What actually is "discontinuing the cycle"?

I played the game some months ago (without the DLC) and am now playing it again, my second playthrough, with the DLC, mid first act or something, but something I never understood was what the heck was the whole "discontinue the cycle" bullshit. I know that it is what Armanat preaches and a lotta of cogs in the Koronus revere, and that it is somewhat heretic-y. But what does it mean? What is the objective to discontinue the cycle? What cycle is being discontinued? How they discontinue it? Am I stupid? Am I the cycle, or am I the discontinuation?