Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, why does the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha, who sees the truth, praise the abandonments of the bodhisattvas but not those of the hearers?”

The Blessed One said, “Pūrṇa, since you ask that, let me ask you a question in return. Bear with me as I give you a reply. Pūrṇa, tell me, do fireflies perform the same function as the sun when it comes to shining on the people of this earth?”

Pūrṇa said, “Honorable Blessed One, no, they do not.”

The Blessed One said, “Pūrṇa, similarly, the actions of the hearers cannot compare to the actions of the bodhisattva great beings. Pūrṇa, tell me, what types of action are the bodhisattvas engaged in?”

Pūrṇa said, “Blessed One, bodhisattva great beings are engaged in thoughts like, ‘I will bring all countless and limitless beings to nirvāṇa. I will make sure that the lineage of the Buddha remains uninterrupted.’ The hearers are not like that.”

The Blessed One said, “Pūrṇa, tell me, within this community of hearers, do you see even a single monk who is engaged in the actions that the bodhisattvas engage in?”

Pūrṇa said, “No, Blessed One, I do not.”

The Blessed One said, “Pūrṇa, it is because the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha perceives the power of these facts that he exclusively praises the abandonments of the bodhisattva great beings but not those of the hearers. Pūrṇa, as an analogy, the sun bathes all the people of this earth in a boundless light, whereas fireflies merely shine with a very limited glow that only illuminates themselves. Pūrṇa, in the same way, those who are following the vehicle of the hearers merely act to repel the trifling afflictions of their own being. On the other hand, Pūrṇa, bodhisattvas engage in actions aimed at bringing themselves and others to nirvāṇa, securing the welfare of countless and limitless beings, and repelling all afflictions. Pūrṇa, as an analogy, a master archer, who is familiar with weaponry and skilled in its use, may collect a yearly salary of one hundred thousand kārṣāpaṇa coins from the king. Whenever the time comes for the king to go into battle, the master archer will always wield his sword and loose his arrows without any hesitation, in a manner that no elephant rider, horse rider, or soldier can. Pūrṇa, in the same way, bodhisattva great beings will don armor for the sake of others who are involved in attachment, anger, and delusion, so that they can awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood for the sake of everyone else. Having awakened in this manner, they will also teach the Dharma so that others can abandon their attachment, anger, and delusion. Pūrṇa, thus the bodhisattva great beings don the great armor.”

Pūrṇa said, “As I understand the meaning expressed by the Blessed One, bodhisattva great beings never cease to rest in equipoise. Even when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of generosity, they rest in equipoise. Even when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of discipline, the perfection of patience, the perfection of diligence, the perfection of concentration, or the perfection of insight, they are resting in equipoise. Blessed One, let me give an analogy. Even if a beryl gemstone were placed in a golden vessel, it would not lose its precious nature. Likewise, neither would it lose its precious nature if it were placed in a silver vessel, a crystal vessel, or even an iron vessel. Even if it were placed in a clay pot or put in the soil, it would not lose its precious nature. Blessed One, likewise, even when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of generosity, they are resting in equipoise. Even when they practice the perfection of discipline, the perfection of patience, the perfection of diligence, the perfection of concentration, and the perfection of insight do they rest in equipoise. This is how I understand the meaning expressed by the Blessed One.”

Then the Blessed One said to Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, “Pūrṇa, excellent, excellent! Pūrṇa, that is correct! If bodhisattva great beings are free of desires and unwholesome wicked ways and possess conceptual and discursive thought, that freedom will cause them to accomplish and rest in the first concentration in which they feel well-being and bliss. However, as they maintain that first concentration level, should they wish for the levels of the hearers or the solitary buddhas, those bodhisattva great beings are distracted and should be known as bodhisattva great beings who are on the level of not resting in equipoise.

“Pūrṇa, moreover, if bodhisattva great beings are free from conceptual and discursive thought, have an inner lucidity and a one-pointed mind, the absorption in which there is no conceptual and discursive thought will cause them to accomplish and rest in the second concentration in which they feel well-being and bliss. However, as they maintain that second concentration level, should they wish for the levels of the hearers or the solitary buddhas, those bodhisattva great beings are distracted and should be known as bodhisattva great beings who are on the level of not resting in equipoise.

“Pūrṇa, moreover, when bodhisattva great beings are without attachment to joy, they can rest in equipoise while mindful, aware, and with an experience of physical pleasure. The noble ones describe this as a state of mindful and blissful equipoise. Thus they accomplish and rest in the third concentration, which is without joy. However, as they maintain that third concentration level, should they wish for the levels of the hearers or the solitary buddhas, those bodhisattva great beings are distracted and should be known as bodhisattva great beings who are on the level of not resting in equipoise.

“Pūrṇa, moreover, when bodhisattvas have abandoned both happiness and suffering, they are beyond happiness and suffering, since both happiness and unhappiness have subsided. At that point, as their equipoise and mindfulness are pure, they accomplish and rest in the fourth concentration. However, as they maintain that fourth concentration level, should they wish for the levels of the hearers or the solitary buddhas, those bodhisattva great beings are distracted and should be known as bodhisattva great beings who are on the level of not resting in equipoise.”

