Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Fascicle 34 (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 truthfully awakening to and understanding the characteristic of the truth of origination, one must further correctly and truthfully awaken to the four contemplations of the truth of cessation. When the truth of origination is completely extinguished and brought to rest, it is called cessation (nirodha); when origination no longer arises, suffering ceases. When all suffering has ceased and no suffering remains, there is tranquility (praśama)—there is no longer any creation by the five aggregates nor any suffering experienced by the five aggregates; this is called tranquility. When the truth of suffering has thus been extinguished and stilled, it is foremost in the world, it is most excellent, it is unsurpassed; this is called the wonderful (maṅgala). Because it is everlasting and because one has departed from suffering forever, it is called escape (niḥsaraṇa). In this way, the yogi understands the characteristic of the truth of cessation through these four contemplations.

Through the four contemplations of cessation, tranquility, wonder, and escape, one understands the characteristic of the truth of cessation. The cessation of suffering comes about because origination has ceased: suffering is no longer accumulated through conditioned actions. The bodily, verbal, and mental actions of the five-aggregate body are all actions of suffering, especially unwholesome and evil bodily, verbal, and mental actions. When the mind no longer engages with and grasps at the worldly dharmas of the five aggregates, suffering is no longer accumulated, and tranquility is attained. After the mind attains tranquility, one becomes free and liberated; in the world this is marvelous and wonderful, because the world is universally filled with grasping and suffering—without tranquility, without freedom, without liberation—so life is not wonderful. A life of liberation and freedom is foremost and most excellent in the world, and therefore it is wonderful. After the cessation of suffering and liberation, there will be no more feelings of suffering; liberation is liberation forever, 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, wonder, and escape.