Understanding the Aspect of the Truth of Cessation through the Four Characteristics

Original text of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Fascicle 34: 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: The mark of the truth of cessation is made clear through the four practices of cessation (nirodha), tranquility (praśama), excellence, and release. After correctly and truthfully awakening to and understanding the mark of the truth of origination, one must further correctly and truthfully awaken to the four practices of the truth of cessation. When the truth of origination is completely extinguished and brought to rest, it is called cessation; when origination no longer originates, suffering ceases. When all suffering of the truth of suffering has ceased with no remaining suffering, there is tranquility—there is no longer any formation of the five aggregates nor any suffering endured by the five aggregates; this is called tranquility. When the truth of suffering is thus extinguished and tranquil, it is foremost in the world, it is most excellent, it is unsurpassed; this is called excellence. Because it is everlasting and because one is forever liberated from it, it is called release. In this way the yogi makes clear the mark of the truth of cessation through the four practices of cessation, tranquility, excellence, and release.

Suffering ceases because origination has ceased—there is no longer any accumulation of suffering-formations. The bodily, verbal, and mental actions of the five-aggregate body are all suffering-formations, especially unwholesome and evil bodily, verbal, and mental actions. When the mind does not engage with and cling to the worldly dharmas of the five aggregates, suffering is not accumulated, and tranquility is attained. After the mind attains tranquility, there is freedom and liberation; within the world this is wondrous, because the world is universally filled with clinging and suffering—without tranquility, freedom, or liberation, life is not wondrous. A life of liberation and freedom is the foremost and most excellent in the world, and therefore it is beautiful and wondrous. 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—suffering is left behind forever, and therefore it is called release. In this way, the mark of the truth of cessation is very clearly revealed through the four practices of cessation, tranquility, excellence, and release.