reading some other Suttas of that Sutta group will help understand.
like https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
Paccha-bhumika Sutta SN 42.6
a quote from there:
"Suppose a man were to throw a large boulder into a deep lake of water, and a great crowd of people, gathering & congregating, would pray, praise, & circumambulate with their hands palm-to-palm over the heart [saying,] 'Rise up, O boulder! Come floating up, O boulder! Come float to the shore, O boulder!' What do you think: would that boulder — because of the prayers, praise, & circumambulation of that great crowd of people — rise up, come floating up, or come float to the shore?"
"No, lord."