English
And likewise, it should be applied in the same way up to old age and death. Venerable one, Blessed One, since it is absolutely impossible to find ignorance as an existing entity, how could the term for non-existent ignorance become a Bodhisattva? It should be applied in the same way up to old age and death. Just as it was taught in the section on aggregates, everything should be applied extensively. The Blessed One said: "Son of Sharadvati, well done, well done! Bodhisattva Mahasattva, abiding in the Perfection of Wisdom in this way, does not perceive the mere term of form. Applying it in the same way, he does not perceive the mere term between form and non-existence. Likewise, the mere terms of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are not perceived, and applying it in the same way, the mere term between consciousness and non-existence is not perceived. Applying it in the same way, the mere term between ignorance is not perceived, and the mere term between old age and death is not perceived, and the mere term between non-existence is not perceived. It should be applied in the same way as it was taught in the section on aggregates. In this way, one should train in the Perfection of Wisdom." From the Hundred Thousand Verses on the Perfection of Wisdom, this is called the chapter on the mere terms of Bodhisattvas, the fifth.