that leads to buddhahood—I will support for the rest of my life and serve as an attendant, running his errands.’ A seer then came and addressed the king: ‘I possess a great-vehicle teaching named the Sutra of the Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma. If you do not disobey me, I will teach it to you.’ When the king heard the seer’s words, he leapt for joy and immediately followed him, supplying everything he needed—gathering fruit, drawing water, collecting firewood, preparing food, and even making his own body a bed and seat. Without weariness in body or mind, he served the seer in this way. For a thousand years, all for the sake of the Dharma, he diligently attended upon him and allowed him to lack nothing.”
Proclaiming the Meaning Again · Diligently Seeking the Great Dharma and Thereby Attaining Buddhahood
爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言： 「我念過去劫，為求大法故，
雖作世國王，不貪五欲樂。
搥鍾告四方，誰有大法者，
若為我解說，身當為奴僕。
時有阿私仙，來白於大王：
『我有微妙法，世間所希有。
若能修行者，吾當為汝說。』
時王聞仙言，心生大喜悅，
即便隨仙人，供給於所須，
採薪及菓蓏，隨時恭敬與，
情存妙法故，身心無懈惓。
普為諸眾生，勤求於大法，
亦不為己身，及以五欲樂。
故為大國王，勤求獲此法，
遂致得成佛，今故為汝說。」
At that time, the World-Honored One wished to proclaim this meaning again, and spoke in verse:
“I remember the aeons of the past,
when, for the sake of seeking the great Dharma,
although I was a king in the world,
I did not covet the pleasures of the five desires—
forms, sounds, scents, tastes, and touch.
I struck a bell and proclaimed throughout the four quarters:
‘Who possesses the great Dharma?
If someone will explain it to me,
I will become his servant.’
At that time, the seer Asi, an ascetic sage,
came and addressed the great king:
‘I possess a wondrous Dharma,
rarely found in the world.
If you are able to cultivate and practice it,
I will teach it to you.’
When the king heard the seer’s words,
great joy arose in his heart.
He immediately followed the seer
and supplied everything he needed,
gathering firewood and fruits and gourds,
and respectfully giving them whenever required.
Because his heart remained fixed upon the wondrous Dharma,
his body and mind knew no negligence or weariness.
For the sake of all sentient beings everywhere,
he diligently sought the great Dharma;
it was not for his own body,
nor for the pleasures of the five desires.
Therefore I became a great king;
diligently seeking, I obtained this Dharma,
and thereby ultimately attained buddhahood.
For this reason I now teach it to you.”
The Seer Was Devadatta · The Good Friend Through Whom I Became a Buddha
佛告諸比丘：「爾時王者，則我身是；時仙人者，今提婆達多是。由提婆達多善知識故，令我具足六波羅蜜，慈悲喜捨，三十二相，八十種好，紫磨金色，十力、四無所畏、四攝法、十八不共神通道力，成等正覺，廣度眾生，皆因提婆達多善知識故。」
The Buddha told the monks: “The king at that time was I myself. The seer at that time is now Devadatta—the Buddha’s cousin, who later harmed the Buddha and split the monastic community. Because I had Devadatta as a good friend—a teacher and companion who guided me toward goodness and the path—I was enabled to fulfill the six perfections; loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity, the four immeasurables; the thirty-two marks and eighty signs of a buddha’s body; the purple-gold hue of the finest refined gold; the ten powers of knowledge possessed by a buddha; the four fearlessnesses in teaching the Dharma; the four means of gathering—giving, kind speech, beneficial action, and shared benefit; the eighteen exclusive dharmas, eighteen qualities unique to a buddha and not shared with the two vehicles; and the powers of supernormal knowledge and the path. I attained complete awakening and widely delivered sentient beings. All of this was because of Devadatta, my good friend.”
Devadatta Receives a Prediction · The Future Heavenly King Tathāgata
告諸四眾：「提婆達多却後過無量劫，當得成佛，號曰天王如來、應供、正遍知、明行足、善逝、世間解、無上士、調御丈夫、天人師、佛、世尊。世界名天道。時天王佛住世二十中劫，廣為眾生說於妙法，恒河沙眾生得阿羅漢果，無量眾生發緣覺心，恒河沙眾生發無上道心，得無生忍，至不退轉。時天王佛般涅槃後，正法住世二十中劫。全身舍利起七寶塔，高六十由旬，縱廣四十由旬，諸天人民，悉以雜華、末香、燒香、塗香，衣服、瓔珞、幢幡、寶蓋，伎樂、歌頌，禮拜供養七寶妙塔。無量眾生得阿羅漢果，無量眾生悟辟支佛，不可思議眾生發菩提心，至不退轉。」
The Buddha told the fourfold assembly: “After immeasurable aeons have passed, Devadatta will become a buddha named Heavenly King Tathāgata, Worthy of Offerings—worthy to receive offerings; Perfectly and Universally Awakened—rightly and universally knowing all dharmas; Complete in Knowledge and Conduct—perfect in both wisdom and conduct; Well-Gone—one who has skillfully gone beyond the world; Knower of the World—one who thoroughly understands the world; Unsurpassed One—the unsurpassed great person; Tamer of Persons—a great person skilled in taming and guiding sentient beings; Teacher of Devas and Humans—the guide of devas and humans; Buddha; World-Honored One. His world will be named Heavenly Path.
“At that time, Heavenly King Buddha will remain in the world for twenty intermediate aeons—each an exceedingly long measure of time—and will widely teach the wondrous Dharma to sentient beings. Sentient beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges will attain the fruit of arhatship, the highest fruit of the śrāvaka vehicle. Immeasurable sentient beings will arouse the resolve for the awakening of a pratyekabuddha, a solitary awakener. Sentient beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges will arouse the mind of the unsurpassed way, attain acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas—the wisdom that rests securely in the truth that dharmas neither arise nor cease—and reach nonretrogression.
“After Heavenly King Buddha enters parinirvāṇa, final nirvāṇa, the true Dharma will remain in the world for twenty intermediate aeons. A stūpa of the seven precious things will be raised over his full-body relics. It will stand sixty yojanas high and measure forty yojanas in length and breadth, a yojana being an ancient Indian measure of distance. Devas and humans will all use many-colored flowers; powdered incense, burning incense, and fragrant ointments; robes; jeweled necklaces; standards and banners; precious canopies; music and dance; and songs of praise to bow before and make offerings to this wondrous seven-jeweled stūpa. Immeasurable sentient beings will attain the fruit of arhatship; immeasurable sentient beings will awaken as pratyekabuddhas, solitary awakeners; inconceivably many sentient beings will arouse the mind of awakening and reach nonretrogression.”
The Merit of Hearing the Chapter on Devadatta
佛告諸比丘：「未來世中，若有善男子、善女人，聞妙法華經提婆達多品，淨心信敬不生疑惑者，不墮地獄、餓鬼、畜生，生十方佛前，所生之處，常聞此經。若生人天中，受勝妙樂，若在佛前，蓮華化生。」
The Buddha told the monks: “In future ages, if any good man or good woman hears the Chapter on Devadatta in the Sutra of the Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma and, with a pure mind, trusts it, reveres it, and gives rise to no doubt, that person will not fall into hell, the realm of hungry ghosts, or the animal realm. That person will be born before the buddhas of the ten directions and, wherever born, will constantly hear this sutra. If born among humans or devas, that person will enjoy excellent, wondrous happiness. If born before a buddha, that person will be born by transformation within a lotus, without passing through a womb.”
Accumulation of Wisdom Requests to Return · Mañjuśrī Emerges from the Dragon Palace
於時下方多寶世尊所從菩薩，名曰智積，白多寶佛：「當還本土。」釋迦牟尼佛告智積曰：「善男子！且待須臾。此有菩薩，名文殊師利，可與相見，論說妙法，可還本土。」 爾時文殊師利坐千葉蓮華，大如車輪——俱來菩薩亦坐寶蓮華——從於大海娑竭羅龍宮自然踊出，住虛空中，詣靈鷲山，從蓮華下，至於佛所，頭面敬禮二世尊足。修敬已畢，往智積所，共相慰問，却坐一面。
At that time, a bodhisattva who had come in the retinue of Many Treasures, the World-Honored One from below, was named Accumulation of Wisdom. He addressed Many Treasures Buddha: “We should now return to our original land.” Śākyamuni Buddha told Accumulation of Wisdom: “Good man, wait a moment. Here is a bodhisattva named Mañjuśrī. You may meet him and discuss the wondrous Dharma together, and then return to your original land.”
At that time, Mañjuśrī sat upon a thousand-petaled lotus as large as a chariot wheel. The bodhisattvas who came with him were likewise seated upon jeweled lotuses. From the dragon palace of Sāgara—the palace of the dragon king of the sea—beneath the great ocean, they emerged naturally and remained in the open sky. They traveled to Vulture Peak (Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa). Mañjuśrī descended from the lotus, came before the buddhas, and reverently bowed his head and face at the feet of the two World-Honored Ones. Having completed these acts of reverence, he went to Accumulation of Wisdom. They greeted and inquired after one another, then withdrew and sat to one side.
Mañjuśrī’s Teaching in the Dragon Palace · The Immeasurable Beings He Delivered Appear as Proof
智積菩薩問文殊師利：「仁往龍宮，所化眾生，其數幾何？」 文殊師利言：「其數無量，不可稱計，非口所宣，非心所測，且待須臾，自當有證。」所言未竟，無數菩薩坐寶蓮華，從海踊出，詣靈鷲山，住在虛空。此諸菩薩，皆是文殊師利之所化度，具菩薩行，皆共論說六波羅蜜。本聲聞人，在虛空中說聲聞行，今皆修行大乘空義。文殊師利謂智積曰：「於海教化，其事如是。」 爾時智積菩薩以偈讚曰： 「大智德勇健，化度無量眾，
今此諸大會，及我皆已見。
演暢實相義，開闡一乘法，
廣導諸眾生，令速成菩提。」
The bodhisattva Accumulation of Wisdom asked Mañjuśrī: “Noble one, when you went to the dragon palace, how many sentient beings did you transform?”
Mañjuśrī replied: “Their number is immeasurable and cannot be calculated. It cannot be expressed by the mouth and cannot be fathomed by the mind. Wait a moment; there will naturally be proof.” Before he had finished speaking, countless bodhisattvas, seated upon jeweled lotuses, emerged from the sea, traveled to Vulture Peak, and remained in the open sky. All these bodhisattvas had been transformed and delivered by Mañjuśrī. They possessed the bodhisattva practices and all discussed and taught the six perfections together. Those who had originally been śrāvakas taught the practices of the śrāvaka vehicle while in the open sky; now they all practiced the great vehicle’s meaning of emptiness—the teaching that all dharmas are empty. Mañjuśrī told Accumulation of Wisdom: “This is how the teaching and transformation in the ocean took place.”
At that time, the bodhisattva Accumulation of Wisdom praised him in verse:
“Your great wisdom and virtue are courageous and strong;
you have transformed and delivered immeasurable beings.
This entire great assembly before us,
and I myself, have now seen them.
You unfold and make clear the meaning of the true mark,
open and expound the Dharma of the One Vehicle—the one ultimate path to buddhahood,
and widely guide the many sentient beings,
causing them swiftly to attain awakening.”
Mañjuśrī Teaches Only the Lotus · The Eight-Year-Old Dragon Girl Can Attain Awakening
文殊師利言：「我於海中，唯常宣說妙法華經。」 智積問文殊師利言：「此經甚深微妙，諸經中寶，世所希有。頗有眾生，勤加精進，修行此經，速得佛不？」 文殊師利言：「有娑竭羅龍王女，年始八歲，智慧利根，善知眾生諸根行業，得陀羅尼，諸佛所說甚深祕藏，悉能受持。深入禪定，了達諸法，於剎那頃發菩提心，得不退轉，辯才無礙。慈念眾生、猶如赤子，功德具足，心念口演，微妙廣大，慈悲仁讓，志意和雅，能至菩提。」
Mañjuśrī said: “In the ocean, I constantly taught only the Sutra of the Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma.”
Accumulation of Wisdom asked Mañjuśrī: “This sutra is exceedingly profound and wondrous, a treasure among all sutras, rarely found in the world. Is there any sentient being who, by applying diligent vigor and cultivating this sutra, can swiftly attain buddhahood or not?”
Mañjuśrī said: “The dragon king Sāgara has a daughter only eight years old. Her wisdom is keen and her faculties are sharp. She knows well the many faculties, conduct, and karma of sentient beings. She has attained dhāraṇī—the power of complete retention, retaining teachings without loss, able to hold what is wholesome and ward off what is unwholesome—and can receive and uphold without forgetting every profound hidden treasury taught by the buddhas. She has entered deeply into meditation and thoroughly comprehends all dharmas. In the space of a single instant, she aroused the mind of awakening, attained nonretrogression, and gained unobstructed eloquence. She holds sentient beings in compassion as a mother cherishes her infant child. Her qualities are complete. Whatever she thinks in her heart and expounds with her mouth is wondrous and vast. Compassionate, benevolent, and yielding, gentle and refined in resolve and intent, she is able to reach awakening.”
Accumulation of Wisdom Does Not Believe · The Girl Should Not Attain Complete Awakening So Swiftly
智積菩薩言：「我見釋迦如來，於無量劫難行苦行，積功累德，求菩提道，未曾止息。觀三千大千世界，乃至無有如芥子許非是菩薩捨身命處，為眾生故，然後乃得成菩提道。不信此女於須臾頃、便成正覺。」
The bodhisattva Accumulation of Wisdom said: “I have seen Śākyamuni Tathāgata perform difficult austerities through immeasurable aeons, accumulating merit and virtue and seeking the path of awakening without ever stopping. When I survey the three-thousand-great-thousand world, there is not even a place as large as a mustard seed that is not a place where this bodhisattva relinquished body and life for the sake of sentient beings; only after all this did he attain the path of awakening. I do not believe that this girl can attain complete awakening in a mere moment.”
