Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra now asked Venerable Śāradvatīputra, “Venerable One, if this state of mind should happen to become distracted what would its essence be and what would it entail?”

Venerable Śāradvatīputra replied, “Venerable Pūrṇa, whenever bodhisattvas think in ways that are related to the level of the hearers or the level of the solitary buddhas, it should be understood that the bodhisattvas’ mind has become contaminated; these are incorrect ways of thinking for bodhisattva great beings. Why is that? Because awakening has no essence. If bodhisattva great beings’ thoughts become desirous, or angry, or deluded, such thoughts should not be viewed as contaminating the bodhisattvas’ mind. Why is that? Because such thoughts are helpful insofar as they create the impetus for the bodhisattvas’ further existence. They also bring about their transition into the omniscient state. Moreover, it is due to such thoughts that bodhisattvas take on a body. Lastly, due to their skill in means, just as they can dedicate the merit created by the six perfections, so bodhisattva great beings can make use of disturbing emotions to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.

“Venerable Pūrṇa, any thought that poses an obstacle to the state of omniscience should be understood as contaminating a bodhisattva great being’s state of mind. What does that mean? It refers to the states of mind associated with the levels of the hearers and the solitary buddhas. They should be regarded as contaminating the mind. The occurrences of other states of mind that accord with existence do not, however, contaminate bodhisattva great beings’ minds. If you wonder why such thoughts are desirable, it is because bodhisattva great beings must wear the armor of never tiring of cyclic existence. As such thoughts manifest, they come to take on new modes of rebirth. As they take on such modes of rebirth, bodhisattvas are able to practice the perfection of generosity. Likewise, they become able to engage in the perfection of discipline, the perfection of patience, the perfection of diligence, and the perfection of concentration. They are also able to train in the perfection of insight. Therefore, those thoughts that perpetuate existence are desirable for bodhisattva great beings until they finally sit at the seat of awakening.

“Venerable Pūrṇa, bodhisattva great beings should therefore never be discouraged by disturbing emotions. If you wonder why disturbing emotions are desirable for bodhisattvas, it is because bodhisattvas benefit from them. If disturbing emotions had physical form, I would venerate them with great respect. Why is that? Because they possess such helpful qualities. If skillfulness had a form, I would venerate it as respectfully as if it were the Thus-Gone One. Why is that? Because skillfulness prevents one from cutting the ties to existence. It also increases the six perfections, refines them, and accomplishes the state of omniscience. The more one’s skillfulness increases the six perfections, refines them, and accomplishes the state of omniscience, the more the ties to existence are diminished, exhausted, and weakened.

“Venerable Pūrṇa, as an analogy, when a chariot is fully loaded, its central axle gets increasingly worn out the farther it travels. The load weighs heavily on the central axle so that it becomes worn out and weakened under the weight. Then, when the chariot finally enters the city, it may break down, now that the journey is over. Venerable Pūrṇa, likewise, any ties that cause bodhisattva great beings to have further existences only cause them to embrace such further existence. The more bodhisattvas manifest rebirth, the more they are able to refine the six perfections. The more they are able to refine the six perfections, the more the ties to existence are weakened. The more the ties to existence are weakened, the closer they are to the omniscient state. Then, when eventually bodhisattva great beings attain omniscient wisdom at the seat of awakening, those ties to existence no longer have a function, just as the central axle on the chariot no longer is needed once it arrives in the city. Just as the axle no longer functions once it breaks in the city, the bodhisattvas’ ties to existence no longer function once the bodhisattva great beings attain the omniscient state. Why is that? Because the bodhisattvas have completed their task.

“Whenever bodhisattva great beings are being scolded and rebuked by others, those bodhisattva great beings should say, ‘I deserved that!’ They will then be generous toward the ones who scolded them and in this way these people will have benefited the bodhisattva great beings. With that attitude they will also arouse the mind set upon the omniscient state. You should understand that this whole mental process is beneficial for attaining the omniscient state. Venerable Pūrṇa, you must understand that any state of mind, apart from those entertained by the hearers and solitary buddhas, is helpful for the bodhisattva great beings.”

Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra said to Venerable Śāradvatīputra, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, it should be understood that even the hearers and the solitary buddhas are helpful in this regard. The hearers are instructed and taught by means of the six perfections and so, since they are also brought to apply the perfections, they become recipients of the bodhisattva great beings’ generosity. Therefore, they also assist with regard to the omniscient state. Because the solitary buddhas are likewise recipients of the bodhisattvas’ generosity in this regard, they also benefit them.”

Venerable Śāradvatīputra said to Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, “Venerable Pūrṇa, that is correct. Anyone who is taught and instructed by means of the perfections is also an object of the bodhisattvas’ generosity. In this way even the hearers benefit the bodhisattvas. Since the solitary buddhas are also recipients of such generosity, they also benefit the bodhisattvas’ attainment of omniscience. For that matter, when the bodhisattvas practice generosity and dedicate it toward the state of omniscience, no matter who is the object, it will help bodhisattvas to attain that state.

“However, Venerable Pūrṇa, bodhisattvas should not entertain any mind state of the hearers or wish for their level. Why is that? Because bodhisattvas should turn away from such a level. Likewise, neither should they entertain any mind state of the solitary buddhas or wish for their level. Why is that? Because they should turn away from such a level. However, Venerable Pūrṇa, the hearers and the solitary buddhas themselves do benefit and so, Venerable Pūrṇa, there is no phenomenon that does not benefit a skillful bodhisattva toward reaching the state of omniscience.

