As long as even a man of great wisdom, such as Śāriputra, only desired to obtain enlightenment for himself and to be saved for his own sake, he could not possibly bridge the great gulf between his own and the Buddha’s enlightenment, though he had already nearly attained the Buddha’s enlightenment. However, he was able to leap the gulf at the moment when he realized that real salvation consists in one’s own salvation together with that of all other people.

This is the true meaning of the Buddha’s words, “The buddhas teach only bodhisattvas.” He said this in order to explain that only bodhisattvas, those who practice to save all living beings, can grasp the true teachings of the Buddha.