The Dragon Girl Appears before the Assembly and Praises the Buddha
言論未訖，時龍王女忽現於前，頭面禮敬，却住一面，以偈讚曰： 「深達罪福相，遍照於十方，
微妙淨法身，具相三十二，
以八十種好，用莊嚴法身。
天人所戴仰，龍神咸恭敬，
一切眾生類，無不宗奉者。
又聞成菩提，唯佛當證知，
我闡大乘教，度脫苦眾生。」
Before he had finished speaking, the daughter of the dragon king suddenly appeared before the assembly. She bowed her head and face in reverence, withdrew to one side, and spoke in verse in praise of the Buddha:
“You deeply comprehend the marks of wrongdoing and merit;
your wisdom’s radiance illumines the ten directions.
Your wondrous, pure Dharma-body
is furnished with the thirty-two marks,
and the eighty signs
adorn that Dharma-body.
Devas and humans revere and look up to you;
nāgas and spirits all pay homage.
Among every class of sentient being,
not one fails to honor and serve you.
I have also heard: to accomplish awakening,
only a buddha can bear witness and certify.
(And now) I shall unfold the great-vehicle teaching
and deliver sentient beings who suffer.”
Śāriputra Challenges Her with the Five Obstacles of a Woman’s Body
時舍利弗語龍女言：「汝謂不久得無上道，是事難信。所以者何？女身垢穢，非是法器，云何能得無上菩提。佛道懸曠，經無量劫勤苦積行，具修諸度，然後乃成。又女人身猶有五障：一者、不得作梵天王，二者、帝釋，三者、魔王，四者、轉輪聖王，五者、佛身。云何女身速得成佛？」
At that time, Śāriputra told the dragon girl: “You claim that before long you will attain the unsurpassed way. This is difficult to trust. Why? A woman’s body is filthy and impure, not a vessel for the Dharma. How could it attain unsurpassed awakening? The buddha-way is vast and far-reaching. Only after cultivating painfully through immeasurable aeons, accumulating practices, and fully cultivating all the perfections can it be accomplished. Moreover, a woman’s body still has five obstacles: first, she cannot become a Brahmā king, the ruler of the first-dhyāna heavens in the form realm; second, she cannot become Śakra, ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three; third, she cannot become a Māra king, ruler of the Heaven of Enjoying Conjurations by Others in the desire realm; fourth, she cannot become a wheel-turning sage-king, the ideal king who rules the four continents; fifth, she cannot attain the body of a buddha. How could someone in a woman’s body swiftly become a buddha?”
The Jewel-Offering Simile · Transformation into a Man and Attainment of Buddhahood
爾時龍女有一寶珠，價直三千大千世界，持以上佛。佛即受之。龍女謂智積菩薩、尊者舍利弗言：「我獻寶珠，世尊納受，是事疾不？」 答言：「甚疾。」 女言：「以汝神力，觀我成佛，復速於此。」 當時眾會，皆見龍女忽然之間變成男子，具菩薩行，即往南方無垢世界，坐寶蓮華，成等正覺，三十二相、八十種好，普為十方一切眾生演說妙法。
At that time, the dragon girl possessed a precious jewel worth an entire three-thousand-great-thousand world. She held it up and offered it to the Buddha, and the Buddha accepted it at once. The dragon girl said to the bodhisattva Accumulation of Wisdom and the Venerable Śāriputra: “I offered this precious jewel, and the World-Honored One received and accepted it. Was this swift or not?”
They replied: “Exceedingly swift.”
The girl said: “With your supernormal powers, watch me become a buddha. It will be swifter still.”
At that moment, everyone in the assembly saw the dragon girl suddenly become a man, fulfill the bodhisattva practices, go at once to the Stainless World in the south, sit upon a jeweled lotus, and attain complete awakening. Furnished with the thirty-two marks and eighty signs, she universally taught the wondrous Dharma to all sentient beings throughout the ten directions.
The Assembly Sees from Afar and Receives Predictions
爾時娑婆世界，菩薩、聲聞、天龍八部、人與非人，皆遙見彼龍女成佛，普為時會人天說法，心大歡喜，悉遙敬禮。無量眾生，聞法解悟，得不退轉；無量眾生，得受道記。無垢世界，六反震動；娑婆世界，三千眾生住不退地，三千眾生發菩提心而得受記。智積菩薩及舍利弗，一切眾會，默然信受。
At that time, the bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, the eight classes of Dharma-protecting beings—devas, nāgas, yakṣas, and the others—humans, and nonhumans in the Sahā world, the world of endurance in which Śākyamuni teaches, all saw from afar that the dragon girl had become a buddha and was universally teaching the Dharma to the devas and humans in that assembly. Great joy arose in their hearts, and they all paid reverence from afar. Immeasurable sentient beings heard the Dharma, understood and awakened, and attained nonretrogression. Immeasurable sentient beings received predictions of the path. The Stainless World shook in six ways. In the Sahā world, three thousand sentient beings came to abide on the ground of nonretrogression, and three thousand sentient beings aroused the mind of awakening and received predictions. The bodhisattva Accumulation of Wisdom, Śāriputra, and the entire assembly silently accepted the teaching in trust.
前面幾品，佛把『一切眾生皆可成佛』這句話，一層一層地兌現。到這一品，佛把它推到了兩個最不可思議的邊界上：一頭，是佛的仇人——那個一生一世害佛、破僧、想要佛命的提婆達多，佛竟說他是自己的善知識，還替他授了成佛之記；另一頭，是一個八歲的龍女——是畜生、是女身、是孩童，佛卻讓她在眾目睽睽之下，一剎那便成了佛。這一品，等於把成佛的門，開到了『連最惡的、連最不夠格的，也都在裡面』。以下順經文次第，把這一品每一義講明；末後再以唯識一系的讀法，補一點旁照。
佛的一段舊事：為了一部經，捨了王位，事奉仙人一千年
佛先向四眾說起自己的一段過去。無量劫以前，佛還在因地，為了求這部《法華經》，從不曾懈怠。那時他常做國王，發願求無上菩提，心不退轉；為了圓滿六度，他布施起來毫不吝惜——象馬七珍、國城妻子、乃至自己的頭目髓腦、身肉手足，都捨得出去。有一世，他為了求法，索性把王位也捨了，把國政交給太子，自己擊鼓宣令、遍告四方：『誰能為我講說大乘，我願終身供給、給他當僕役。』這時來了一位仙人，說：『我有大乘，名叫《妙法華經》;你若肯不違逆我，我就為你宣說。』國王一聽，歡喜踊躍，當下隨了仙人去，採果、汲水、拾柴、備飯，樣樣親手侍奉，乃至「以身而為床座」——把自己的身體給仙人當座椅——身心都不覺得累。這樣事奉了整整一千年，只為了那一部法。佛又以偈把這段舊事重說一遍：我憶念過去無量劫，為了求這大法，雖然身為一國之王，卻不貪著五欲之樂；我搥鐘遍告四方：誰有大法，肯為我解說，我就給他當奴僕。那時來了阿私仙，說『我有微妙之法，是世間所希有的，你若肯依教修行，我就為你說』;我一聽便滿心歡喜，隨了仙人去，採薪、拾果，隨時恭敬供養，只因心裡存著那微妙之法，身心都不覺得疲倦。我這樣做，是普為一切眾生勤求大法，並不是為了自己一身、也不是為那五欲之樂；正因這樣，才做成大國王、求得了這部法，最終得以成佛——如今才把它說給你們聽。你看，佛之所以是佛，不是天生的；那是無量劫前，一個肯捨王位、肯為一部經做一千年僕役的人，一步一步換來的。
那位仙人，就是提婆達多——害佛的人，竟是成就佛的人
說到這裡，佛揭開了一個令所有人震動的謎底：『當年那位國王，就是我；而那位仙人，就是今天的提婆達多。』——提婆達多，那個佛的堂弟、一生與佛作對、放狂象、推大石、想害佛性命、還分裂僧團的人。佛卻說：正因為有提婆達多這位善知識，才使我圓滿了六度、慈悲喜捨、三十二相、八十種好、十力四無所畏……乃至成就正覺、廣度眾生——這一切，都因提婆達多這位善知識的緣故。於是佛當眾為提婆達多授記：提婆達多過了無量劫之後，當得成佛，號叫「天王如來」，世界名叫天道，住世二十中劫，廣度眾生。這一記，授得比誰都驚人：被授記的，不是精進的弟子，是那個處處與佛為難的人。佛還說：將來若有人聽了這〈提婆達多品〉，能淨心信敬、不生疑惑，這人便不墮地獄、餓鬼、畜生，生在十方佛前，常聞此經。佛把話說到這裡，是要人明白一件極難信的事：連害過佛的人，佛都不記他的仇、還記他的佛——那麼世間，還有誰是佛所不肯度的？
文殊從海底來，說龍宮裡有個八歲女孩，一剎那就發了心
正在此時，多寶佛座下有位菩薩名叫智積，想要回本國去，釋迦卻留住他，說：且慢，這裡有位文殊師利，你可與他相見、論說妙法，再回去不遲。話音剛落，文殊師利便坐著一朵千葉大蓮華、如車輪那麼大，從大海的娑竭羅龍宮裡自然湧出，住在虛空中，來到佛前禮拜。智積問文殊：你到龍宮去，度化了多少眾生？文殊說：其數無量，說也說不盡，且等一等，自會有證明。話還沒完，無數菩薩已坐著寶蓮華，從海裡湧出、住在空中——都是文殊所度化的。智積便讚歎文殊的教化之功。文殊說：我在海中，只常宣說一部《妙法華經》。智積便問：這部經甚深微妙、是諸經中的寶，可有眾生精進修行它，能很快成佛的嗎？文殊答：有。娑竭羅龍王有個女兒，年紀才八歲，智慧利根，善知眾生的根性業行，得了陀羅尼，諸佛所說的甚深祕藏都能受持；她深入禪定、通達諸法，在一剎那間便發起菩提心、得了不退轉，辯才無礙，慈念眾生猶如愛護赤子——這樣一個八歲女孩，是能成菩提的。
智積不信，舍利弗更以「女身五障」相難
這話，智積第一個不信。他說：我看釋迦如來，在無量劫裡難行苦行、積功累德求菩提道，從不曾停歇；整個三千大千世界，連芥子那麼大一點的地方，都是他為眾生捨身命的所在——這樣苦修才成的佛道，我不信這女孩在一瞬間就能成正覺。話還沒說完，龍女已忽然現在眾前，禮敬佛足、退立一旁，以偈讚佛。這時，尊者舍利弗也出來攔了一句，而且攔得更重：你說不久就得無上道，這事難信。為什麼？女身垢穢，根本不是承載佛法的法器，怎能得無上菩提？佛道那麼高遠，要經無量劫勤苦修行、具修諸度，才能成就。何況女人身還有「五障」:一者不能作梵天王，二者不能作帝釋，三者不能作魔王，四者不能作轉輪聖王，五者不能作佛。一個女身，怎能一下子就成佛？——這一問，是把當時世間對「女身」最重的成見，一條一條地擺到了龍女面前。
一顆珠子的功夫：龍女當眾成了佛
龍女沒有辯。她身上有一顆寶珠，價值抵得上整個三千大千世界；她把珠子捧起來，獻給佛，佛當下就接了。龍女便回頭問智積和舍利弗：我獻這顆寶珠，世尊接受，這一來一受，快不快？兩人答：極快。龍女說：那麼，就請你們用神通力看著——我成佛，比這還要快。話音才落，當時整個法會的人，都親眼看見：那龍女在一瞬之間變成了男子，具足菩薩之行，即刻往南方無垢世界，坐上寶蓮華，成了等正覺，三十二相、八十種好，普為十方一切眾生演說妙法。娑婆世界的菩薩、聲聞、天龍八部，遠遠看見那龍女成了佛、正為那一方的人天說法，都滿心歡喜、遙遙敬禮。無量眾生聞法解悟、得了不退轉；無量眾生得了授記。方才還說『女身不是法器』的舍利弗，方才還說『不信一瞬成佛』的智積，還有滿座的大眾，此刻都默然無言，信受了。一顆珠子獻出去、接過來的那一點功夫，龍女便把『成佛要經無量劫』這句話，當眾翻了過來——不是說苦修不真，而是說：當機緣熟透，這一部經的力量，能讓成佛快到你來不及懷疑。
以唯識之眼：這『惡人成佛、龍女頓成』，換一副眼怎麼看
上來是提婆達多品自身的義。這一品把「皆可成佛」推到了最險的兩端——仇人與八歲龍女。這一系譯註，另以唯識（慈恩窺基《玄贊》）為一面旁照的鏡子——鏡非經，只換一副眼，看這兩樁極端的成佛，在唯識的讀法裡，是怎麼安放的。
值得先說明的是：窺基讀這一品，並不往「五性各別」那條路上判——他釋龍女，通篇沒有搬出「五性」「種姓」來論一個畜生女該不該成佛；他走的是另外三條線：示現、發心的階位、經的力量。授提婆達多記，他依世親《法華論》，說這是「六記」裡的第四「無怨記」——正是要顯佛對怨家也全無怨惡；而提婆之所以反成善知識，窺基引《維摩經》說：能示現去作魔王的，多半是不可思議解脫的大菩薩——那一身惡，是大菩薩示現的逆行，非凡夫真在造惡。至於龍女，他借《伽耶山頂經》的「四種發心」定位，說她「或即」是第十地一生補處的大菩薩，化現成龍女之身；那一剎那的成佛，是「勸獎眾人」的示現，「非為實爾」——不是真有一個畜生女憑空頓成，是一位早在十地的大士，借這身、這一幕來策勵大眾；而她轉女、轉畜而成佛，都歸於「經力」所致。一副眼看下來，兩樁極端的成佛，都安放成了『大菩薩的示現，加上經的力量』。
這只是一副眼。天台智顗讀龍女，不說示現非實，而說她所顯的是「圓」:智積所執是「別教」的疑，龍女以「明圓」釋之；獻珠表圓解、奉佛表因圓果滿，這正是「一念坐道場、成佛不虛」。三論吉藏更直截，說這一品是『歎經的速疾之力』，龍女「剎那成佛」是真的，還特意駁斥那種疑此品非佛說的說法——正因道理本身無礙，才有這樣無礙的用。可以看見：同是龍女成佛，慈恩偏重讀作『示現、勸示非實』，天台、三論則偏重肯認『這一頓成，成佛不虛』;一邊護的是成佛豈是輕易，一邊揚的是此經之力能令頓成——此處並錄，不加裁斷，各還其位。而經自己那一幕始終在那裡：一顆珠子的功夫，八歲的龍女當眾成了佛；滿座曾經不信的人，都默然信了。要緊的，是佛藉這兩個最難信的例子，把那扇門開到底——連仇人，連八歲的龍女，都在門裡。
In the preceding chapters, the Buddha has been fulfilling, layer by layer, the promise that all sentient beings can become buddhas. In this chapter, he carries that promise to two of its most inconceivable limits. At one end stands the Buddha’s enemy—Devadatta, who spent his life harming the Buddha, splitting the monastic community, and seeking the Buddha’s life. Yet the Buddha calls him his own good friend and even bestows upon him a prediction of buddhahood. At the other end stands an eight-year-old dragon girl—an animal, female, and a child—whom the Buddha allows to become a buddha in a single instant before the eyes of the whole assembly. This chapter opens the gate of buddhahood so wide that even those deemed most evil and most unqualified are within it. We will follow the sequence of the sutra and make each meaning clear; only at the end will we add a further reflection from the Consciousness-Only tradition.