“The attitude and consciousness of the worthy ones benefit bodhisattvas because without them there would be nothing from which bodhisattvas turn away. In this way, bodhisattvas must avoid engendering the attitude of the worthy ones; their states of consciousness are not equal. They should abandon such an attitude, and instead arouse the attitude set upon attaining the state of omniscience. In the same way, the attitude and consciousness of the solitary buddhas also help the bodhisattvas to reach the state of omniscience. For without the attitudes and consciousnesses of the worthy ones and the solitary buddhas, the bodhisattvas could not be benefited. Why is that? Because a bodhisattva great being’s state of mind is unique among all defiled and undefiled mind states. Compared to any other mind state—excluding the mind of a thus-gone one—the mind of a bodhisattva is supreme, foremost, superior, preeminent, sublime, unsurpassed, and unexcelled. Therefore, Venerable Pūrṇa, these two levels can be beneficial to the bodhisattva great beings for reaching the omniscient state. In fact, there is no observable phenomenon that is not beneficial to skillful bodhisattvas for reaching the state of omniscience.

“Moreover, Venerable Pūrṇa, when bodhisattva great beings practice the perfection of generosity, they should not conceive of the object that is offered in a conceptual manner. Instead, bodhisattvas should give free of any concepts and then dedicate the merit toward the state of omniscience. When giving in this manner, it will be of benefit. Without abandoning conceptuality in this way, they will never attain perfect awakening.

“Attaining omniscience is a great attainment. In comparison, securing a profit of millions of gold coins, or hoarding millions of gemstones, should not be considered a great achievement. Moreover, to give objects away in a manner that is beyond conceptuality and thereby awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood is the most exalted attainment of all. Even if one were to attain the kingdom of a universal monarch of the four continents, but not abandon conceptuality, it would not be a great achievement. And even if one were to rule the desire realm, yet did not abandon conceptuality, it would not be a great achievement. On the other hand, if one abandons concepts and attains the result of a stream enterer, a once-returner, a non-returner, a worthy one, or a solitary buddha, that should be recognized as a much greater achievement. Still, abandoning conceptuality and attaining unsurpassed and perfect awakening is the greatest attainment of all. Such an attainment is much greater than any of those other achievements. This attainment by the bodhisattva great beings is unequaled; it is the attainment of the state of a thus-gone one. One should not be concerned with any objects that are apprehended conceptually, such as clothes, food, bedding, seats, medicines, or other implements. Why is that? Because they belong to the realm of concepts. Anyone who gives away their clothes, food, bedding, seats, medicines, and other implements while skillfully dedicating the merit will attain omniscience. Therefore, one should recognize that the attainment of a bodhisattva great being is supreme. One should address such bodhisattvas with these words, ‘You are bound to become omniscient. Why is that? Because all inner and outer entities are devoid of an essence, and thus you scarcely apprehend any objects conceptually. This is why you will attain omniscience. Anyone who ever attained this mind state, as well as all those who attain it now, and those who ever will attain this state, are certain to attain omniscience.’ ”

Venerable Śāradvatīputra said to Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, “Venerable One, which classification of the bodhisattvas does this refer to? This relates to the category of the bodhisattvas’ skillfulness. Why is that? Because if these beings understood how to attain omniscience, all beings would attain omniscience. Nevertheless, none of them are interested in omniscience; none of them arouse that attitude. Therefore, as they do not engender the mind set upon omniscience, neither do any of them attain that state. It is those who are devoted to the state of omniscience and set their mind upon it who attain that state. After they set their mind upon omniscience, they also come to understand that any object that they give away does not truly exist. So they tell themselves, ‘These entities that I perceive are an illusion. They are not actually the way that I perceive them conceptually.’ In this way they further develop their charitable attitude and generosity and do not cling to things. However, even though the object is illusory, other beings do not understand that and so they continue to cling so intensely to things and are unable to give them away. Being unable to give anything away, they are gripped by miserliness. And due to miserliness they take birth in the lower realms where they end up destitute. In this way, if one is unable to give away or make use of an object, that object can become the cause of miserliness and birth in the lower realms. Whenever skillful bodhisattva great beings understand this, they will tell themselves, ‘This object is illusory and the act of giving it away is also illusory. That which is illusory does not really belong to me, nor can it truly be given away. Why is that? Because it is illusory. Nonetheless, I will now make an extensive gift of it!’

“By being generous in this manner, those bodhisattvas will begin to emulate the blessed buddhas. They are amazed by the statement of the blessed buddhas—who only explain well and free from any error—that the mark of giving away illusory objects is full awakening to perfect buddhahood. In this regard, as bodhisattva great beings then begin to emulate the blessed buddhas, they will not develop any clinging to these objects but will be inclined to offer them to others in a similar way. They should also appreciate the hardship their teachers underwent to show bodhisattva great beings that the objects and circumstances they encounter are without characteristics. Venerable Pūrṇa, you should think, ‘This is how bodhisattva great beings seek to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, thereby attaining the state of omniscience.’ Venerable Pūrṇa, in case you should think, ‘This teaching is due to Śāradvatīputra’s eloquence,’ that is not the case, since I have delivered this teaching due to the blessings of the Thus-Gone One.”

Then the Blessed One spoke to Venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, please pay attention to the discourse of the elder Śāradvatīputra. You should remember it, retain it, recite it, and master it.”