Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra asked Venerable Śāradvatīputra, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, when bodhisattvas wish to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, what kind of mindset should they engender?”

Śāradvatīputra said, “They should develop a mindset intent on the state of omniscience. In this way bodhisattvas will practice the bodhisattva teachings. Bodhisattvas who practice in this manner will dedicate any form of generosity toward the state of omniscience. If they dedicate toward the state of omniscience, they are embracing the perfection of generosity. However, if they do not dedicate in that manner, they may be generous, but it will not be the perfection of generosity.

“Moreover, Venerable Pūrṇa, bodhisattvas who are practicing generosity might think, ‘I will give some, but not all,’ or, ‘I should give this, but not that,’ or, ‘I will give to this one, but not to that one,’ or, ‘I should give what is inferior, but not what is excellent,’ or, ‘I will give to those who maintain their discipline, but not to those who don’t.’ If bodhisattvas think like that, it will create obstacles for their attainment of omniscience. Likewise, they should not think, ‘Omniscience is only attained after a very long time; it will be so long before I will attain omniscience.’ It is by giving evenly to everyone with an impartial attitude that they swiftly attain the state of omniscience.

“Venerable Pūrṇa, if bodhisattvas wish to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, that is how they should practice generosity. They should go beyond common generosity and complete the perfection of generosity. Imagine bodhisattvas who might feed as many beings as there are grains of sand in the Ganges and, after they have enjoyed their meal, distribute golden coins to them along with clothes to wear and fabrics made of golden threads. They may do so in the morning and then repeat this action at noon, in the afternoon, in the evening, at midnight, and also late in the night. And during all these times they may feed as many beings as there are grains of sand in the Ganges and shower them with gifts, continuing with their act of generosity in this way for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges. Still, unless they know how to dedicate the merit toward the state of omniscience, they may be generous, but they will not be practicing the perfection of generosity. On the other hand, if they know how to dedicate the merit in this way, bodhisattvas can take hold of the perfection of generosity.

“As bodhisattvas, they should not just give a lot to those around them. Why is that? Because if they are hoping to attain limitless qualities as well as the qualities of the bodhisattvas, a limited act of giving will be unable to bring about omniscience. If their generosity is limited, it cannot be the perfection of generosity. However, if their generosity is boundless, it becomes the perfection of generosity. Venerable Pūrṇa, in this way bodhisattva great beings should practice generosity that knows no bounds. And they should give while thinking that they will do so again and again. By means of this method, bodhisattvas will eradicate miserliness and take hold of omniscience. For that, they should think to themselves, ‘I will practice generosity in a boundless manner until I awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. When I awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, I will benefit other beings with the gift of the Dharma that is beyond worldly goods. Right now, and until I attain awakening, I will benefit them with material gifts. However, when I awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, I shall benefit others with the gift of the Dharma that is beyond worldly goods.’

“Venerable Pūrṇa, as an analogy, consider a servant of a king. He may attend on the king and offer his service. In return the king offers him meals and worldly gifts. As the servant attends on the king and offers his service, the king may be pleased with his service and offer him many hundreds of thousands of gemstones. Venerable Pūrṇa, likewise, bodhisattvas wish to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood and, in their attempt to make that happen, benefit limitless beings by offering them worldly goods. As they awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, they will guide and teach others by means of the gift of the Dharma that is beyond worldly goods. In this way they will liberate countless beings from the sufferings of cyclic existence.

“Venerable Pūrṇa, consider, as a further analogy, a royal prince. There may be many people who attend upon and serve such a prince. If he is pleased with their service, the prince may help them in return by having food prepared for them. One day the time will arrive for the prince to take over the kingdom and he will be anointed as the leader of the country. At that point he will look at his old servants, thinking, ‘These people stayed by me when I was a prince. At that time, I trained them and cared for them. But they also trained me and cared for me. So now I should grant them all types of benefits. I will install some of my servants as heads of villages, others as foremen, market managers, and city elders, and other in high posts in the villages.’

“Venerable Pūrṇa, in the same way, bodhisattva great beings who wish to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood benefit countless beings as they strive to attain awakening, showering them with worldly gifts such as clothes, food, bedding, mats, medicine, and medicaments. Just as the prince satisfied the needs of his servants by giving them food and drinks, so, Venerable Pūrṇa, do bodhisattvas engage in bodhisattva activity, thereby benefiting others with the gift of worldly goods. As they awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood and receive the anointment of nectar, they offer counsel and teachings by means of the gift of the Dharma, which is beyond worldly goods, according to the inclinations and intelligence of the listeners. As they explain and teach by means of the Dharma, which is beyond worldly goods, they establish some people in the state of a worthy one, some in the fruition of a non-returner, some in the fruition of a once-returner, some in the fruition of a stream enterer, some on the level of forbearance, some on the level of seeing, and some on the path of the ten virtuous actions.

“Venerable Pūrṇa, just as a crown prince grants benefits to his supporters at the time when he is anointed to rule the kingdom, so bodhisattva great beings will grant others whatever they desire when they awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. If bodhisattva great beings act in such an awakened manner, they will provide for others and, once they awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, grant them everything they need. In that case, bodhisattva great beings will be providing for others through their awakened activity and also provide for their livelihood after they awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. Even as they pass into nirvāṇa, they will provide for others.

“Venerable Pūrṇa, as an analogy, think of a person who serves a king. In return for that person’s services, the king will give him his fair share of food and clothing. Whenever the servant offers exceptional service to the king, the king will be pleased and delighted. In his delight, he will adorn the servant with hundreds of thousands of fine fabrics and gemstones and shower him with enjoyments. Likewise, Venerable Pūrṇa, bodhisattva great beings who are striving for awakening and wish to awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood will benefit limitless beings with gifts. Even as they awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, they will offer counsel and teachings to others by means of the gift of the Dharma, which is beyond worldly goods, thus freeing them from cyclic existence.”

Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra replied to Venerable Śāradvatīputra, “Venerable Śāradvatīputra, what you have said is true. Venerable One, as another analogy, people may live right next to a large deposit of gold ore, yet the gold ore on its own does not provide them a livelihood. It is only when it is mined that, before long, it can provide a livelihood to those people. When it is purified and refined, the actual gold emerges, and then it can provide people with a livelihood. As the gold is mined and smelted, the gold that is produced can now sustain the community, even if it is only a third or a fourth of the original ore. Venerable Śāradvatīputra, in the same way, bodhisattva great beings are never unable to sustain others. They provide for others as they practice for the sake of awakening. When they wish to dwell at the seat of awakening, they are providing beings with what they need. As bodhisattvas awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, they are providing sustenance for others. Even as they pass into nirvāṇa, they sustain others. Such capacities are lacking in the hearers and the solitary buddhas. It is because of such abilities that the bodhisattva great beings are said to be supreme, foremost, superior, preeminent, sublime, unsurpassed, and unexcelled.”

Then the Blessed One said to Venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, please make sure you remember, retain, and understand the elder Śāradvatīputra’s instructions on the perfection of generosity, including how bodhisattva great beings don heavy armor, enter the Great Vehicle, perfect their noble intention, and give away all their possessions!”

After the Blessed One had said this, Venerable Śāradvatīputra, Venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, Venerable Ānanda, the hearers, and the entire world, including its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas, rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said.