An Old Story of the Buddha: For the Sake of a Sutra, He Relinquished His Throne and Served a Seer for a Thousand Years
The Buddha begins by telling the fourfold assembly about one of his former lives. Countless aeons ago, while still cultivating the causes of buddhahood, he sought the Lotus Sutra without ever growing negligent or weary. At that time, he repeatedly became a king, vowed to seek unsurpassed awakening, and never turned back. To fulfill the six perfections, he gave without the slightest miserliness—elephants and horses, the seven precious things, kingdom and cities, wife and children, and even his own head, eyes, marrow, brain, body, flesh, hands, and feet. In one life, for the sake of seeking the Dharma, he simply relinquished the throne, entrusted the government to the crown prince, beat a drum, and proclaimed throughout the four quarters: “Whoever can teach me the great vehicle, I will support for the rest of my life and serve as his attendant.” A seer then came and said: “I possess a great-vehicle teaching named the Sutra of the Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma. If you will not disobey me, I will teach it to you.” On hearing this, the king leapt for joy and immediately followed the seer. He gathered fruit, drew water, collected firewood, prepared food, and personally served him in every way, even “making his own body a bed and seat”—giving the seer his own body to sit upon—without weariness in body or mind. He served in this way for a full thousand years, all for the sake of that one teaching.
The Buddha then recounts the old story once more in verse. He remembers that, in past aeons, although he was a king, he did not covet the pleasures of the five desires, for he was seeking the great Dharma. He struck the bell and proclaimed in every direction: whoever possessed the great Dharma and would explain it to him, he would become that person’s servant. The seer Asi came and said, “I possess a wondrous Dharma, rare in the world. If you are able to practice it, I will teach it to you.” The king’s heart filled with joy. He followed the seer, gathered firewood and fruit, and offered them respectfully whenever needed. Because his heart remained fixed upon the wondrous Dharma, neither body nor mind grew weary. He sought the great Dharma diligently for the sake of all sentient beings, not for himself and not for the pleasures of the five desires. For this reason he became a great king, sought and obtained this Dharma, and ultimately attained buddhahood—only now teaching it to the assembly. The Buddha was not simply born a buddha. His buddhahood was the path, step by step, of one who countless aeons ago was willing to relinquish a throne and serve for a thousand years for the sake of a single sutra.
That Seer Was Devadatta—the Man Who Harmed the Buddha Was Also the Man Who Helped Him Become a Buddha
At this point the Buddha discloses a truth that shakes the whole assembly: “The king at that time was I myself, and the seer at that time is now Devadatta.” Devadatta was the Buddha’s cousin—the man who opposed him throughout his life, released a maddened elephant against him, pushed down a great rock, sought his life, and split the monastic community. Yet the Buddha says that it was precisely because he had Devadatta as a good friend that he fulfilled the six perfections, loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; the thirty-two marks and eighty signs; the ten powers and four fearlessnesses; and all the way through to complete awakening and the universal deliverance of sentient beings. All of this, the Buddha says, was because of Devadatta, his good friend.
The Buddha therefore bestows a prediction upon Devadatta before the whole assembly: after immeasurable aeons, Devadatta will become a buddha named Heavenly King Tathāgata, whose world will be named Heavenly Path and who will remain in the world for twenty intermediate aeons, widely delivering sentient beings. No prediction could be more startling. The person receiving it is not a diligent disciple, but the man who made trouble for the Buddha at every turn. The Buddha further says that anyone in a future age who hears this Chapter on Devadatta with a pure mind, reverent trust, and no doubt will not fall into hell, the realm of hungry ghosts, or the animal realm, but will be born before the buddhas of the ten directions and always hear this sutra. The Buddha brings his teaching to this point so that we may understand something exceedingly difficult to trust: even toward one who harmed him, the Buddha does not hold fast to the wrong, but gives a prediction of buddhahood. Whom, then, would the Buddha ever be unwilling to deliver?
Mañjuśrī Comes from beneath the Ocean and Speaks of an Eight-Year-Old Girl in the Dragon Palace Who Aroused the Mind in a Single Instant
At this moment, a bodhisattva in the retinue of Many Treasures Buddha, named Accumulation of Wisdom, wishes to return to his own land. Śākyamuni asks him to wait: Mañjuśrī is here, and he may meet him and discuss the wondrous Dharma before returning. No sooner has this been said than Mañjuśrī emerges naturally from the dragon palace of Sāgara beneath the great ocean, seated upon a thousand-petaled lotus as large as a chariot wheel. He remains in the open sky, comes before the two buddhas, and bows at their feet.
Accumulation of Wisdom asks Mañjuśrī how many sentient beings he has transformed in the dragon palace. Mañjuśrī replies that their number is immeasurable, impossible to express in words or fathom with thought; wait a moment, he says, and there will be proof. Before he has finished speaking, countless bodhisattvas emerge from the sea seated upon jeweled lotuses and remain in the open sky. All were transformed and delivered by Mañjuśrī. Accumulation of Wisdom praises the work of his teaching. Mañjuśrī then says: in the ocean, I constantly taught only one sutra, the Lotus Sutra.
Accumulation of Wisdom asks whether any sentient being can practice this exceedingly profound, wondrous sutra—the treasure among all sutras—and swiftly become a buddha. Mañjuśrī says yes. The dragon king Sāgara has a daughter only eight years old. Her wisdom is keen, her faculties sharp; she knows well the faculties, conduct, and karma of sentient beings; she has attained retention and can uphold all the profound hidden treasuries taught by the buddhas. She has entered deeply into meditation and comprehends all dharmas. In the space of a single instant, she aroused the mind of awakening, attained nonretrogression, and gained unobstructed eloquence. She holds sentient beings in compassion as a mother cherishes her infant child. Such an eight-year-old girl, Mañjuśrī says, can reach awakening.
Accumulation of Wisdom Does Not Believe; Śāriputra Challenges Her with the “Five Obstacles of a Woman’s Body”
Accumulation of Wisdom is the first to say that he does not believe it. He says: I have seen Śākyamuni Tathāgata perform difficult austerities through immeasurable aeons, accumulating merit and virtue and seeking the path of awakening without ever stopping. Throughout the entire three-thousand-great-thousand world, there is not even a place the size of a mustard seed where he did not relinquish body and life for the sake of sentient beings. Only after cultivating so painfully did he accomplish the buddha-way. I do not believe that this girl can attain complete awakening in a single instant.
Before he has finished speaking, the dragon girl suddenly appears before the assembly, bows at the Buddha’s feet, steps back to one side, and praises him in verse. Then the Venerable Śāriputra challenges her more severely still: you claim that before long you will attain the unsurpassed way, but this is difficult to trust. Why? A woman’s body is filthy and impure, not a vessel capable of bearing the Buddha-Dharma. How could it attain unsurpassed awakening? The buddha-way is vast and far-reaching; it requires immeasurable aeons of painful practice and the complete cultivation of the perfections before it can be accomplished. Moreover, a woman’s body has five obstacles: she cannot become a Brahmā king, Śakra, Māra king, wheel-turning sage-king, or buddha. How could someone in a woman’s body become a buddha all at once? With this challenge, the heaviest assumptions of that world about a woman’s body are set out one by one before the dragon girl.
In the Time It Takes to Offer a Jewel, the Dragon Girl Becomes a Buddha before the Assembly
The dragon girl does not argue. She possesses a precious jewel worth an entire three-thousand-great-thousand world. She raises it and offers it to the Buddha, who accepts it at once. Turning to Accumulation of Wisdom and Śāriputra, she asks: I offered this jewel and the World-Honored One accepted it. Was this swift or not? They answer: exceedingly swift. The dragon girl says: then use your supernormal powers and watch—I will become a buddha more swiftly still.
No sooner have the words left her mouth than everyone in the Dharma assembly sees it with their own eyes. In a single instant, the dragon girl becomes a man, fulfills the bodhisattva practices, goes at once to the Stainless World in the south, sits upon a jeweled lotus, and attains complete awakening. Furnished with the thirty-two marks and eighty signs, he universally teaches the wondrous Dharma to all sentient beings throughout the ten directions. In the Sahā world, bodhisattvas, śrāvakas, devas, nāgas, and the other classes of beings see from afar that the dragon girl has become a buddha and is teaching the devas and humans of that assembly. Their hearts fill with great joy, and they bow from afar. Immeasurable sentient beings hear the Dharma, awaken to its meaning, and attain nonretrogression; immeasurable sentient beings receive predictions of the path. Śāriputra, who only moments before had said that a woman’s body was not a vessel for the Dharma; Accumulation of Wisdom, who had said that he did not believe in buddhahood within an instant; and the entire assembly now fall silent and accept the teaching in trust.
In no more time than it took to offer and receive a jewel, the dragon girl overturned, before the whole assembly, the claim that buddhahood must always require immeasurable aeons. This does not mean that arduous cultivation is false. It means that when conditions have fully ripened, the power of this sutra can make buddhahood so swift that doubt has no time to arise.
Seen through the Eyes of Consciousness-Only: How Does Another Set of Eyes Read “the Evil Person Becomes a Buddha; the Dragon Girl Becomes a Buddha at Once”?
Everything above is the Chapter on Devadatta in its own meaning. This chapter carries “all can become buddhas” to its two most perilous limits—the enemy and the eight-year-old dragon girl. This translation and exposition adds one further mirror, drawn from the Consciousness-Only reading of Kuiji’s Profound Praise of the Lotus. The mirror is not the sutra. Consciousness-Only is not the source of the Lotus, only another set of eyes. It shows how these two extreme instances of buddhahood are placed within that reading.
It should first be made clear that Kuiji does not read this chapter through the distinct five lineages. Throughout his explanation of the dragon girl, he never invokes “five lineages” or “lineage” to decide whether a girl born as an animal should or should not become a buddha. He follows three other lines: manifestation, the stage of arousing the mind, and the power of the sutra. For Devadatta’s prediction, he follows Vasubandhu’s Treatise on the Lotus Sutra and calls it the fourth of the “six predictions,” the “prediction of no resentment”: it shows precisely that the Buddha bears no resentment or malice even toward an enemy. To explain how Devadatta could become a good friend, Kuiji draws on the Vimalakīrti Sutra: those who manifest as Māra kings are often great bodhisattvas of inconceivable liberation. Devadatta’s life of evil is thus read as an adverse manifestation by a great bodhisattva, not as an ordinary being truly committing evil.
For the dragon girl, Kuiji uses the four kinds of arousing the mind in the Sutra of the Summit of Mount Gayā to locate her stage. He says that she may be a great bodhisattva of the tenth ground, one lifetime away from buddhahood, who appeared in the form of a dragon girl. Her becoming a buddha in a single instant is a manifestation “to encourage the assembly,” and “it was not literally so.” On this reading, an animal-born girl did not suddenly become a buddha from nothing; a great being already at the tenth ground borrowed this body and this scene to inspire the assembly. Her transformation out of female and animal form and her attaining buddhahood are both attributed to “the power of the sutra.” Seen through this one set of eyes, both extreme instances of buddhahood are placed as manifestations of great bodhisattvas together with the power of the sutra.
This is only one set of eyes. Zhiyi of Tiantai does not say that the dragon girl’s attainment was an unreal manifestation. He says that what she reveals is the perfect teaching: Accumulation of Wisdom clings to the doubt of the separate teaching, and the dragon girl resolves it by revealing the perfect. Her offering of the jewel represents perfect understanding; offering it to the Buddha represents cause perfected and fruit fulfilled. This is “in one thought sitting at the place of awakening; her buddhahood is not false.” Jizang of Sanlun is more direct still. He says that this chapter “praises the sutra’s power of swiftness,” that the dragon girl’s “becoming a buddha in an instant” is real, and he expressly rejects the suspicion that this chapter was not spoken by the Buddha: because the principle itself is unobstructed, it has this unobstructed function.
