By the power of the Buddha, Venerable Śāradvatīputra now saw a blessed buddha teaching the Dharma in a world that was one hundred thousand worlds away. The Blessed One then asked Venerable Śāradvatīputra, “Śāradvatīputra, do you see that thus-gone one teaching the Dharma in that world, which is one hundred thousand worlds away?”

Venerable Śāradvatīputra said, “Blessed One, yes, I see him. But, Blessed One, who is he? And what is that buddhafield called?”

The Blessed One said, “Śāradvatīputra, that world is called Torch and the blessed buddha who teaches there is called Moonlight. In that world there is also a hearer known as Head, who possesses miraculous abilities. With these abilities he lifted up from another realm Mount Meru, the king of mountains, with his bare hands and hurled it up into the Brahmā realm. However, while he was doing so, one bodhisattva remarked, ‘Apart from the discipline of a thus-gone one, the discipline of the bodhisattvas is supreme when compared to any other form of discipline, whether defiled or undefiled! By this statement, just as the Thus-Gone One speaks the truth, may the truth, the true statements, and the blessings of the truth cause Mount Meru, the king of mountains, to stay suspended in the sky just where it is.’ Accordingly, Mount Meru, the king of mountains, has remained suspended in that very place in the sky.”

Then the Blessed One asked Venerable Śāradvatīputra, “Śāradvatīputra, do you see Mount Meru, the king of mountains, suspended in midair there in the sky?”

Śāradvatīputra said, “Yes, Blessed One, I see it.”

The Blessed One said, “Śāradvatīputra, that bodhisattva has consecrated Mount Meru, the king of mountains, by means of the truth, saying, ‘May Mount Meru, the king of mountains, not fall to earth! May it go to the very place it came from!’ ”

Venerable Śāradvatīputra said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, if one intends to surpass the discipline of the bodhisattvas, that amounts to intending to abandon the discipline of the Thus-Gone One. Why is that? Because the discipline of the bodhisattva great beings cannot be surpassed.”

Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra asked Venerable Śāradvatīputra, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, is it not possible to surpass the discipline of a bodhisattva who has regressed?”

Venerable Śāradvatīputra said, “Venerable Pūrṇa, since bodhisattvas maintain the mind of awakening, they cannot regress. If one regresses, that person should not be called a bodhisattva. Venerable Pūrṇa, as an analogy, if a master archer fails to hit a target with his arrow, he should not be called a master archer. Venerable Pūrṇa, likewise, if the mind and thoughts of bodhisattvas are not directed toward the state of omniscience, or if they practice generosity, observe discipline, cultivate patience, apply diligence, rest in concentration, or cultivate insight without dedicating the merit toward the state of omniscience, such bodhisattvas should not be described as observing discipline. Venerable Pūrṇa, even if bodhisattvas do not know how to dedicate toward the state of omniscience and accordingly do not perform any dedication of merit, it could still be said that they observe discipline as long as they abstain from any dedication aimed at the levels of the hearers or the solitary buddhas. However, it is by proper dedication that bodhisattva great beings genuinely uphold the perfection of discipline.

“Venerable Pūrṇa, that said, some bodhisattvas only awaken after a long time while others, who are skilled in means, can awaken in a short time. Nevertheless, Venerable Pūrṇa, the first type of bodhisattva, who is not skilled in means and therefore takes a long time to awaken, is not like those beings who fall easily into the levels of the hearers and solitary buddhas. As such, they are not like someone who easily and swiftly escapes the threat of bandits. Venerable Pūrṇa, in that way, bodhisattvas who take a long time to awaken are different from those who fall easily into the levels of the hearers and solitary buddhas.

“The bodhisattvas who are skilled in means and wish to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood can be of two kinds. Either they actualize the limit of reality or they swiftly awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. Venerable Pūrṇa, think of the analogy of a burning house that contains a collection of gemstones. If the people who live in that house are fond of gemstones, two scenarios are possible: either they remain in the house and die in the fire or they pick up the gemstones and escape. Venerable Pūrṇa, likewise, for the bodhisattvas who are skilled in means and wish to swiftly awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, two scenarios are possible: either they actualize the limit of reality or they swiftly awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.”

Venerable Pūrṇa asked, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, are bodhisattvas who actualize the limit of reality considered skilled in means?”

Venerable Śāradvatīputra said, “Venerable Pūrṇa, no, bodhisattvas who actualize the limit of reality are not considered skilled in means. Why is that? Because falling into the levels of the hearers and solitary buddhas does not make bodhisattvas skilled in means. In fact, it means that they are not skilled in means. Venerable Pūrṇa, moreover, when bodhisattvas are practicing for the sake of awakening, it is improper to think, ‘May I awaken to unsurpassed perfect buddhahood swiftly, but not other bodhisattvas!’ This type of improper attitude is a fault in their discipline. Venerable Pūrṇa, moreover, it is improper for bodhisattvas to think, ‘I practice vast generosity, I observe discipline, I cultivate patience, I apply diligence, I rest evenly in concentration, and I apply the perfection of insight. But other bodhisattvas do not.’ Such an improper attitude is a fault in their discipline. Venerable Pūrṇa, moreover, it is improper for bodhisattvas to think, ‘I know how to genuinely dedicate merit, yet other bodhisattvas do not.’ Such an improper attitude is a fault in their discipline. Venerable Pūrṇa, moreover, it is improper for bodhisattvas to think, ‘With just a single offering of a meal and a single arousal of the mind of awakening I can surpass all other bodhisattvas, even if they were to live for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, constantly offering food worthy of a universal monarch.’ Such an improper attitude is a fault in their discipline. Even though such bodhisattvas may generally be skilled in means, they should not be described in that way as long as they have such thoughts. Why is that? Because bodhisattvas do not conflict with other bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas do not despise other bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas do not mistreat other bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas respect other bodhisattvas, just as they would respectfully serve the Thus-Gone One.”

Venerable Pūrṇa asked, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, why should only bodhisattvas be served with respect? Should we not attend to other beings respectfully?”

Venerable Śāradvatīputra said, “Yes, Venerable Pūrṇa, indeed we should respect all beings and serve them devotedly, just as we would serve the Thus-Gone One. Likewise, when bodhisattvas see another bodhisattva, they should serve that person with respect. Likewise, if they see a practitioner who observes pure conduct, they should also serve that person with respect. In the same way, they should serve all other beings with respect. Thus, bodhisattvas should serve others with an attitude of humbleness, respect, politeness, and humility. They should do so while forming the resolve, ‘Once I have awakened to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, I will bring these beings to the state beyond suffering and teach them the Dharma so that they may be free of afflictions.’ Venerable Pūrṇa, in this way bodhisattva great beings should be humble and loving toward others. They should be the best among beings. They should also bring out the best in them. Why is that? Because the best is buddhahood. Thus, bodhisattvas should love all other beings while inspiring them to take the Lord of the Dharma as their master.”