“Threefold contemplation” actually refers to both “threefold cessation” (śamatha) and “threefold insight/contemplation” (vipaśanā). Chih-i’s mature development of this concept is succinctly presented in an early section of the [Great Concentration and Insight], where he discusses the meaning of chih-kuan. Chih-i first discusses three kinds of “skillful cessation”: cessation as true insight into the essence of reality as empty of substantial Being; cessation as insight into reality as expedient conventional existence, which arises through conditions; and cessation as putting an end to both extremes of discriminatory conceptual categories. These are described in more detail as follows:

Cessation as Insight into the True Essence of Reality

This cessation is the step of advancing beyond “naïve realism,” wherein one accepts the substantial existence of objective reality, to realizing the emptiness of all things and the lack of any substantive Being. As Chih-i says:

All dharmas arise through conditions. [Things which arise through] conditioned co-arising are empty and without self- Being. … Since one knows the conditioned co-arising, conventional confluence, illusory transformation, and empty nature [of all things], this is called their essence. Conceptualized delusions come to an end upon realizing emptiness; therefore emptiness is [the nature of] true [reality]. Therefore this is called “cessation as insight into the essence of true reality.” [T 46, 24a3-6]

Cessation as Insight into Expedient Conditions

This refers to the contemplation of and insight into reality as the conventional existence of all things which arise through conditioned co-arising, which Chih-i calls “the non-emptiness of emptiness.” The emptiness of all things does not mean nothingness. Their conventional existence as interdependent entities is real. As Chih-i says:

Those of the two vehicles [accept only emptiness as] the essence of true [reality], so they do not consider as necessary the “cessation of expediency” [insight into reality as conventional existence]. Bodhisattvas understand conventional existence and should put it into practice. They know that emptiness is not empty [i.e., not nothingness], therefore this is called an “expedient means”. One discriminates and chooses medicine in accordance with the disease, therefore it is called “in accordance with conditions” . The mind is at rest with regard to the mundane truth, therefore it is called “cessation.” [T. 46, 24a9-11]

Cessation as an End to both Discriminatory Extremes

This refers to the contemplation of and insight into the synonymous nature of both “extremes” of emptiness and conventional existence. A discriminatory and one-sided attachment to either concept of emptiness or conventional existence is mistaken. One must realize that both “emptiness” and “conventional existence,” if correctly understood, refer to the same thing, and that reality is simultaneously empty of substantial Being and conventionally existent. As Chih-i says:

[To think that] saṃsāra flows and moves and that nirvāṇa is a [constant and inactive] maintenance of an awakened state is a one-sided view of practice and activity, and does not correspond to the Middle Path. Now, if one knows that the mundane is not mundane, then the extreme [view] of the mundane is put to rest, and if one realizes the non-mundane [nature of conventional existence], then the extreme [view] of emptiness is put to rest. This is called “cessation as an end to both extremes.” [T. 46, 24a13-15]

Chih-i admits that “the names of these three cessations are not to be seen in the Sūtras and Sāstras, but they have been given names according to their meaning with reference to threefold contemplation.”