Thus, regarding the same buddhahood of the dragon girl, Cien places the emphasis on manifestation and encouragement rather than literal occurrence, while Tiantai and Sanlun affirm that the sudden attainment is not false and manifests the sutra’s swift power. One side safeguards the truth that buddhahood is not lightly gained; the other extols the power of this sutra to bring sudden attainment. These readings are recorded side by side without adjudication, each kept in its own place. The sutra’s own scene remains before us throughout: in the time it takes to offer a jewel, an eight-year-old dragon girl becomes a buddha before the whole assembly, and all who had not believed fall silent and accept it. What matters is that, through these two most difficult-to-believe examples, the Buddha opens the gate all the way—even the enemy and the eight-year-old dragon girl are within it.
考據Apparatus
本品二事：一者佛自述過去無量劫為國王、事阿私仙千歲以求《法華經》，而昔之仙人即今提婆達多——由提婆達多為善知識故，佛乃具足六度、成等正覺；佛因授提婆達多記，當來成佛號「天王如來」。二者文殊師利自娑竭羅龍宮踊出，稱龍王女八歲、於剎那頃發菩提心得不退轉；智積不信、舍利弗以「女身五障」為難，龍女獻寶珠、忽變男子、往南方無垢世界成等正覺，會眾受記。此品「惡人（提婆）成佛、女身畜身剎那成佛」為迹門『一切眾生皆可成佛』之極唱。慈恩窺基《玄贊》依世親《法華論》「六記」讀提婆授記為第四「無怨記」（示佛無怨惡）、判提婆為「違緣善友」、龍女為十地一生補處大菩薩「化為」之示現（剎那成佛「勸獎眾人、非為實爾」，轉女轉畜『皆經力所致』）——此品玄贊落於「示現・發心階位（十地）・經力」，不涉三性、五性各別、賴耶（機掃皆零），據實標明。天台智顗以「龍女明圓・一念坐道場・成佛不虛」讀，三論吉藏以「歎經速疾力・剎那成佛・四句適化」讀，並錄不判。此品羅什原闕、先賢續出補入，別為第十二品（成立史詳目八）。
一、科判定位
| 科判系統 | 此品之位 |
|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 二十八品 | 第十二 提婆達多品（卷四；〔T09n0262 0034b23〕起）· 迹門「讚重流通」第三 · 羅什原闕、先賢續出補入之品（成立史詳目八） |
| 窺基《玄贊》科文（主錨·慈恩） | 品段〔T34n1723 0815a12〕三門分別：一來意、二釋名、三解妨。來意有三（①《法華論》六記第四「無怨記」〔0815a14〕②讚重流通第三·顯持經人可尊、於怨家以身為床 ③顯此經妙用、成道亦疾即龍女成道〔0815a18〕）· 釋名「提婆」天・「達多」授＝天授（斛飯王之子）〔0815a20〕· 大文分二：初天授「違緣善友」、後文殊「順緣善友」；「但能持經，不問怨親皆是善友」〔0815b04〕 |
| 天台《文句》（旁證） | 〈釋提婆達多品〉〔T34n1718 0114c17〕起 · 提婆達多＝天／天熱（生時人天心熱）· 判迹門流通「舉往勸今使流通」〔0115a13〕 |
| 三論《義疏》（旁證） | 〈提婆達多品第十二〉〔T34n1721 0591b07〕起 · 天熱〔0591c12〕· 以「違方便」一翼讀之 |
二、異譯·三譯對勘
本品三漢譯之品界大異（成立史核心）：羅什 T262〈提婆達多品第十二〉獨立成品〔T09n0262 0034b23〕· 竺法護 T263 此段材料併入〈七寶塔品第十一〉之內〔T09n0263 0105a27〕（作「調達／梵志」，無獨立品）· 添品 T264 亦併入〈見寶塔品第十一〉〔T09n0264 0169a03〕。
句一 提婆達多為善知識·授記天王如來
| 版本 | 逐字（節） | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 時仙人者，今提婆達多是。由提婆達多善知識故，令我具足六波羅蜜……提婆達多却後過無量劫當得成佛，號曰天王如來……世界名天道 | T09n0262 0034c25／0035a01 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字近同羅什〕今提婆達多是……號曰天王如來……世界名天道 | T09n0264 0169b03 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 梵志者，調達是……皆由調達恩德之力。調達却後無央數劫當得作佛，號曰天王如來……世界名天衢 | T09n0263 0105b19 |
異文所繫：過去世之師，羅什／添品作「仙人」、竺法護作「梵志」；人名羅什／添品「提婆達多」、竺法護「調達」；授記佛號三譯皆「天王如來」；世界名羅什／添品「天道」、竺法護「天衢」。竺法護十號用古譯（至真・等正覺・眾祐等）。
句二 佛過去求法本生
| 版本 | 逐字（節） | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 捐捨國位，委政太子，擊鼓宣令四方求法……乃至以身而為床座，身心無惓，于時奉事，經於千歲 | T09n0262 0034c02／0034c06 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字近同羅什〕捐捨國位委政太子，擊鼓宣令四方求法……以身而為床座……經於千歲 | T09n0264 0169a09 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 捐棄國位委正太子……擊鼓振鐸宣令華裔……掃灑應對趨走採果，儲畜資糧……奉侍千歲 | T09n0263 0105b01 |
異文所繫：羅什／添品逐字近同（擊鼓宣令・以身為床座・經於千歲）；竺法護「擊鼓振鐸」、無「以身而為床座」之語（作「掃灑應對趨走採果」，開合異）。
句三 龍女八歲·剎那發心
| 版本 | 逐字（節） | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 有娑竭羅龍王女，年始八歲，智慧利根……於剎那頃發菩提心，得不退轉 | T09n0262 0035b15 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字近同羅什〕年始八歲……於剎那頃發菩提心，得不退轉 | T09n0264 0169c20 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 龍王有女，厥年八歲，聰明智慧與眾超異，發大道意志願弘廣，性行和雅而不倉卒，便可成佛 | T09n0263 0106a01 |
異文所繫：「八歲」三譯皆有；「於剎那頃發菩提心得不退轉」羅什／添品逐字同，竺法護無「剎那頃」細節（作「發大道意・性行和雅而不倉卒便可成佛」，大幅簡略）。
句四 舍利弗難·女身五障
| 版本 | 逐字（節） | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 女身垢穢，非是法器……又女人身猶有五障：一者不得作梵天王，二者帝釋，三者魔王，四者轉輪聖王，五者佛身 | T09n0262 0035c07／0035c09 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字近同羅什〕女人身猶有五障：一者不得作梵天王，二者不得作帝釋，三者魔王，四者轉輪聖王，五者佛身 | T09n0264 0170a12 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 以女人身未階五位：一曰天帝，二曰梵天，三曰天魔，四曰轉輪聖王，五曰大士 | T09n0263 0106a12 |
異文所繫：名相羅什／添品「五障」、竺法護「五位」（未階五位）；第一、二條羅什／添品「梵天王・帝釋」，竺法護「天帝・梵天」倒序；第五條羅什／添品「佛身」，竺法護「大士」（異）。
句五 獻珠·變男成佛
| 版本 | 逐字（節） | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 龍女有一寶珠，價直三千大千世界，持以上佛，佛即受之……忽然之間變成男子，具菩薩行，即往南方無垢世界，坐寶蓮華，成等正覺 | T09n0262 0035c12／0035c16 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字近同羅什〕有一寶珠，價直三千大千世界……即往南方無垢世界，坐寶蓮花，成等正覺 | T09n0264 0170a19 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 其女即以一如意珠，價當是世……佛輒受之……於斯變成男子菩薩，尋即成佛，相三十二……國土名號眾會皆見 | T09n0263 0106a16 |
異文所繫：珠名羅什／添品「寶珠，價直三千大千世界」、竺法護「如意珠，價當是世」；變男成佛羅什／添品明言「即往南方無垢世界」，竺法護無方位、無「無垢世界」之名（作「國土名號眾會皆見」，尋即成佛於自地）。「轉女成男」三譯皆有其事（竺法護「變成男子菩薩」）。
添品定位：添品 T264 幾與羅什逐字全同（添品即以羅什本為底補訂），八句幾乎一致，僅個別異體字（惓／倦、神力／神通力、天道同）。竺法護 T263 系統性大異（調達・梵志・溥首・天衢・五位・大士，且多處簡略：無『以身為床座』、無「剎那發心」細節、無「南方無垢世界」）。
三、唯識義之經據（眼）
本品玄贊之唯識義落於「示現・發心階位（十地）・經力」——不涉三性（遍計／依他／圓成）、五性各別、賴耶（藏識／轉依）（機掃全段〔0815a12–0817b02〕皆零）。此為紅線要點：龍女成佛之慈恩讀法非「五性各別」，勿挪引他品五性框架。
(一) 提婆授記＝《法華論》六記第四「無怨記」——來意其一〔T34n1723 0815a14〕：
「論解六記中第四無怨記云『與提婆達多記者，示佛世尊無怨惡故』，故此品來。」〔T34n1723 0815a14〕
授提婆達多記，所以示佛世尊於怨（提婆屢害佛）亦無怨惡。→ 論本：世親《法華論》六記之第四「無怨記」。
(二) 提婆＝違緣善友·不可思議解脫菩薩示現——大文分二，天授為「違緣善友」〔0815b04〕：「但能持經，不問怨親皆是善友。」提婆之惡，窺基以「示現」讀，引《無垢稱經》〔0815c20〕：
「示現作魔王者，多是不可思議解脫菩薩。唯有香象能與香象捔力鬪戰，非驢所堪。」〔T34n1723 0815c20〕
窺基由此斷「故知天授示現為也」〔0815c22〕——提婆本為大菩薩之示現作惡（唯大力者堪演此逆行），非凡夫惡人真墮。
(三) 龍女成佛＝十地一生補處大菩薩「化為」之示現·剎那成佛「勸示非實」——窺基借《伽耶山頂經》四發心配十地，判龍女〔0816c10〕：
「今此龍女或即第四發心，化為龍女，小而能學法華，速得菩提。勸獎眾人，非為實爾。」〔T34n1723 0816c10〕
轉女、轉畜身之機制〔0816b09〕：「去畜生之貌、轉女人之質，皆是經力所致然也。」龍女道成，窺基科為「示現道成」（見因、見果）〔0817a20〕。→ 龍女＝第十地一生補處大菩薩「化為」龍女之示現，剎那成佛是「勸獎眾人、非為實爾」（勸化義），轉女轉畜歸「經力」。窺基未以五性各別判龍女、未言畜生女有無佛性——據實標明。
(四) 女身五障＝《超日明三昧經》三事隔五事礙·〈菩薩地〉女身煩惱——舍利弗難，窺基引《超日明三昧經》「三事隔、五事礙」逐釋五障〔0816c31〕，末引〈菩薩地〉〔0817a16〕：
「〈菩薩地〉言『一切女人成就煩惱、諸染污智；諸佛不以惡身能證無上大菩提，故說女人不得作佛』。」〔T34n1723 0817a16〕
龍女越五障之機制承目三——變男（轉女人之質）後成佛。
(五) 聞品之福＝五德·《成實論》四輪摧八難——信心不疑具五德（不墮三惡趣・生佛前・常聞此經・生人天受樂・佛前化生），窺基以《成實論》「四輪摧八難」對配〔0816a03〕。
（按：此品玄贊唯識義落於「示現・十地發心・經力」三軸；機掃三性／五性／賴耶／種姓皆零。龍女成佛之慈恩讀法＝大菩薩化為之示現、勸示非實、轉身經力所致——非五性各別框架。各品玄贊落點各異〔②三性・⑩智理・⑪三身・⑫示現十地〕，據實抽勿套他品。）
四、諸家異釋（古德·標宗·誌錄不判）
同一提婆授記、龍女成佛，慈恩・天台・三論以示現・圓・速疾力讀之。本編義疏鏡＝慈恩窺基《玄贊》；天台智顗、三論吉藏並錄之，誌其異而不判。
約詞辨：「即身成佛」「圓頓」「轉女成男」「逆增上緣」四詞，於智顗《文句》T34n1718、吉藏《義疏》T34n1721 本品段機掃皆零命中——係後世約詞盤定名，非二疏原文連文。又「五障」智顗作「五礙」〔0117a17〕、吉藏本品段零「障」字；二疏皆不用「五障」連文。
慈恩·窺基《玄贊》T34n1723（鏡骨幹）
提婆授記＝無怨記、提婆＝違緣善友示現、龍女＝十地大菩薩化為示現（勸示非實・轉身經力）、五障引《超日明》＋〈菩薩地〉——詳目三。慈恩承衍：慧沼《法華玄贊義決》T34n1724。
天台·智顗（旁證）
提婆以本迹讀（天熱為迹、清涼為本）〔T34n1718 0115a11〕：「眾生煩惱故菩薩示熱，同其病行而度脫之。」龍女〔0117a05〕：「智積執別教為疑，五、龍女明圓釋疑」獻珠〔0117a17〕：「獻珠表得圓解，圓珠表其修得圓因……佛受疾者獲果速也，此即一念坐道場，成佛不虛也。」龍女教化〔0117a26〕：「南方緣熟宜以八相成道，此土緣薄秖以龍女教化，此是權巧之力；得一身一切身，普現色身三昧也。」五障作「五礙」〔0117a17〕，龍女『深達法身之理即備相好』答。判迹門流通，「雖迹門事訖，本門未彰」〔0116c20〕（迹→本樞紐）。
三論·吉藏《法華義疏》T34n1721（旁證）
提婆以「違方便」讀〔T34n1721 0591b28〕：「調達非惡示惡，故惡是方便、善為真實」；「提婆為釋迦本師，今翻為授記」〔0592a08〕。龍女〔0592b12〕：「明龍女成佛，歎經速疾力」；引《伽耶山頂經》四發心，龍女「是第四義（一生補處發心）」〔0592b19〕；四句適化——「速方便，龍女剎那成佛」〔0592b22〕、「本是女變為男」〔0592b26〕、「童真成佛，龍女是也」〔0592c02〕；總判「良由體無礙之道，故有無礙之用」〔0592c04〕。本品段不釋五障（唯「身子作難」結構定位）。