Pūrṇa asked, “Blessed One, what are bodhisattvas like who rest in equipoise?”

The Blessed One said, “Pūrṇa, when bodhisattva great beings observe anyone, regardless of who they are, they will think, ‘When I awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, I will guide this being.’ If they form this resolve, they are bodhisattvas who rest in equipoise. Pūrṇa, moreover, when bodhisattvas cause another being to take refuge in the three objects of refuge and dedicate the roots of virtue to the state of omniscience, they are bodhisattvas who rest in equipoise. Pūrṇa, moreover, if bodhisattvas establish another being in the five foundations for training and dedicate the roots of virtue toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening, they are bodhisattvas who rest in equipoise. Pūrṇa, moreover, if bodhisattvas establish another being on the path of the ten virtuous actions and dedicate the roots of virtue toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening, they are bodhisattvas who rest in equipoise. Pūrṇa, moreover, if bodhisattvas cause another son or daughter of noble family to take up, continue with, and remain in the practice of generosity as well as the practices of discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and insight, and dedicate the roots of virtue to the state of omniscience, they are bodhisattvas who rest in equipoise. Pūrṇa, moreover, even if bodhisattvas only rejoice in those who practice the perfections and dedicate the roots of virtue of rejoicing toward the state of omniscience, they are bodhisattvas who rest in equipoise and bodhisattvas who practice the perfection of concentration. Why is that? Because by doing so, they avoid forsaking their engagement with omniscience.

“Whenever they are not failing to be engaged with omniscience, they are practicing the bodhisattva great beings’ perfection of concentration. This is how bodhisattvas practice the perfection of concentration. When bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of concentration and rely on concentration, they awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. It is also by resting in the unwavering abode and relinquishing the continuation of life that the Thus-Gone One passes into nirvāṇa beyond further craving. Pūrṇa, in this way the perfection of concentration benefits the bodhisattvas who seek to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. Pūrṇa, apart from the concentration of a thus-gone one, the concentration of the bodhisattvas is said to be the best in comparison to any other form of concentration. It is supreme, foremost, superior, preeminent, sublime, unsurpassed, and unexcelled. Why is that? Because, Pūrṇa, the concentration of the bodhisattvas is always concerned with the state of omniscience, whereas the concentration of the hearers lacks any concern with omniscience.”

Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, when the hearers practice concentration, they do actualize the suchness that is the suchness of the blessed buddhas. So, Blessed One, why is the concentration of the hearers not the mind of omniscience?”

The Blessed One said, “Pūrṇa, since you ask that, let me ask you a question in return. Bear with me as I give you a reply. Pūrṇa, tell me, if a hearer practices concentration and actualizes the suchness that is the suchness of the blessed buddhas, is that hearer called a ‘Thus-Gone One’?”

Pūrṇa said, “No, Blessed One, he is not.”

The Blessed One said, “Let me give you another analogy, Pūrṇa. Since some dull-witted persons may understand what I am talking about by means of an analogy, let me use one. Pūrṇa, if, for example, a normal person takes a seat on a royal throne, does that act in itself make him a king?”

Pūrṇa said, “No, Blessed One, it does not. Why is that? Blessed One, because that man would still lack the characteristics of a king.”

The Blessed One said, “Pūrṇa, that is correct. The hearers may rest in equipoise in the first concentration as well as the second, third, and fourth concentrations. They may also rest in equipoise in the four attainments of the formless realm. They may even have actualized the suchness that is the suchness of the blessed buddhas. However, Pūrṇa, the hearers do not possess the qualities of the Buddha, such as the ten powers and the four types of fearlessness, nor do they have omniscient wisdom. It is because they lack these qualities of the thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha that they are called ‘the Thus-Gone One’s hearers.’ The hearers’ concentrations lack the qualities of the Buddha and they do not amount even to one percent of the concentrations of the bodhisattvas. Nor do they count for a thousandth or a hundred thousandth of that. In fact, no number, fraction, enumeration, analogy, or comparison would suffice. Why is that? Because, Pūrṇa, when bodhisattva great beings rest in the perfection of concentration, they do not lose sight of the state of omniscience and they purify the buddha realms. As the bodhisattvas practice and rest in attainment in this way, there is no one among the hearers or solitary buddhas who can comprehend the way they practice and the way they rest in attainment.”

Pūrṇa asked, “Blessed One, what is this practice of the bodhisattva great beings called?”

The Blessed One said, “Pūrṇa, this practice of the bodhisattvas is called ‘the inconceivable practice.’ Why is that? Pūrṇa, it is called this since this practice brings about the qualities of omniscience. Pūrṇa, therefore this practice is also called ‘the practice that aims to benefit all worlds.’ Why is that? Because, Pūrṇa, the bodhisattva great beings rest in equipoise in this practice for the sake of limitless beings. It is due to this practice of resting that the bodhisattvas, as they awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, attain the undefiled concentrations that allow them to instruct, teach, and guide limitless and endless beings. Pūrṇa, in this way, this practice of resting by which the bodhisattva great beings practice is called ‘the practice that aims to benefit all worlds.’ Pūrṇa, in this way, since the bodhisattva great beings seek to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, they must train in the perfection of concentration and accomplish the perfection of concentration.”