I had some questions about Equanimity - Upekkha, and happened to come accross this beautiful Sutta, and just couldn’t resist sharing it
I was prompted in my search by a teaching I listened to (not explicitly EBT based), that had Equanimity as its subject. Long story short - it presented Upekkha as a skill to be learned in order to navigate the turbulence of life - using simmilies of learning to balance on a bicycle in order to ride along a road, or learning how to sail a boat in order to navigate waves smoothly. I was really surprised by this, as I had understood Equanimity to be more of a state of understanding, perceiving the world as it is, and no longer being subject to the effect of ‘the waves’ - to actually just see all surface variations as being (almost indistinguishable) surface phenomena and not worth responding to.
I would be most appreciative if anyone has any EBT links that cover this topic.
However, what this then indicates is that, Equanimity is still a conditioned phenomena, as per
While a mendicant is meditating—diligent, keen, and resolute—the faculty of equanimity arises. They understand: ‘The faculty of equanimity has arisen in me. And that has a precursor, a source, a condition, and a reason. It’s not possible for the faculty of equanimity to arise without a precursor, a source, a condition, or a reason.’ They understand the faculty of equanimity, its origin, its cessation, and where that faculty of equanimity that’s arisen ceases without anything left over. And where does that faculty of equanimity that’s arisen cease without anything left over? It’s when a mendicant, going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters and remains in the cessation of perception and feeling. That’s where the faculty of equanimity that’s arisen ceases without anything left over. They’re called a mendicant who understands the cessation of the faculty of equanimity, and who applies their mind to that end.” sn48.40 / sujato
Well ‘not being moved by the eight worldly winds’ requires understanding.
However it is a feeling as well an outcome of the practice:
That’s why it’s called lay equanimity. When hearing a sound with the ear … When smelling an odor with the nose … When tasting a flavor with the tongue … When feeling a touch with the body … When knowing a thought with the mind, equanimity arises for the uneducated ordinary person—a foolish ordinary person who has not overcome their limitations and the results of deeds, and is blind to the drawbacks. Such equanimity does not transcend the thought. That’s why it’s called lay equanimity. These are the six kinds of lay equanimity.
15 [13]>(SuttaCentral)And in this context what are the six kinds of renunciate equanimity? When you’ve understood the impermanence of sights—their perishing, fading away, and cessation—equanimity arises as you truly understand through right understanding that both formerly and now all those sights are impermanent, suffering, and perishable. Such equanimity transcends the sight. That’s why it’s called renunciate equanimity. When you’ve understood the impermanence of sounds … smells … tastes … touches … thoughts—their perishing, fading away, and cessation—equanimity arises as you truly understand through right understanding that both formerly and now all those thoughts are impermanent, suffering, and perishable. Such equanimity transcends the thought. That’s why it’s called renunciate equanimity. These are the six kinds of renunciate equanimity. MN137