三家並錄（誌·不判）
龍女成佛：慈恩＝十地大菩薩「化為」之示現、剎那成佛「勸獎眾人非為實爾」；天台＝「一念坐道場，成佛不虛」、普現色身三昧、權巧之力；三論＝歎經速疾力、剎那成佛、四句適化、體用無礙。慈恩以「示現・非為實爾」讀（不著五性），天台、三論以「成佛不虛・速疾力」肯認（吉藏且斥『不應疑此品非佛說』）——三家於「示現／不虛」之側重不同，並錄不判。 慈恩、三論俱引《伽耶山頂經》四發心判龍女為第十地一生補處（同源），而慈恩判「化為・非實」、三論判「速疾成佛」。「五障」：慈恩引《超日明》＋〈菩薩地〉、智顗作「五礙」、吉藏不釋。智顗（538–597）・吉藏（549–623）早於窺基（632–682），「明圓」為天台、「違方便」為三論，各自宗，並錄不判。
五、術語
| 漢 | 傳梵（羅馬字·發音輔助） | 古德所徵 | 義 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 提婆達多 | Devadatta | 窺基「提婆天也、達多授也……故名天授」〔T34n1723 0815a20〕；智顗「天／天熱」〔T34n1718〕；竺法護作「調達」〔T09n0263 0105b19〕 | 佛之堂弟（斛飯王子）·過去世為佛說《法華》之師·授記天王如來 |
| 無怨記 | — | 窺基引《法華論》六記第四〔T34n1723 0815a14〕 | 與提婆達多記·所以示佛世尊無怨惡 |
| 龍女成佛 | — | 〔本經 0035b15〕；窺基「第四發心、化為龍女……勸獎眾人非為實爾」〔T34n1723 0816c10〕；智顗「龍女明圓……一念坐道場成佛不虛」〔T34n1718 0117a05・0117a20〕；吉藏「歎經速疾力……剎那成佛」〔T34n1721 0592b12〕 | 娑竭羅龍王女八歲·剎那發心·變男·往南方無垢世界成佛 |
| 女身五障 | — | 〔本經 0035c09〕；窺基引《超日明三昧經》三事隔五事礙〔T34n1723 0816c31〕；智顗作「五礙」〔T34n1718 0117a17〕；竺法護作「五位」〔T09n0263 0106a12〕 | 女身不得作梵天王・帝釋・魔王・轉輪聖王・佛身 |
| 違緣善友 | — | 窺基「不問怨親皆是善友」〔T34n1723 0815b04〕；吉藏「違方便……惡是方便善為真實」〔T34n1721 0591b29〕 | 提婆以逆行（違緣）成佛之善友·顯持經不問怨親 |
| 天王如來 | — | 三譯授記佛號皆「天王如來」〔T09n0262 0035a02〕；竺法護世界名「天衢」〔T09n0263 0105b26〕 | 提婆達多當來成佛之號·世界名天道 |
六、譬喻·修辭
(一) 獻珠喻（寶珠價直三千大千世界·佛即受之·成佛復速於此）——〔T09n0262 0035c12〕：龍女以寶珠上佛、佛即受之，以『佛受珠之速』對顯「成佛之速」。窺基科為四門（獻珠・返問・直答・結喻）無長釋〔T34n1723 0817a20〕；智顗「獻珠表得圓解，圓珠表其修得圓因」〔T34n1718 0117a17〕；吉藏「舉喻總答」〔T34n1721 0592c09〕。
辨：獻珠喻為本品獨有之喻，非法華七喻之一（七喻＝火宅③・窮子④・藥草⑤・化城⑦・衣珠⑧・髻珠⑭・醫子⑯）。
(二) 佛過去求法本生（國王事仙千歲·以身為床座）——〔T09n0262 0034b24〕：佛昔為國王、捐捨國位、事阿私仙千歲、以身為床座以求《法華》，顯持經「不悋軀命」。
(三) 龍女變男成佛（轉女成男）——〔T09n0262 0035c16〕：龍女忽然變成男子、往南方無垢世界成等正覺。「轉女成男」乃後世約詞（二疏無此連文；吉藏作「本是女變為男」〔T34n1721 0592b26〕）。
七、互讀·承衍
(一) 本品所依論（窺基《玄贊》所引·穩定徵引）：
- 世親《法華論》（法華經論）——六記之第四「無怨記」〔T34n1723 0815a14〕。
- 《無垢稱經》（維摩詰·菩薩示現作魔王）〔0815c20〕· 《伽耶山頂經》（四發心配十地·吉藏同引〔T34n1721 0592b19〕）· 《超日明三昧經》（女身三事隔五事礙）〔0816c31〕· 〈菩薩地〉（女身煩惱染污）〔0817a16〕· 《成實論》（四輪摧八難）〔0816a03〕。
(二) 法華內互讀：
- 提婆授記（惡人成佛）＋龍女成佛（女・畜・剎那成佛） → 迹門『一切眾生皆可成佛』之極唱，承〈方便品〉「皆當作佛」、圓授記三周之後。
- 迹門流通樞紐（智顗「雖迹門事訖、本門未彰」〔T34n1718 0116c20〕）→ 多寶之留、迹門收束，為引出本門〈壽量品〉之樞。
(三) 承衍：慈恩後學慧沼《法華玄贊義決》T34n1724;天台後學湛然《法華文句記》T34n1719——各承其宗，誌不判。
八、校本定位
- 羅什 T262（底本）：〈提婆達多品第十二〉〔T09n0262 0034b23〕起（卷四）。過去求法 0034b24／事仙千歲 0034c06 · 仙人即提婆 0034c25／善知識故 0034c26 · 授記天王 0035a02／世界名天道 0035a04 · 聞品之福 0035a15／蓮華化生 0035a18 · 智積·文殊踊出 0035a22／龍宮踊出 0035a24 · 唯宣法華 0035b12 · 龍女八歲 0035b15／剎那發心 0035b18 · 智積不信 0035b25 · 舍利弗難 0035c06／女身五障 0035c09 · 獻珠 0035c12／成佛復速 0035c15 · 變男成佛 0035c16 · 遙見受記 0035c24／默然信受 0035c25 迄〔0035c26〕（次品〈勸持品第十三〉起 0035c27）。源檔：原典層（逐字校訖·25 核心義句逐字驗）。
- 竺法護 T263（併入〈七寶塔品第十一〉）：調達授記段〔T09n0263 0105a27〕起 · 梵志者調達是／天衢 0105b19・0105b26 · 龍女厥年八歲 0106a01 · 未階五位・大士 0106a12 · 如意珠 0106a16 · 變成男子菩薩 0106a20 · 三萬道迹得不退轉 0106a23 · 默然無言 0106a25。
- 添品 T264（併入〈見寶塔品第十一〉）：提婆段〔T09n0264 0169a03〕起 · 提婆授記天王 0169b03 · 龍女八歲 0169c20 · 五障 0170a12 · 獻珠 0170a19／南方無垢世界 0170a22 · 得授記 0170b03。〔逐字近同羅什，唯個別異體字〕
- 窺基《玄贊》T34n1723（義疏鏡）：〈提婆達多品〉〔0815a12〕—〔0817b02〕（卷八末）。三門分別 0815a12／無怨記 0815a14／龍女成道來意 0815a18 · 釋名天授 0815a20／大文違緣順緣 0815b03・0815b04 · 聞品五德 0815c28 · 天授示現 0815c20／0815c22 · 四輪摧八難 0816a03／文殊順緣 0816a12／皆從聲聞入大 0816b08 · 轉女轉畜經力 0816b09 · 龍女第四發心化為非實 0816c10／五障超日明 0816c31 · 菩薩地女煩惱 0817a16／龍女道成獻珠四門 0817a20。下品〈持品〉起〔0817b03〕。
- 智顗《文句》T34n1718（旁證）：〈釋提婆達多品〉0114c17 起—0117a28 · 舉往勸今使流通 0115a13／菩薩示熱同病行 0115a11 · 調達天王（分陀利經）0116c04 · 迹門事訖本門未彰 0116c20 · 智積別教疑龍女明圓 0117a05／五礙 0117a17／獻珠圓解 0117a17／一念坐道場成佛不虛 0117a20／龍女教化權巧・普現色身三昧 0117a26／0117a28。
- 吉藏《法華義疏》T34n1721（旁證）：〈提婆達多品第十二〉0591b07 起—0592c10 · 違方便 0591b12／示惡善真實 0591b29 · 提婆本師翻授記 0592a08 · 歎經速疾力 0592b12／伽耶四發心龍女第四 0592b19／速方便剎那成佛 0592b22／本是女變為男 0592b26／童真成佛 0592c02／體無礙用 0592c04。成立史別置卷首〈料簡〉「論品有無」〔0452a18〕。
- 成立史誌（羅什原闕·先賢續出補入）：添品 T264 崛多笈多序〔T09n0264 0134c08〕「什所闕者……〈提婆達多品〉、〈普門品〉偈也」／〔0134c12〕「先賢續出，補闕流行」／〔0134c17〕「〈提婆達多〉通入〈塔品〉」；竺法護 T263 校語〔T09n0263 0105a26〕『諸本此中加梵志品，各分為二十八品云』（宋元宮本題『正法華經梵志品第十二』）；智顗引《寶唱經目》敘四譯史、南嶽次此品在〈寶塔〉後〔T34n1718 0114c18〕；吉藏卷首引《道慧宋齊錄》——法獻於于闐得此一品、法意齊永明八年譯出、真諦安〈見寶塔品〉後〔T34n1721 0452a20〕。四家並存此品「後出補入」之文獻史。
This chapter has two movements. First, the Buddha recounts that, during immeasurable past aeons, he was a king who served the seer Asi for a thousand years in order to seek the Lotus Sutra. That former seer was Devadatta; because Devadatta was his good friend, the Buddha fulfilled the six perfections and attained complete awakening. The Buddha therefore predicts that Devadatta will become Heavenly King Tathāgata. Second, Mañjuśrī emerges from the dragon palace of Sāgara and speaks of the dragon king’s eight-year-old daughter, who aroused the mind of awakening in a single instant and attained nonretrogression. Accumulation of Wisdom does not believe, and Śāriputra challenges her with the “five obstacles of a woman’s body.” The dragon girl offers a jewel, suddenly becomes a man, and attains complete awakening in the Stainless World in the south; the assembly receives predictions. In the Trace Gate, the chapter’s “the evil person becomes a buddha; a girl born as an animal becomes a buddha in an instant” is the sutra’s most forceful proclamation that all sentient beings can become buddhas. Kuiji’s Profound Praise of the Lotus, following the fourth of the “six predictions” in Vasubandhu’s Treatise on the Lotus Sutra, reads Devadatta’s prediction as the 「無怨記」 tr. “prediction of no resentment,” showing that the Buddha bears no resentment or malice. It calls Devadatta a 「違緣善友」 tr. “good friend through adverse conditions,” and reads the dragon girl as a manifestation of a great bodhisattva on the tenth ground, one lifetime away from buddhahood: her becoming a buddha in an instant was 「勸獎眾人、非為實爾」 tr. “to encourage the assembly; it was not literally so,” while her transformation out of female and animal form was brought about by the 「經力」 tr. “power of the sutra.” The reading of this chapter in the Profound Praise thus concerns manifestation, the stage of arousing the mind, and the power of the sutra; it does not involve the three natures, the distinct five lineages, or the store consciousness, all of which are absent from this chapter-section. Zhiyi of Tiantai reads the dragon girl as revealing the perfect teaching—「一念坐道場，成佛不虛」 tr. “in one thought she sits at the place of awakening; her buddhahood is not false.” Jizang of Sanlun reads the scene as praise of the sutra’s swift power and the dragon girl’s becoming a buddha in an instant. The three readings are recorded side by side without adjudication. In Kumārajīva’s recension this material was originally absent and was subsequently translated and added by earlier worthies as an independent Chapter 12; see Heading VIII for the history of formation.
