How do you develop equanimity ( upekkhā )? Are there specific practices, or is it really a result of developing samatha, vipassana, etc?
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As per MN118, the development of the awakening factor of equanimity comes after the mind has been immersed in samadhi, as per text in bold below:
Whenever a mendicant meditates by observing an aspect of the body… feelings … mind … principles, at that time their mindfulness is established and lucid.
At such a time, a mendicant has activated the awakening factor of mindfulness; they develop it and perfect it.
As they live mindfully in this way they investigate, explore, and inquire into that principle with wisdom.
At such a time, a mendicant has activated the awakening factor of investigation of principles; they develop it and perfect it.
As they investigate principles with wisdom in this way their energy is roused up and vigorous. At such a time, a mendicant has activated the awakening factor of energy; they develop it and perfect it.
When you’re energetic, spiritual rapture arises.
At such a time, a mendicant has activated the awakening factor of rapture; they develop it and perfect it.
When the mind is full of rapture, the body and mind become tranquil.
At such a time, a mendicant has activated the awakening factor of tranquility; they develop it and perfect it.
When the body is tranquil and one feels bliss, the mind becomes immersed in samādhi.
At such a time, a mendicant has activated the awakening factor of immersion; they develop it and perfect it.
They closely watch over that mind immersed in samādhi.
At such a time, a mendicant has activated the awakening factor of equanimity; they develop it and perfect it."
Source:
SuttaCentral
From the order in which the words show up in the sutta quoted above, one should expect that the really powerful development of equanimity as a factor of awakening shold take place in a broader context of cultivation of the four foundations of mindfulness and the usual preceeding awakening factors of mindfulness, investigation of the principles, energy, rapture, tranquility, immersion/samadhi.
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An equanimity meditation I was taught some years ago was to review different groups of people (yourself, people close to you, neutral people, people you don’t like, people you don’t know, etc) and think variations on the following:
X is the heir of their own actions. Their happiness or unhappiness depends upon their actions, not on my wishes.
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Normally equanimity flows out of meditation. But that takes time. If your daily equanimity blows out like a candle in a hurricane, you may find it helpful to simply consider the implications of “When this is, that is; this arising, that arises”.
For example, if plagued by delight arising, consider the inevitable suffering that also arises (bills, broken goods, poor fit, etc.). Or if plagued by angry people, consider the root of their own sorrow and extend metta to that. Or if plagued by despair, find and consider the root delusion that brought it to life. This consideration of inevitable pairings is quite useful in a coarse way. It’s coarse because it’s volitional and lacks the letting go of meditation. But there are times in the stress of daily life where we feel caught in fight/flight. Considering both halves of any experience can provide some measure of balance and may help one arrive at a skillful or even somewhat skillful reaction. Eventually your meditation will catch up and help you just see the pairings without getting caught in them.
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What @Gabriel_L refers to is the 7 Awakening Factors (satta bojjhaṅgā), which could be seen as the perfection of upekkhā (maps onto 4th jhāna as well). I think there are some lesser cultivations too though. For instance, in Ānāpānassatisutta MN118:
https://suttacentral.net/mn118/en/sujato#sc14
rid of desire and aversion for the world.
and in some suttas on “sense restraint”, for instance, SN35.94:
https://suttacentral.net/sn35.94/en/sujato#sc4
When you’ve seen pleasant sights
and unpleasant ones, too,
get rid of desire for the pleasant,
without hating what you don’t like.
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Sadhu sadhu sadhu! I agree. Equanimity indeed is a result of deep immersion of one’s mind into samadhi. Ever since i started practicing anapana sati, vipassana and metta, i find myself handling tricky situations and tough decisions better than before. It is hard work but it pays off so very well.
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Does this relate to disenchantment ( nibbida )?
Yes, this kind of approach would tie in with equanimity being one of the four brahma-viharas.
