what exactly is equanimity?
https://dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=21428&p=303689&hilit=
Is there an answer to my question in that thread somewhere? If so, could you copy and paste it here, please.
Just pasting a link to another forum thread is not very helpful…
Living in the world of appearances:
“And what are the six kinds of household equanimity? The equanimity that arises when a foolish, deluded person — a run-of-the-mill, untaught person who has not conquered his limitations or the results of action [2] & who is blind to danger [3] — sees a form with the eye. Such equanimity does not go beyond the form, which is why it is called household equanimity.”—MN 137
" “And what are the six kinds of renunciation equanimity? The equanimity that arises when — experiencing the inconstancy of those very forms, their change, fading, & cessation — one sees with right discernment as it actually is that all forms, past or present, are inconstant, stressful, subject to change: This equanimity goes beyond form, which is why it is called renunciation equanimity. (Similarly with sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations, & ideas.)”
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This might be the quote for that:
Therein, by relying on the six kinds of renunciate equanimity, give up the six kinds of lay equanimity.
Tatra, bhikkhave, yā cha nekkhammasitā upekkhā tā nissāya tā āgamma, yā cha gehasitā upekkhā tā pajahatha tā samatikkamatha.
–MN137
Metta is like the sun in the midday sky because it is all encompassing in its acceptance without attraction or craving. Metta would not allow us to resent a loved one or an enemy for taking the last of the ice cream.
Karuna is like the promise of the setting sun that precedes the sunrise. It frees us from the futility of fighting the night and allows us to work towards the coming day.
‘I’ve developed the heart’s release by compassion. I’ve cultivated it, made it my vehicle and my basis, kept it up, consolidated it, and properly implemented it.
Yet somehow the thought of harming still occupies my mind.’
They should be told, ‘Not so, venerable! …
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Neutral feelings occur when there’s no pleasant or unpleasant feelings present. Equanimity is when aversion or delight/cravings were expected but due to the presence of wisdom there’s no such reaction. Peace prevails, instead. If something bad happens but we’re are able to stay without reacting, but responding well to the situation, that is equanimity.
Sankharaupekkha is when all aggregates regarded equanamously, when they are seen with insight according to commentaries.
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I’d like to explore more what a layman’s or ignorant equanimity is exactly? Is it just plain indifference…
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The layman’s equanimity is a ‘feeling’ in this EBT’s context. It’s just when you don’t particularly feeling pleasure or pain. A higher version of this is the equanimity of the fourth jhana - but the equanimity arrived at by insight, is the one Buddha praised. It’s said that craving must be removed from pleasant feeling, aversion must be removed from unpleasant feeling and ignorance must be removed from equanimity -MN44 SuttaCentral
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“plain indifference” is an excuse for prejudice:
making decisions prejudiced by favoritism, hostility, stupidity, and cowardice.
Interestingly. I found this only in DN33.
So you are saying upekkha is synonymous with “neutral” feeling? If that were so then logically positive feeling would be the same as dosa and negative feeling the same as lobha, no?
I’m not sure how you mean prejudice and indifference is connected? The quote from DN33 just lists 4 kinds of prejudice, no connection to indifference (or “equanimity”)…
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The inference is a personal observation that:
- Favoritism is the indifference to needs of others.
- Hostility is the indifference to the value of others.
- Stupidity is the indifference to the intelligence of others.
- Cowardice is the indifference to the pain of others.
Indifference is divisive. Equanimity is inclusive.
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It would seem that this EBT is talking about the mental reaction to a sound, sight, etc.
A pleasant sight may give rise to somanassa or happiness. The happiness is a mental fabrication. Similarly some sights give rise to equanimity.
The emotion of equanimity might have arisen from a neutral feeling which is inherently part of the stimuli.
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We have to be aware of near enmy and far enemy of Upikkha.
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Great dhamm sermon by Ajahn Punnadhammo in relation to equanimity.
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The above video is based on Visuddhimagga.
P152
Equanimity is of ten kinds; six-factored equanimity, equanimity as a divine
abiding, equanimity as an enlightenment factor, equanimity of energy,
equanimity about formations, equanimity as a feeling, equanimity about insight,
equanimity as specific neutrality, equanimity of jhána and equanimity of
purification
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Equanimity of unknowing:
“When one of deluded temperament sees any sort of visible object, he copies what others do, if he hears others criticizing, he criticizes, if he hears others praising, he praises; but actually he feels equanimity in himself- the equanimity of unknowing.”— Vism. III, 94
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Beautifully poetic…
@SarathW1 I think this “near enemy” “far enemy” business is one of the few instances where the Abhidhamma (canonical or post-canonical?) sheds light instead of obfuscating.
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I found this quote which I think sums up the difference between spiritual and worldly upekkhā:
“Equanimity or equipoise, upek(k)hā, from an etymological perspective suggests a mental attitude of “looking upon”, not an indifferent “looking away”.”
-Bhikkhu Anālayo , “Compassion and Emptiness in Early Buddhist Meditation”
So it is not a feeling; it is an attitude. Of course, you can relate it to neutral feeling as much as positive and negative feelings can be related to their relative spiritual/worldly mental factors.
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According to Abhidhamma it is a feeling and a beautiful mental state.
https://accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mendis/wheel322.html
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