I. Doctrinal-Outline Placement
| Outline system | Placement of this chapter |
|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 二十八品 | 第十二 提婆達多品 tr. “Chapter 12, Devadatta” （卷四；〔T09n0262 0034b23〕起）· the third part of “praising and giving weight to transmission” in the Trace Gate · 羅什原闕、先賢續出補入之品 tr. “a chapter originally absent from Kumārajīva and subsequently translated and added by earlier worthies” (history of formation under Heading VIII) |
| 窺基《玄贊》科文（主錨·慈恩） | At the chapter-section 〔T34n1723 0815a12〕, 三門分別 tr. “distinguished through three gateways”: (1) the reason for its coming; (2) the explanation of its name; (3) the resolution of an objection. The 來意有三 tr. “reason for its coming is threefold”: (1) the fourth of the six predictions in the Treatise on the Lotus Sutra, the 「無怨記」 tr. “prediction of no resentment” 〔0815a14〕; (2) the third part of praising and giving weight to transmission—showing that one who upholds the sutra is worthy of reverence, since the Buddha made his own body a bed even for an enemy; (3) showing the sutra’s wondrous function, since attainment of the path is also swift, namely the dragon girl’s attainment 〔0815a18〕. In the 釋名 tr. “explanation of the name,” 「提婆」 tr. “deva” means heaven and 「達多」 tr. “datta” means given: “Heaven-Given,” the son of King Droṇodana 〔0815a20〕. The 大文分二 tr. “main text is divided into two”: first, Heaven-Given as a 「違緣善友」 tr. “good friend through adverse conditions”; later, Mañjuśrī as a 「順緣善友」 tr. “good friend through favorable conditions.” 「但能持經，不問怨親皆是善友」 tr. “So long as one can uphold the sutra, without distinguishing enemy from kin, all are good friends” 〔0815b04〕 |
| 天台《文句》（旁證） | 〈釋提婆達多品〉 “Explaining the Chapter on Devadatta” begins at 〔T34n1718 0114c17〕. Devadatta = heaven / heavenly heat (at his birth the minds of humans and devas grew hot). Zhiyi places it in the 迹門流通 tr. “transmission of the Trace Gate”: 「舉往勸今使流通」 tr. “raising the past to exhort the present and cause transmission” 〔0115a13〕 |
| 三論《義疏》（旁證） | 〈提婆達多品第十二〉 “Chapter 12, Devadatta” begins at 〔T34n1721 0591b07〕. Jizang glosses the name as 「天熱」 tr. “heavenly heat” 〔0591c12〕 and reads the chapter through one wing of 「違方便」 tr. “skillful means through opposition” |
II. Alternate Translations · Collation of the Three Translations
The chapter boundaries differ greatly among the three Chinese translations, a core point in the history of formation. Kumārajīva’s T262 has an independent 〈提婆達多品第十二〉 “Chapter 12, Devadatta” 〔T09n0262 0034b23〕. Dharmarakṣa’s T263 includes this material within 〈七寶塔品第十一〉 “Chapter 11, The Seven-Jeweled Stūpa” 〔T09n0263 0105a27〕, using 「調達」 tr. “Devadatta” and 「梵志」 tr. “the brahmin,” with no independent chapter. The supplemented T264 likewise includes it within 〈見寶塔品第十一〉 “Chapter 11, Beholding the Jeweled Stūpa” 〔T09n0264 0169a03〕.
Passage One · Devadatta as Good Friend · Prediction of Heavenly King Tathāgata
| Version | Verbatim Chinese and translation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 時仙人者，今提婆達多是。由提婆達多善知識故，令我具足六波羅蜜……提婆達多却後過無量劫當得成佛，號曰天王如來……世界名天道 tr. “The seer at that time is now Devadatta. Because I had Devadatta as a good friend, I was enabled to fulfill the six perfections. … After immeasurable aeons have passed, Devadatta will become a buddha named Heavenly King Tathāgata. … His world will be named Heavenly Path.” | T09n0262 0034c25／0035a01 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字近同羅什〕今提婆達多是……號曰天王如來……世界名天道 tr. “[Nearly word for word the same as Kumārajīva:] He is now Devadatta … named Heavenly King Tathāgata … his world will be named Heavenly Path.” | T09n0264 0169b03 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 梵志者，調達是……皆由調達恩德之力。調達却後無央數劫當得作佛，號曰天王如來……世界名天衢 tr. “The brahmin was Devadatta. … All was through the power of Devadatta’s kindness and virtue. After countless aeons, Devadatta will become a buddha named Heavenly King Tathāgata. … His world will be named Heavenly Thoroughfare.” | T09n0263 0105b19 |
What the variants bear upon: the teacher in the past is 「仙人」 tr. “seer” in Kumārajīva and the supplemented edition, but 「梵志」 tr. “brahmin” in Dharmarakṣa. The name is 「提婆達多」 tr. “Devadatta” in Kumārajīva and the supplemented edition, but 「調達」 tr. “Devadatta” in Dharmarakṣa. All three translations give the predicted buddha-name as 「天王如來」 tr. “Heavenly King Tathāgata.” Kumārajīva and the supplemented edition name his world 「天道」 tr. “Heavenly Path”; Dharmarakṣa names it 「天衢」 tr. “Heavenly Thoroughfare.” Dharmarakṣa renders the ten titles in old translation-terms, including 「至真・等正覺・眾祐」 tr. “the Utterly True One · the Equally and Rightly Awakened One · the Honored among Beings.”
Passage Two · The Buddha’s Past-Life Search for the Dharma
| Version | Verbatim Chinese and translation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 捐捨國位，委政太子，擊鼓宣令四方求法……乃至以身而為床座，身心無惓，于時奉事，經於千歲 tr. “He relinquished the royal throne, entrusted the government to the crown prince, beat a drum, and proclaimed throughout the four quarters that he was seeking the Dharma … even making his own body a bed and seat. Without weariness in body or mind, he served in this way for a thousand years.” | T09n0262 0034c02／0034c06 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字近同羅什〕捐捨國位委政太子，擊鼓宣令四方求法……以身而為床座……經於千歲 tr. “[Nearly word for word the same as Kumārajīva:] He relinquished the royal throne and entrusted the government to the crown prince, beat a drum, and proclaimed throughout the four quarters that he was seeking the Dharma … making his own body a bed and seat … for a thousand years.” | T09n0264 0169a09 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 捐棄國位委正太子……擊鼓振鐸宣令華裔……掃灑應對趨走採果，儲畜資糧……奉侍千歲 tr. “He relinquished the royal throne and entrusted the government to the crown prince … beat a drum and rang a handbell, proclaiming the command throughout the inner and outer lands … sweeping and sprinkling, responding and running errands, gathering fruit and storing provisions … attending upon him for a thousand years.” | T09n0263 0105b01 |
What the variants bear upon: Kumārajīva and the supplemented edition agree nearly word for word—「擊鼓宣令」 tr. “beating a drum and proclaiming the command”; 『以身為床座』 tr. “making his own body a bed and seat”; 「經於千歲」 tr. “for a thousand years.” Dharmarakṣa has 「擊鼓振鐸」 tr. “beating a drum and ringing a handbell,” and has no expression corresponding to 「以身而為床座」 tr. “making his own body a bed and seat”; instead, it reads 「掃灑應對趨走採果」 tr. “sweeping and sprinkling, responding and running errands, gathering fruit.” The passages differ in their opening and closing.
Passage Three · The Eight-Year-Old Dragon Girl · Arousing the Mind in a Single Instant
| Version | Verbatim Chinese and translation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 有娑竭羅龍王女，年始八歲，智慧利根……於剎那頃發菩提心，得不退轉 tr. “The dragon king Sāgara has a daughter only eight years old, keen in wisdom and sharp in faculties. … In the space of a single instant, she aroused the mind of awakening and attained nonretrogression.” | T09n0262 0035b15 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字近同羅什〕年始八歲……於剎那頃發菩提心，得不退轉 tr. “[Nearly word for word the same as Kumārajīva:] only eight years old … in the space of a single instant, she aroused the mind of awakening and attained nonretrogression.” | T09n0264 0169c20 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 龍王有女，厥年八歲，聰明智慧與眾超異，發大道意志願弘廣，性行和雅而不倉卒，便可成佛 tr. “The dragon king had a daughter, eight years of age. Intelligent and wise, surpassingly different from the assembly, she aroused the resolve for the great way and formed a vast aspiration; gentle in nature and conduct and not hasty, she was able to become a buddha.” | T09n0263 0106a01 |
What the variants bear upon: all three translations have 「八歲」 tr. “eight years old.” Kumārajīva and the supplemented edition agree word for word in 「於剎那頃發菩提心得不退轉」 tr. “in the space of a single instant, she aroused the mind of awakening and attained nonretrogression.” Dharmarakṣa has no detail corresponding to 「剎那頃」 tr. “the space of a single instant”; it instead reads 「發大道意・性行和雅而不倉卒便可成佛」 tr. “aroused the resolve for the great way; gentle in nature and conduct and not hasty, she was able to become a buddha,” greatly abridging the passage.
Passage Four · Śāriputra’s Challenge · The Five Obstacles of a Woman’s Body
| Version | Verbatim Chinese and translation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 女身垢穢，非是法器……又女人身猶有五障：一者不得作梵天王，二者帝釋，三者魔王，四者轉輪聖王，五者佛身 tr. “A woman’s body is filthy and impure, not a vessel for the Dharma. … Moreover, a woman’s body still has five obstacles: first, she cannot become a Brahmā king; second, Śakra; third, a Māra king; fourth, a wheel-turning sage-king; fifth, the body of a buddha.” | T09n0262 0035c07／0035c09 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字近同羅什〕女人身猶有五障：一者不得作梵天王，二者不得作帝釋，三者魔王，四者轉輪聖王，五者佛身 tr. “[Nearly word for word the same as Kumārajīva:] a woman’s body still has five obstacles: first, she cannot become a Brahmā king; second, she cannot become Śakra; third, a Māra king; fourth, a wheel-turning sage-king; fifth, the body of a buddha.” | T09n0264 0170a12 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 以女人身未階五位：一曰天帝，二曰梵天，三曰天魔，四曰轉輪聖王，五曰大士 tr. “Because she bears a woman’s body, she has not ascended to the five stations: first, ruler of the devas; second, Brahmā; third, heavenly Māra; fourth, wheel-turning sage-king; fifth, great being.” | T09n0263 0106a12 |
What the variants bear upon: Kumārajīva and the supplemented edition call them 「五障」 tr. “five obstacles”; Dharmarakṣa calls them 「五位」 tr. “five stations,” which she has not ascended to. The first two in Kumārajīva and the supplemented edition are 「梵天王・帝釋」 tr. “Brahmā king · Śakra”; Dharmarakṣa reverses the order as 「天帝・梵天」 tr. “ruler of the devas · Brahmā.” The fifth is 「佛身」 tr. “the body of a buddha” in Kumārajīva and the supplemented edition, but 「大士」 tr. “great being” in Dharmarakṣa.
Passage Five · Offering the Jewel · Becoming a Man and a Buddha
| Version | Verbatim Chinese and translation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 龍女有一寶珠，價直三千大千世界，持以上佛，佛即受之……忽然之間變成男子，具菩薩行，即往南方無垢世界，坐寶蓮華，成等正覺 tr. “The dragon girl possessed a precious jewel worth an entire three-thousand-great-thousand world. She held it up and offered it to the Buddha, and the Buddha accepted it at once. … Suddenly becoming a man and fulfilling the bodhisattva practices, she went at once to the Stainless World in the south, sat upon a jeweled lotus, and attained complete awakening.” | T09n0262 0035c12／0035c16 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字近同羅什〕有一寶珠，價直三千大千世界……即往南方無垢世界，坐寶蓮花，成等正覺 tr. “[Nearly word for word the same as Kumārajīva:] she possessed a precious jewel worth an entire three-thousand-great-thousand world … went at once to the Stainless World in the south, sat upon a jeweled lotus, and attained complete awakening.” | T09n0264 0170a19 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 其女即以一如意珠，價當是世……佛輒受之……於斯變成男子菩薩，尋即成佛，相三十二……國土名號眾會皆見 tr. “The girl then took a wish-fulfilling jewel worth this world … and the Buddha immediately accepted it. … Thereupon she became a male bodhisattva and at once became a buddha, with the thirty-two marks. … The assembly all saw the land and its name.” | T09n0263 0106a16 |
What the variants bear upon: Kumārajīva and the supplemented edition have 「寶珠，價直三千大千世界」 tr. “a precious jewel worth an entire three-thousand-great-thousand world”; Dharmarakṣa has 「如意珠，價當是世」 tr. “a wish-fulfilling jewel worth this world.” Kumārajīva and the supplemented edition explicitly state 「即往南方無垢世界」 tr. “went at once to the Stainless World in the south.” Dharmarakṣa has neither the direction nor the name “Stainless World”; it reads 「國土名號眾會皆見」 tr. “the assembly all saw the land and its name,” and has her become a buddha at once in that land. All three translations include the transformation from woman to man; Dharmarakṣa reads 「變成男子菩薩」 tr. “became a male bodhisattva.”
Placement of the supplemented edition: T264 agrees nearly word for word with Kumārajīva, because it uses Kumārajīva’s recension as the basis for supplementation and revision. All eight sentences are almost entirely the same, with only occasional graphic variants—「惓／倦」 tr. “weariness”—and such minor differences as 「神力／神通力」 tr. “supernormal powers”; both have 「天道」 tr. “Heavenly Path.” Dharmarakṣa’s T263 differs systematically: 「調達・梵志・溥首・天衢・五位・大士」 tr. “Devadatta · brahmin · Mañjuśrī · Heavenly Thoroughfare · five stations · great being,” and several passages are abridged. It has no 『以身為床座』 tr. “making his own body a bed and seat,” no detail of 「剎那發心」 tr. “arousing the mind in a single instant,” and no 「南方無垢世界」 tr. “Stainless World in the south.”
III. Scriptural Grounds for the Consciousness-Only Meaning (the Point of the Eye)
The Consciousness-Only meaning of this chapter in the Profound Praise of the Lotus concerns manifestation, the stage of arousing the mind—the ten grounds—and the power of the sutra. It does not involve the three natures (wholly-imagined, other-dependent, perfectly-accomplished), the distinct five lineages, the store consciousness, or the transformation of the basis; every one of those terms is absent from the entire chapter-section 〔0815a12–0817b02〕. This is a governing limit: the Cien reading of the dragon girl’s buddhahood is not framed through the distinct five lineages. No five-lineage framework from another chapter is to be imported here.
