Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra said to Venerable Śāradvatīputra, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattvas awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, do all beings venerate them as masters of the Dharma, so that they explain and teach them? Venerable Śāradvatīputra, as an analogy, if a magician, or the skilled apprentice of a magician, were to conjure up an army with four divisions along with a magically created king, would the illusory soldiers not think that they had a king to rule them?”

Venerable Śāradvatīputra said, “No, Venerable One, they would not.”

Venerable Pūrṇa asked, “Well, would that king not think that the four divisions of his army existed?”

Venerable Śāradvatīputra said, “No, Venerable One, he would not.”

Venerable Pūrṇa said, “All of the four divisions of the army are immaterial and unreal. Since they are immaterial and unreal, no one would install himself as their ruler. When the Blessed One says that all phenomena are illusory, then what is to be looked upon as being supreme? Which phenomena do bodhisattvas view as supreme? And what is it that establishes itself as being supreme?”

Venerable Śāradvatīputra said, “Venerable Pūrṇa, if bodhisattvas observe phenomena, they are not engaged in the perfection of insight. It is whenever they do not observe any phenomena that bodhisattvas become inseparable from the perfection of insight. That is the bodhisattvas’ skill in means. The bodhisattvas’ perfection of discipline is to not regard any phenomenon as supreme, and then to become nonregressing from that state. Those who are nonregressing masters of illusory phenomena, and who strive and perceive the results yet do not observe any phenomena whatsoever, are called bodhisattvas who don the great armor of diligence because they are nonregressing from that state. In general, the worlds of gods, humans, and asuras will all perish. Within this state, however, nothing comes to an end. In this way, as they realize this identity and attain unsurpassed and perfect awakening, they will expound on the nature of peace using names, words, and letters.

“The nature of all phenomena is ineffable. Venerable Pūrṇa, while all phenomena are clearly visible, they are nonetheless indescribable. When bodhisattvas awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, they announce to beings, ‘I clearly perceive reality! Although it may be realized, it cannot be shown. Still, I teach it the way I have realized it. Even so, it cannot be taught to anyone, nor will it ever be taught to anyone.’ Therefore, the minds of bodhisattva great beings who wish to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood are nonregressing and never discouraged. If they are diligent at all times and dedicate that perfection of diligence toward the state of omniscience, then that is the perfection of discipline. If they dedicate that perfection of diligence toward the state of omniscience, then the perfection of discipline will be a pure form of discipline. Merely by dedicating toward the state of omniscience the discipline of bodhisattvas becomes pure.”

Venerable Pūrṇa said, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, how does one dedicate illusory phenomena toward the state of omniscience?”

Venerable Śāradvatīputra said, “Venerable Pūrṇa, if these phenomena were not illusory, it would be utterly impossible to dedicate them toward omniscience. It is precisely because these phenomena are illusory that it is possible to dedicate them toward omniscience. That is why the bodhisattvas’ effort is so powerful and their diligence so complete.”

Venerable Pūrṇa said, “That powerful effort, what does it support?”

Venerable Śāradvatīputra said, “It is the basis for being skilled in means. On the basis of such skill in means, they think, ‘In this way should I skillfully relate to these phenomena.’ Thus they do not habituate themselves to them, nor fall into the limit of reality. As an analogy, think of a man standing on top of a tall cliff, holding an umbrella tightly in his two hands. Even if he were to step right up to the edge, look down into that terrifying abyss, and extend his foot into the empty sky, the wind would hold up the umbrella and, due to its strength, prevent him from falling. In this way the man standing at the edge of the cliff would be supported by the umbrella, which would be pushed up by the wind, even as he stepped into the void. In this way he would be able to look into the abyss without falling.

“Venerable Pūrṇa, likewise, bodhisattva great beings who are skilled in means rely on skillful means and, with great compassion, behold illusory phenomena and understand them precisely as they are. As they employ skillful means, they do not fall into cultivating these phenomena, and do not become discouraged. They also do not have realization with regard to these phenomena. Why is that? The terrifying abyss from the analogy represents realizing the emptiness of all phenomena. You should understand that this is how bodhisattva great beings don the great armor and, employing skillful means, come to possess the sacred accumulation of the perfection of discipline. The discipline of bodhisattvas refers to not perceiving any phenomena, whether actually formed or realized. You should know that this is the bodhisattvas’ perfection of discipline. Bodhisattva great beings who are upholding the perfection of skillful means are also upholding all of the other perfections. Bodhisattva great beings who are never apart from any of the perfections are standing at the gateway to omniscience from where they proceed, having surpassed the hearers and the solitary buddhas. That is because they have set their mind on the precious gem of omniscience.

“Venerable Pūrṇa, as an analogy, consider a man who goes into a cave only to discover that everywhere the walls are filled with gems, gold, and silver. The farther he goes into the cave, the more gems, gold, and silver he discovers and now he even notices clusters of pearls. If he should become attached to his discovery, he would miss out on the truly priceless gems in the cave. If, however, he does not get attached to all the gems, gold, silver, and clusters of pearls, he could set those aside, find where the truly priceless gems are, and take possession of them. Venerable Pūrṇa, likewise, if bodhisattvas who are not skillful praise the levels of the hearers and solitary buddhas as well as their miraculous and supernatural abilities, they might begin to long for those states. In that case they will have been diverted away from the precious gem of omniscience. Venerable Pūrṇa, when skillful bodhisattvas praise the levels of the hearers and solitary buddhas, they do so without any mental involvement and while continuing to surpass them. They do not even feel the slightest attachment to them, nor any clinging or desire for them. Without any desire or concern for them, they are able to surpass them. And why must they do that? Because the levels of the hearers and solitary buddhas present an obstacle to attaining omniscience. It is by going beyond these two states that they can gradually attain the precious gem of omniscience.

“Venerable Pūrṇa, if that man is able to rise above his attachment to the gems, gold, silver, and clusters of pearls, he can stay in the cave and enjoy the truly priceless valuables that he now possesses. In fact, he can even share them all with others. Venerable Pūrṇa, likewise, skillful bodhisattva great beings do not savor their experiences and thus they are able to rise above these two levels and gradually attain the state of omniscience. However, if bodhisattva great beings should become attached to those two levels, they would no longer possess skillful means. Therefore, it is due to embracing skillful means that they do not place any trust in those two levels. As long as they have not awakened to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, bodhisattvas do not place their trust elsewhere.”

Venerable Pūrṇa asked, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, what does it mean that nonregressing bodhisattva great beings do not place their trust elsewhere?”

Venerable Śāradvatīputra said, “It is not that they should distrust the six perfections. It is by becoming familiar with the six perfections that they soon shall awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. Therefore, bodhisattvas think, ‘I will engage in the six perfections with the same urgency as if my hair and clothes were on fire, so that I can awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood in a short span of time.’ Moreover, Venerable Pūrṇa, bodhisattvas who wish to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood might get the thought, ‘May this discipline of mine enable me to possess all the marks of a buddha!’ If that happens, it means that the bodhisattvas are engaged in thinking. And any type of thinking should be acknowledged as a fault in the bodhisattvas’ discipline. It is therefore not appropriate for bodhisattva great beings to strive for unsurpassed and perfect awakening simply for the sake of attaining these marks. If bodhisattvas think of the marks as being supreme, it means that they cling excessively to discipline.”