Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Volume 43 (52)

Original text:于集谛相正觉了已。复正觉了如是集谛。无余息灭。故名为灭。一切苦谛无余寂静。故名为静。即此灭静。是第一故。是最胜故。是无上故。说名为妙。是常住故。永出离故。说名为离。如是行者由四种行。了灭谛相。

Explanation: After correctly and truly understanding and awakening to the characteristic of the truth of origination, one must further correctly and truly awaken to the four contemplations of the truth of cessation. When the truth of origination is completely extinguished and ceased, it is called cessation (nirodha); when the truth of origination no longer accumulates, suffering ceases. When all suffering of the truth of suffering has ceased with no remaining suffering, at that point there is tranquility—there is no creation by the five aggregates and no suffering endured by the five aggregates; this is called tranquility (praśama). When the truth of suffering has thus ceased and become tranquil, it is the foremost in the world, the most excellent, the unsurpassed; this is called excellence. After the truth of suffering has ceased, there is no remaining suffering, and suffering will never arise again; such a state exists forever, having forever escaped from suffering; this is called escape. In this way, the yogi clearly understands the characteristic of the truth of cessation through the four contemplations of cessation, tranquility, excellence, and escape.

Through the four contemplations of cessation, tranquility, excellence, and escape, one clearly understands the characteristic of the truth of cessation. The cessation of suffering is because origination has ceased; suffering is no longer accumulated through volitional formations. The bodily, verbal, and mental actions of the five-aggregate body are all suffering-formations, especially unwholesome and bad bodily, verbal, and mental actions. When the mind no longer clings to the worldly dharmas of the five aggregates, suffering is no longer accumulated, and tranquility is attained. After the mind attains tranquility, one is freely liberated; in the world this is wondrous and marvelous, because in the world there is universally clinging and suffering—no tranquility, no freedom, no liberation—so life is not marvelous. A life of liberation and freedom is the foremost and most excellent in the world, and therefore marvelous. After the cessation of suffering and liberation, there will be no more feelings of suffering; liberation is eternal liberation, with no regression into the realm of ignorance and afflictions, forever free from suffering—therefore it is called escape. In this way, the characteristic of the truth of cessation is very clearly revealed through the four contemplations of cessation, tranquility, excellence, and escape.