(1) Devadatta’s prediction = the fourth of the six predictions in the Treatise on the Lotus Sutra, the “prediction of no resentment” — the first reason for the chapter’s coming 〔T34n1723 0815a14〕:
「論解六記中第四無怨記云『與提婆達多記者，示佛世尊無怨惡故』，故此品來。」〔T34n1723 0815a14〕
tr. “In explaining the six predictions, the Treatise says of the fourth, the prediction of no resentment: ‘The prediction given to Devadatta shows that the Buddha, the World-Honored One, bears no resentment or malice.’ Therefore this chapter comes.”
The Buddha gives Devadatta a prediction in order to show that even toward an enemy—Devadatta, who repeatedly harmed the Buddha—the Buddha bears no resentment or malice. → 論本 / Treatise source: the fourth of the six predictions in Vasubandhu’s 《法華論》 Treatise on the Lotus Sutra, the 「無怨記」 tr. “prediction of no resentment.”
(2) Devadatta = a good friend through adverse conditions · a bodhisattva of inconceivable liberation manifesting an appearance — the main text is divided into two, with Heaven-Given as the 「違緣善友」 tr. “good friend through adverse conditions” 〔0815b04〕: 「但能持經，不問怨親皆是善友。」 tr. “So long as one can uphold the sutra, without distinguishing enemy from kin, all are good friends.” Kuiji reads Devadatta’s evil as manifestation and cites the 《無垢稱經》 Vimalakīrti Sutra 〔0815c20〕:
「示現作魔王者，多是不可思議解脫菩薩。唯有香象能與香象捔力鬪戰，非驢所堪。」〔T34n1723 0815c20〕
tr. “Those who manifest as Māra kings are often bodhisattvas of inconceivable liberation. Only a fragrant elephant can wrestle and fight with a fragrant elephant; it is not something a donkey could bear.”
From this Kuiji concludes, 「故知天授示現為也」 tr. “Therefore we know that Heaven-Given did this as a manifestation” 〔0815c22〕. Devadatta was a great bodhisattva manifesting evil—the contrary practice that only one of great power could enact—not an ordinary evil person who had truly fallen.
(3) The dragon girl’s buddhahood = a great bodhisattva on the tenth ground, one lifetime away from buddhahood, manifesting in the form of a dragon girl · buddhahood in an instant “shown to encourage, not literally so” — Kuiji uses the four kinds of arousing the mind in the 《伽耶山頂經》 Sutra of the Summit of Mount Gayā to map the ten grounds and judges the dragon girl 〔0816c10〕:
「今此龍女或即第四發心，化為龍女，小而能學法華，速得菩提。勸獎眾人，非為實爾。」〔T34n1723 0816c10〕
tr. “This dragon girl may belong to the fourth arousal of mind: appearing in the form of a dragon girl, young yet able to study the Lotus and swiftly attain awakening. This encourages the assembly; it was not literally so.”
The mechanism of transforming out of female and animal form is stated at 〔0816b09〕: 「去畜生之貌、轉女人之質，皆是經力所致然也。」 tr. “Removing the appearance of an animal and transforming the substance of a woman were both brought about by the power of the sutra.” Kuiji outlines the dragon girl’s attainment as 「示現道成」 tr. “manifesting the accomplishment of the path,” divided into seeing the cause and seeing the fruit 〔0817a20〕. → The dragon girl is read as a manifestation in the form of a dragon girl by a great bodhisattva on the tenth ground, one lifetime away from buddhahood. Her becoming a buddha in an instant is 「勸獎眾人、非為實爾」 tr. “to encourage the assembly; it was not literally so,” and her transformation out of female and animal form is attributed to the 「經力」 tr. “power of the sutra.” Kuiji does not judge the dragon girl through the distinct five lineages, and does not discuss whether a girl born as an animal possesses buddha-nature. This limit is stated as the text stands.
(4) The five obstacles of a woman’s body = the three separations and five hindrances in the Sutra of the Samādhi of the Supremely Radiant Sun · the afflictions of a woman’s body in the Bodhisattva Ground — in explaining Śāriputra’s challenge, Kuiji cites the Sutra of the Samādhi of the Supremely Radiant Sun on “three separations and five hindrances” and explains the five obstacles one by one 〔0816c31〕. He concludes by citing the Bodhisattva Ground 〔0817a16〕:
「〈菩薩地〉言『一切女人成就煩惱、諸染污智；諸佛不以惡身能證無上大菩提，故說女人不得作佛』。」〔T34n1723 0817a16〕
tr. “The Bodhisattva Ground says: ‘All women possess afflictions and various defiled forms of knowledge. The buddhas do not realize unsurpassed great awakening with a foul body; therefore it is said that a woman cannot become a buddha.’”
The mechanism by which the dragon girl passes beyond the five obstacles follows Heading III: after becoming a man—transforming the substance of a woman—she becomes a buddha.
(5) The merit of hearing this chapter = five virtues · the four wheels that crush the eight difficulties in the Tattvasiddhi — pure trust without doubt possesses five virtues: not falling into the three evil destinations; being born before a buddha; constantly hearing this sutra; enjoying happiness when born among humans and devas; and being born by transformation before a buddha. Kuiji correlates these with the 「四輪摧八難」 tr. “four wheels that crush the eight difficulties” in the 《成實論》 Tattvasiddhi 〔0816a03〕.
(Note: the Consciousness-Only meaning of this chapter in the Profound Praise lies along the three axes of manifestation, arousing the mind on the tenth ground, and the power of the sutra. The chapter-section contains no terms for the three natures, the five lineages, the store consciousness, or lineage. Its Cien reading of the dragon girl is a great bodhisattva appearing in a manifested form; shown to encourage, not literally so; transformation brought about by the power of the sutra—not a distinct-five-lineages framework. The chapter-local emphases of the Profound Praise differ: Chapter 2, the three natures; Chapter 10, knowledge and principle; Chapter 11, the three bodies; Chapter 12, manifestation and the ten grounds. Each is to be drawn as attested, without imposing another chapter’s frame.)
IV. The Explanations of the Various Masters (the Ancients · Their Traditions Stated · Recorded without Adjudicating)
Cien, Tiantai, and Sanlun read the same prediction of Devadatta and buddhahood of the dragon girl through manifestation, the perfect teaching, and the sutra’s swift power. The expository mirror of this edition is Kuiji’s Cien Profound Praise of the Lotus; Zhiyi of Tiantai and Jizang of Sanlun are recorded alongside it. Their differences are stated without adjudication.
Distinguishing later summary expressions: the four expressions 「即身成佛」 tr. “becoming a buddha in this very body,” 「圓頓」 tr. “perfect and sudden,” 「轉女成男」 tr. “transforming from woman to man,” and 「逆增上緣」 tr. “adverse contributing condition” all return zero continuous-string matches in the chapter-sections of Zhiyi’s 《文句》 Words and Phrases of the Lotus T34n1718 and Jizang’s 《義疏》 Commentary on the Lotus T34n1721. They are later summary expressions, not verbatim continuous phrases in those two commentaries. Zhiyi writes 「五礙」 tr. “five hindrances” 〔0117a17〕 rather than 「五障」 tr. “five obstacles”; the character 「障」 tr. “obstacle” does not occur in Jizang’s chapter-section. Neither commentary uses the continuous expression 「五障」 tr. “five obstacles.”
Cien · Kuiji’s 《玄贊》 T34n1723 (the Principal Mirror)
Devadatta’s prediction is the prediction of no resentment; Devadatta is a good friend through adverse conditions who manifests an appearance; the dragon girl is a manifested form of a great bodhisattva on the tenth ground—shown to encourage, not literally so, her transformation brought about by the power of the sutra; the five obstacles are read through the 《超日明三昧經》 Sutra of the Samādhi of the Supremely Radiant Sun and the Bodhisattva Ground. See Heading III. The Cien line is carried forward by Huizhao’s 《法華玄贊義決》 T34n1724.
Tiantai · Zhiyi (Parallel Witness)
Zhiyi reads Devadatta through origin and trace—heavenly heat as trace, coolness as origin 〔T34n1718 0115a11〕: 「眾生煩惱故菩薩示熱，同其病行而度脫之。」 tr. “Because sentient beings have afflictions, the bodhisattva manifests heat, practicing together with their illness in order to deliver them.” Of the dragon girl, he says 〔0117a05〕: 「智積執別教為疑，五、龍女明圓釋疑」 tr. “Accumulation of Wisdom clings to the separate teaching and raises a doubt; the dragon girl reveals the perfect and resolves the doubt.” Of the jewel offering 〔0117a17〕: 「獻珠表得圓解，圓珠表其修得圓因……佛受疾者獲果速也，此即一念坐道場，成佛不虛也。」 tr. “Offering the jewel represents gaining perfect understanding; the round jewel represents her cultivation gaining the perfect cause. … The Buddha’s swift acceptance means the swift gaining of the fruit. This is precisely, in one thought, sitting at the place of awakening; her buddhahood is not false.” Of the dragon girl’s teaching 〔0117a26〕: 「南方緣熟宜以八相成道，此土緣薄秖以龍女教化，此是權巧之力；得一身一切身，普現色身三昧也。」 tr. “Conditions in the south were ripe, and it was fitting to accomplish the path through the eight marks. Conditions in this land were slight, and so only the dragon girl taught and transformed here. This is the power of provisional skillfulness: gaining one body, all bodies—the samādhi that universally manifests bodies of form.” Zhiyi writes 「五礙」 tr. “five hindrances” 〔0117a17〕, and answers that because the dragon girl 『深達法身之理即備相好』 tr. “deeply penetrated the principle of the Dharma-body, she was thereby furnished with the marks and signs.” He places the chapter in the transmission of the Trace Gate and writes, 「雖迹門事訖，本門未彰」 tr. “Although the affairs of the Trace Gate are complete, the Origin Gate has not yet been revealed” 〔0116c20〕—the pivot from Trace to Origin.
Sanlun · Jizang’s 《法華義疏》 T34n1721 (Parallel Witness)
Jizang reads Devadatta through 「違方便」 tr. “skillful means through opposition” 〔T34n1721 0591b28〕: 「調達非惡示惡，故惡是方便、善為真實」 tr. “Devadatta was not evil but manifested evil; therefore evil was skillful means and good was real.” He says, 「提婆為釋迦本師，今翻為授記」 tr. “Devadatta was Śākyamuni’s original teacher; now in return he receives a prediction” 〔0592a08〕. Of the dragon girl, he writes, 「明龍女成佛，歎經速疾力」 tr. “clarifying the dragon girl’s buddhahood, praising the sutra’s swift power” 〔0592b12〕. Citing the four arousings of mind in the Sutra of the Summit of Mount Gayā, he places the dragon girl in 「是第四義（一生補處發心）」 tr. “the fourth meaning—the arousing of the mind one lifetime away from buddhahood” 〔0592b19〕. He then gives four adaptive alternatives: 「速方便，龍女剎那成佛」 tr. “swift skillful means: the dragon girl becomes a buddha in an instant” 〔0592b22〕; 「本是女變為男」 tr. “originally a woman, she becomes a man” 〔0592b26〕; 「童真成佛，龍女是也」 tr. “buddhahood in youthful purity: the dragon girl is the instance” 〔0592c02〕. He concludes, 「良由體無礙之道，故有無礙之用」 tr. “Because the way is unobstructed in substance, it therefore has unobstructed function” 〔0592c04〕. Jizang’s chapter-section does not explain the five obstacles; it gives only the structural placement, “Śāriputra raises the challenge.”
The Placements of the Three Houses Recorded Together (Recorded without Adjudication)
On the buddhahood of the dragon girl: Cien reads her as a great bodhisattva on the tenth ground manifesting in the form of a dragon girl and her buddhahood in an instant as 「勸獎眾人非為實爾」 tr. “encouraging the assembly; it was not literally so.” Tiantai reads the scene as 「一念坐道場，成佛不虛」 tr. “in one thought sitting at the place of awakening; her buddhahood is not false,” through the samādhi that universally manifests bodies and the power of provisional skillfulness. Sanlun reads it as praise of the sutra’s swift power, buddhahood in an instant, four adaptive alternatives, and unobstructed substance and function. Cien emphasizes manifestation and “not literally so,” without invoking the five lineages; Tiantai and Sanlun affirm “buddhahood is not false” and the “swift power” of the sutra—Jizang also rejects the view that this chapter should be doubted as not spoken by the Buddha. Their differing emphases upon manifestation and non-falsity are recorded side by side without adjudication. Cien and Sanlun both cite the four arousings of mind in the Sutra of the Summit of Mount Gayā and place the dragon girl as a great bodhisattva on the tenth ground, one lifetime away from buddhahood; Cien judges “appearing in the form” and “not literally so,” while Sanlun judges “swiftly becoming a buddha.” On the five obstacles: Cien cites the Sutra of the Samādhi of the Supremely Radiant Sun and the Bodhisattva Ground; Zhiyi writes “five hindrances”; Jizang does not explain them. Zhiyi (538–597) and Jizang (549–623) predate Kuiji (632–682). 「明圓」 tr. “revealing the perfect” belongs to Tiantai; 「違方便」 tr. “skillful means through opposition” belongs to Sanlun. Each remains within its own tradition, recorded without adjudication.
