《大般若经》卷424云：

　　尔时，具寿舍利子问善现言：「云何菩萨摩诃萨修行六种波罗蜜多时净菩提道？」

　　善现答言：「舍利子！六波罗蜜多各有二种。一者、世间。二者、出世间。」

　　舍利子问：「云何世间布施波罗蜜多？云何出世间布施波罗蜜多？」

　　善现对曰：「舍利子！若菩萨摩诃萨为大施主，能施一切沙门、婆罗门、贫病、孤露、道行、乞者，须食与食，须饮与饮，须乘与乘，须衣与衣，须香华与香华，须庄严具与庄严具，须舍宅与舍宅，须医药与医药，须灯明与灯明，须坐卧具与坐卧具，如是一切随其所须余资生具悉皆施与。

　　若复有来乞男与男，乞女与女，乞妻妾与妻妾，乞官秩与官秩，乞国城与国城，乞王位与王位，乞头目与头目，乞耳鼻与耳鼻，乞手足与手足，乞支节与支节，乞血肉与血肉，乞骨髓与骨髓，乞僮仆与僮仆，乞生类与生类，如是一切随其所求内外之物悉皆施与。

　　虽作是施而有所依，谓作是念：『我施彼受，我为施主，我不悭贪，我随佛教一切能舍，我行布施波罗蜜多。』彼行施时以有所得而为方便，与诸有情平等共有，回向无上正等菩提。

　　复作是念：『我持此福施诸有情，令获此世后世安乐，乃至证得无余涅槃。』

　　彼着三轮而行布施。何等为三？所谓自想、他想、施想。

　　由着此三轮而行施故，名世间布施波罗蜜多。

　　何缘此施名为世间？以与世间同共行故，不动不出世间法故，由斯故说世间布施波罗蜜多。

　　白话翻译：

　　那时，舍利子问善现说：「什么是菩萨修六度的时候所行的清净菩提心之道呢？」

　　善现回答：「舍利子！六度各有二种：一者、世间。二者、超越世间。」

　　舍利子问：「什么是世间的布施？什么是超越世间的布施？」

　　善现回应：「舍利子！若有菩萨作为大施主，能布施一切修行人、贫穷病苦的人、无依的孤儿、远行的旅者、乞丐，他们须要饮食给与饮食，须要交通给与交通，须要衣服给与衣服……等等，这样一切随他们所须求的内外身物都给与。

　　虽然作了这些布施而心中仍有所依赖，所谓想说：『我布施、他接受，我是布施者，我没有悭贪心，我随顺佛陀的教法一切事物都能施舍，我修行布施。』他修行布施的时候是以心有所获得(或成就)做为修行的方法，去与众生平等地共同分享，以此回向无上菩提。

　　又心里作这样的想法：『我拿自己的这些福报布施给众生，令他们获得今世及后世的安乐，乃至最后证得涅槃解脱。』所以这位菩萨是执着三轮而修行布施的。

　　什么是三轮呢？所谓心里存着『自己』、『别人』及『布施』的想法。

　　由于执着这三轮而去修行布施，所以称之为世间布施。

　　为何此布施叫做世间呢？因为它与世间是一样的行为，不能动摇、不能超出世间的状况，因此称之为世间布施。

　　English translation:

　　《The Mahaprajnaparmita Sutra》 fascicle 424 states:

　　At the time, Venerable Sariputra asked Venerable Subhuti: "What is the pure Bodhicitta path when the Bodhisattva cultivates the six paramitas?"

　　Subhuti (his name literally means "Good Existence": Su - "good"; bhūti - "existence") replied: "Sariputra!  There are two kinds of six paramitas: first, secular and second, supramundane."

　　Sariputra (his name literally means "son of ?ārī”: ?ārī - the name of his mother which means a bird with large and beautiful eyes; putra - “son”) asked: "What is secular generosity? What is supramundane generosity?"

　　Subhuti answered: "Sariputra! If there is a Bodhisattva who is a great and generous donor capable of providing to all spiritual practitioners including those who live in the agony of poverty in addition to all the helpless orphans, travelers, and beggars. If they need nourishment, he provides food. If they need transportation, he provides transportation. If they need warmth, he provides clothing and shelter, etc. In this way, the Bodhisattva fulfills both their internal and external material needs.

　　Although he practices such immense generosity, there are still the following lingering thoughts of attachment and clinging in his mind: "I gave. He accepted. I am a benefactor. I did not have the mind of greed or covetousness. I followed the teachings of the Buddha and gave everything for the sake of charity. As such, I practiced generosity." When he practices generosity, he cultivates with the mind of attainment or achievement as a means of sharing with all other beings equally and transferring these merits toward the realization of the highest enlightenment.

　　Again, his mind is contemplating the following thoughts: "I took my fortunate retributions and gave them to all beings, so that they might attain well-being in the present and future lives and even at last realize Nirvana (or liberation)." In essence, this Bodhisattva cultivated generosity with attachments to the three aspects of giving.

　　What are the three aspects of giving? They are so-called having thoughts of the “self”, “others,” and “the act of giving.”

　　Since this cultivation of generosity is practiced with attachments to the three aspects of giving, it is appropriately called the secular generosity.

　　Why is this generosity considered as secular?  The reason is because it possesses the same attributes as the world.  In other words, it cannot remove and not capable of transcending worldly circumstances.  As such, it is deemed as secular generosity."?

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