Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Volume 34 (53)

Original text: 于灭谛相正觉了已。复正觉了真对治道。于所知境。能通寻求义故。能实寻求义故。由于四门随转义故。一向能趣涅槃义故。所以说名道如行出。如是行者由四种行。了道谛相。如是名为于四圣谛。自内现观了相作意。

Explanation: After the practitioner has correctly and truly awakened to the characteristic of the truth of cessation, he must finally also correctly and truly awaken to the path that is genuinely cultivated as the antidote to suffering; only then can suffering be extinguished and liberation attained. Regarding the knowable object, because he is able to comprehensively seek its true meaning, and able to truthfully seek its true meaning, this is called "such" (如). Because it turns in accordance through four gates, and because it invariably leads toward nirvāṇa, it is therefore named path (道), such (如), practice (行), and emergence (出). In this way, the practitioner, through these four practices, comprehends the characteristic of the truth of the path. This is called the contemplative practice of discerning characteristics through direct realization from within, regarding the Four Noble Truths.

What does the true antidotal path refer to? "Path" refers to the manner, method, or route; "antidote" refers to counteracting the afflictions of greed, hatred, delusion, and ignorance in the mind. Ignorance is not knowing suffering, not knowing the accumulation of suffering; therefore one must counteract this not-knowing and transform it into knowing. If there were no ignorance, no antidote would be needed. The path cultivated in order to extinguish suffering and sever accumulation is called the path; the process of extinguishing suffering is precisely cultivating the path—cultivating precepts, meditation, and wisdom, the thirty-seven aids to enlightenment, and contemplating and practicing contemplation of the Four Noble Truths. This is the practice of the path (道行).

The practice of "such" (如行) is making the mind accord with the truths and principles of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self. Regarding the knowable object of the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths, one can thoroughly and deeply contemplate its true principle, can truthfully contemplate and practice its Dharma principles, and comprehend the correct principle contained in the knowable object, thereby realizing the truth of the Four Noble Truths. The practice of "practice" (行行), on the basis of the practice of "such" having severed ignorance, involves the transformation of mental formations: all one's mental formations accord with the truths one has cognized, no longer contradicting the true principles of suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self. The practice of "emergence" (出行) is that through cultivating the path, afflictions are severed, bodily, verbal, and mental actions become pure, one no longer grasps at the world of the five aggregates, one becomes tranquil and unconditioned, mind and body are liberated, one turns toward nirvāṇa, accords with nirvāṇa, emerges from the three realms, and is liberated from the suffering of the cycle of birth and death.

Through the four practices of path, such, practice, and emergence, the truth of the path is comprehended. From the above four practices it can be seen that in the process of cultivating the path, precepts, meditation, and wisdom grow; one's cognition of the world of the five aggregates accords with true principle; ignorance becomes thinner and afflictions become lighter; mental formations no longer contradict the noble path; the world of body and mind gradually transforms; when purity reaches a certain degree and accords with the path and accords with the noble sages, the noble path is realized. It is not that the transformation of body and mind only slowly begins after realizing the fruits; if one does not transform body and mind to accord with the noble sages, one cannot become a noble sage. It is just like a student taking an examination: if he does not pass, he cannot be admitted—the principle is the same.