V. Terminology
| 漢 | Ancient-transmitted Sanskrit (romanization · pronunciation aid) | Attestation by the ancient masters | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 提婆達多 | Devadatta | Kuiji: 「提婆天也、達多授也……故名天授」 tr. “Deva means heaven, datta means given … therefore he is named Heaven-Given” 〔T34n1723 0815a20〕; Zhiyi: 「天／天熱」 tr. “heaven / heavenly heat” 〔T34n1718〕; Dharmarakṣa renders the name 「調達」 tr. “Devadatta” 〔T09n0263 0105b19〕 | The Buddha’s cousin, the son of King Droṇodana; in a past life, the teacher who taught the Lotus to the Buddha; predicted to become Heavenly King Tathāgata |
| 無怨記 | — | Kuiji cites the fourth of the six predictions in the Treatise on the Lotus Sutra 〔T34n1723 0815a14〕 | The prediction given to Devadatta, showing that the Buddha, the World-Honored One, bears no resentment or malice |
| 龍女成佛 | — | 〔本經 0035b15〕 tr. “the present sutra, 0035b15”; Kuiji: 「第四發心、化為龍女……勸獎眾人非為實爾」 tr. “the fourth arousal of mind, appearing in the form of a dragon girl … encouraging the assembly; it was not literally so” 〔T34n1723 0816c10〕; Zhiyi: 「龍女明圓……一念坐道場成佛不虛」 tr. “the dragon girl reveals the perfect … in one thought she sits at the place of awakening; her buddhahood is not false” 〔T34n1718 0117a05・0117a20〕; Jizang: 「歎經速疾力……剎那成佛」 tr. “praising the sutra’s swift power … becoming a buddha in an instant” 〔T34n1721 0592b12〕 | The dragon king Sāgara’s eight-year-old daughter; arouses the mind in an instant; becomes a man; goes to the Stainless World in the south and becomes a buddha |
| 女身五障 | — | 〔本經 0035c09〕 tr. “the present sutra, 0035c09”; Kuiji cites the “three separations and five hindrances” of the 《超日明三昧經》 〔T34n1723 0816c31〕; Zhiyi writes 「五礙」 tr. “five hindrances” 〔T34n1718 0117a17〕; Dharmarakṣa writes 「五位」 tr. “five stations” 〔T09n0263 0106a12〕 | A woman’s body cannot become a Brahmā king, Śakra, a Māra king, a wheel-turning sage-king, or attain the body of a buddha |
| 違緣善友 | — | Kuiji: 「不問怨親皆是善友」 tr. “without distinguishing enemy from kin, all are good friends” 〔T34n1723 0815b04〕; Jizang: 「違方便……惡是方便善為真實」 tr. “skillful means through opposition … evil is skillful means; good is real” 〔T34n1721 0591b29〕 | Devadatta as a good friend through the adverse condition of contrary conduct; showing that one who upholds the sutra is a good friend without distinguishing enemy from kin |
| 天王如來 | — | All three translations give the predicted buddha-name as 「天王如來」 tr. “Heavenly King Tathāgata” 〔T09n0262 0035a02〕; Dharmarakṣa names the world 「天衢」 tr. “Heavenly Thoroughfare” 〔T09n0263 0105b26〕 | The name of the buddha Devadatta will become; his world is named Heavenly Path |
VI. Similes · Rhetoric
(1) The jewel-offering simile—the precious jewel worth an entire three-thousand-great-thousand world · the Buddha accepts it at once · buddhahood is swifter still — 〔T09n0262 0035c12〕: the dragon girl offers the jewel to the Buddha, and the Buddha accepts it at once. The speed of “the Buddha accepting the jewel” is set against “the speed of becoming a buddha.” Kuiji outlines four gateways—offering the jewel; returning the question; direct answer; concluding the simile—without extended explanation 〔T34n1723 0817a20〕. Zhiyi writes, 「獻珠表得圓解，圓珠表其修得圓因」 tr. “offering the jewel represents gaining perfect understanding; the round jewel represents her cultivation gaining the perfect cause” 〔T34n1718 0117a17〕. Jizang calls it 「舉喻總答」 tr. “raising a simile as the comprehensive answer” 〔T34n1721 0592c09〕.
Distinction: the jewel-offering simile belongs uniquely to this chapter and is not one of the seven parables of the Lotus. The seven are: the burning house in Chapter 3; the poor son in Chapter 4; the medicinal herbs in Chapter 5; the conjured city in Chapter 7; the jewel in the robe in Chapter 8; the jewel in the topknot in Chapter 14; the physician and his children in Chapter 16.
(2) The Buddha’s past-life search for the Dharma—the king serves a seer for a thousand years · makes his own body a bed and seat — 〔T09n0262 0034b24〕: in a past life, the Buddha was a king who relinquished the throne, served the seer Asi for a thousand years, and made his own body a bed and seat in order to seek the Lotus. This reveals that the sutra-upholder 「不悋軀命」 tr. “does not begrudge body or life.”
(3) The dragon girl becomes a man and a buddha—the transformation from woman to man — 〔T09n0262 0035c16〕: the dragon girl suddenly becomes a man and goes to the Stainless World in the south, where she attains complete awakening. 「轉女成男」 tr. “transforming from woman to man” is a later summary expression; the continuous phrase does not occur in the two commentaries. Jizang writes, 「本是女變為男」 tr. “originally a woman, she becomes a man” 〔T34n1721 0592b26〕.
VII. Cross-Reading · Carrying Forward
(1) Treatises and sutras upon which this chapter relies (cited by Kuiji’s Profound Praise · stable citations):
- Vasubandhu’s 《法華論》 (法華經論) — the fourth of the six predictions, the 「無怨記」 tr. “prediction of no resentment” 〔T34n1723 0815a14〕.
- The 《無垢稱經》 — the Vimalakīrti Sutra, on bodhisattvas manifesting as Māra kings 〔0815c20〕; the 《伽耶山頂經》 — the four arousings of mind mapped to the ten grounds, also cited by Jizang 〔T34n1721 0592b19〕; the 《超日明三昧經》 — the three separations and five hindrances of a woman’s body 〔0816c31〕; the 〈菩薩地〉 — the afflictions and defiled knowledge of a woman’s body 〔0817a16〕; the 《成實論》 — the four wheels that crush the eight difficulties 〔0816a03〕.
(2) Cross-reading within the Lotus:
- Devadatta’s prediction—an evil person becomes a buddha—and the dragon girl’s buddhahood—a female animal becoming a buddha in an instant → the most forceful proclamation in the Trace Gate that all sentient beings can become buddhas. It carries forward the Chapter on Skillful Means’ 「皆當作佛」 tr. “all shall become buddhas” after the three circuits of universal prediction have been completed.
- The pivot of the transmission of the Trace Gate—Zhiyi writes, 「雖迹門事訖、本門未彰」 tr. “although the affairs of the Trace Gate are complete, the Origin Gate has not yet been revealed” 〔T34n1718 0116c20〕 → Many Treasures remains, the Trace Gate draws to a close, and the way is opened toward the Origin Gate and the Chapter on the Lifespan.
(3) Carrying forward: Huizhao, a later Cien master, in 《法華玄贊義決》 T34n1724; Zhanran, a later Tiantai master, in 《法華文句記》 T34n1719. Each carries forward the reading of its own tradition; the lines are recorded without adjudicating.
VIII. Placement of the Editions
- 羅什 T262 (base text): 〈提婆達多品第十二〉 “Chapter 12, Devadatta” begins at 〔T09n0262 0034b23〕（卷四）. Past search for the Dharma 0034b24／serving the seer for a thousand years 0034c06 · the seer is Devadatta 0034c25／because he was the good friend 0034c26 · prediction of Heavenly King 0035a02／world named Heavenly Path 0035a04 · merit of hearing the chapter 0035a15／birth by transformation in a lotus 0035a18 · Accumulation of Wisdom and Mañjuśrī’s emergence 0035a22／emergence from the dragon palace 0035a24 · teaching only the Lotus 0035b12 · dragon girl eight years old 0035b15／arousing the mind in an instant 0035b18 · Accumulation of Wisdom does not believe 0035b25 · Śāriputra’s challenge 0035c06／the five obstacles of a woman’s body 0035c09 · offering the jewel 0035c12／buddhahood swifter still 0035c15 · becoming a man and a buddha 0035c16 · seen from afar and predictions received 0035c24／silent acceptance in trust 0035c25, ending at 〔0035c26〕 (the next chapter, 〈勸持品第十三〉 “Chapter 13, Exhortation to Uphold the Sutra,” begins at 0035c27). Source file: the Source-Text layer, verified word for word; twenty-five core doctrinal phrases verified word for word.
- 竺法護 T263 (included within 〈七寶塔品第十一〉 “Chapter 11, The Seven-Jeweled Stūpa”): the Devadatta-prediction passage begins at 〔T09n0263 0105a27〕 · the brahmin was Devadatta／Heavenly Thoroughfare 0105b19・0105b26 · dragon girl eight years old 0106a01 · not ascending the five stations／great being 0106a12 · wish-fulfilling jewel 0106a16 · became a male bodhisattva 0106a20 · thirty thousand on the path attained nonretrogression 0106a23 · silent and without words 0106a25.
- 添品 T264 (included within 〈見寶塔品第十一〉 “Chapter 11, Beholding the Jeweled Stūpa”): the Devadatta passage begins at 〔T09n0264 0169a03〕 · Devadatta’s prediction as Heavenly King 0169b03 · dragon girl eight years old 0169c20 · five obstacles 0170a12 · offering the jewel 0170a19／Stainless World in the south 0170a22 · receiving predictions 0170b03. 〔Nearly word for word the same as Kumārajīva, apart from occasional graphic variants.〕
- 窺基《玄贊》T34n1723 (the expository mirror): 〈提婆達多品〉 “Chapter on Devadatta” 〔0815a12〕—〔0817b02〕（卷八末）. Three-gateway distinction 0815a12／prediction of no resentment 0815a14／reason for the dragon girl’s attainment 0815a18 · explanation of the name Heaven-Given 0815a20／main-text division into adverse and favorable conditions 0815b03・0815b04 · five virtues of hearing the chapter 0815c28 · Heaven-Given’s manifestation 0815c20／0815c22 · four wheels crushing eight difficulties 0816a03／Mañjuśrī as favorable condition 0816a12／all entered the great vehicle from the śrāvaka vehicle 0816b08 · transforming out of female and animal form through the power of the sutra 0816b09 · dragon girl as the fourth arousal of mind, appearing in form, not literally so 0816c10／five obstacles in the Sutra of the Samādhi of the Supremely Radiant Sun 0816c31 · the Bodhisattva Ground on women’s afflictions 0817a16／four gateways of the dragon girl’s accomplishment and jewel offering 0817a20. The next chapter, 〈持品〉 “Chapter on Upholding,” begins at 〔0817b03〕.
- 智顗《文句》T34n1718 (parallel witness): 〈釋提婆達多品〉 “Explaining the Chapter on Devadatta,” 0114c17–0117a28 · raising the past to exhort the present and cause transmission 0115a13／the bodhisattva manifests heat and practices together with the illness 0115a11 · Devadatta as Heavenly King in the Puṇḍarīka Sūtra 0116c04 · the affairs of the Trace Gate complete, the Origin Gate not yet revealed 0116c20 · Accumulation of Wisdom’s separate-teaching doubt and the dragon girl’s revealing the perfect 0117a05／five hindrances 0117a17／jewel offering as perfect understanding 0117a17／in one thought sitting at the place of awakening, buddhahood not false 0117a20／the dragon girl’s teaching as provisional skillfulness and the samādhi that universally manifests bodies 0117a26／0117a28.
- 吉藏《法華義疏》T34n1721 (parallel witness): 〈提婆達多品第十二〉 “Chapter 12, Devadatta,” 0591b07–0592c10 · skillful means through opposition 0591b12／manifesting evil, good as real 0591b29 · Devadatta as original teacher and prediction given in return 0592a08 · praising the sutra’s swift power 0592b12／the four arousings of mind in the Sutra of the Summit of Mount Gayā, the dragon girl as the fourth 0592b19／swift skillful means, buddhahood in an instant 0592b22／originally a woman, becoming a man 0592b26／buddhahood in youthful purity 0592c02／unobstructed substance and function 0592c04. The history of formation appears separately in the fascicle-opening 〈料簡〉 “Analytical Determination,” under 「論品有無」 tr. “discussing the presence or absence of the chapter” 〔0452a18〕.
- Record of formation—the chapter originally absent from Kumārajīva · translated later and added by earlier worthies: the preface to the supplemented T264 by Jñānagupta and Dharmagupta states 〔T09n0264 0134c08〕, 「什所闕者……〈提婆達多品〉、〈普門品〉偈也」 tr. “What was absent from Kumārajīva … was the Chapter on Devadatta and the verse of the Chapter on the Universal Gateway”; at 〔0134c12〕, 「先賢續出，補闕流行」 tr. “earlier worthies subsequently translated them, supplementing what was absent and setting them in circulation”; at 〔0134c17〕, 「〈提婆達多〉通入〈塔品〉」 tr. “the Chapter on Devadatta was incorporated throughout into the Chapter on the Stūpa.” The collation note in Dharmarakṣa’s T263 states 〔T09n0263 0105a26〕, 『諸本此中加梵志品，各分為二十八品云』 tr. “Other manuscripts add the Chapter on the Brahmin here and are each divided into twenty-eight chapters”; the 宋元宮 witnesses title it 『正法華經梵志品第十二』 tr. “True Dharma Lotus Sutra, Chapter 12, The Brahmin.” Zhiyi cites the Catalog of Scriptures by Baochang in recounting the history of four translations and reports that Nanyue placed this chapter after the Chapter on the Jeweled Stūpa 〔T34n1718 0114c18〕. At the opening of his fascicle, Jizang cites the Song-Qi Catalog by Daohui: Faxian obtained this one chapter in Khotan; Fayi translated it in the eighth year of Yongming under the Qi; Paramārtha placed it after the Chapter on Beholding the Jeweled Stūpa 〔T34n1721 0452a20〕. These four ancient witnesses preserve side by side the documentary history of this chapter as a later translation added to supplement what was absent.