Equanimity (Upekkha)


"Luminous, monks, is the mind.[1] And it is defiled by incoming defilements." {I,v,9}
"Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is freed from incoming defilements." {I,v,10}
"Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is defiled by incoming defilements. The uninstructed run-of-the-mill person doesn't discern that as it actually is present, which is why I tell you that — for the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person — there is no development of the mind." {I,vi,1}
"Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is freed from incoming defilements. The well-instructed disciple of the noble ones discerns that as it actually is present, which is why I tell you that — for the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones — there is development of the mind." {I,vi,2}


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A classic text on the Ten Paramis, translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi is online, here:

http://www.midamericadharma.org/gangessangha/ParamisTreatise.html

Equanimity is the tenth. Here is a little from that wonderful teaching:

(10) Equanimity has the characteristic of promoting the aspect of neutrality;
its function is to see things impartially;
its manifestation is the subsiding of attraction and repulsion:
reflection upon the fact that all beings inherit the results of their own kamma is its proximate cause.
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seattlegal said:

"Luminous, monks, is the mind.[1] And it is defiled by incoming defilements." {I,v,9}
"Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is freed from incoming defilements." {I,v,10}
"Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is defiled by incoming defilements. The uninstructed run-of-the-mill person doesn't discern that as it actually is present, which is why I tell you that — for the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person — there is no development of the mind." {I,vi,1}
"Luminous, monks, is the mind. And it is freed from incoming defilements. The well-instructed disciple of the noble ones discerns that as it actually is present, which is why I tell you that — for the well-instructed disciple of the noble ones — there is development of the mind." {I,vi,2}


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If it is the ordinary mind which is spoken of, why the necessity for instruction to develop the mind? Clearly the instruction is bringing us to something, it is bringing us to understand what is before the mind. When we detach from the mind, we can use it freely as it is rightly intended, but ordinarily we are too much involved in its rambling and reactionary nature.

Upekkha is not possible when we believe ourselves the mundane mind, this is why there are at least three words for mind in Buddhism. These point to thinking, consciousness and awareness.

You are only the awareness, and only here is there nirvana.
 
The most basic of Buddhist instruction is about watching the mind, watching the thoughts as they come and go... why?

It is for no reason other than to discover our correct position.

Only the watcher, the pure awareness, is real.
 
Now, if anger is there, perfectly good, just watch.
If love is there, perfectly good, just watch.
If you are happy or sad, simply watch.
All that arises will fall, so why get caught in any of it?
By feeding it, you only keep it here longer.

By permitting all to come and go without judgment, this is Upekkha.
It cannot happen by knowledge, it cannot happen by thinking.
You are again caught in the mental activity, and feeding it.
It is why we meditate, to learn to not react to what arises.
And eventually to silence the mind.
This is often called no mind.

It simply means non-activity of the mind.
It is the whole point of all koans.
 
How can we see what truly is when the mind constantly projects onto everything?
What good is our mind when seeing a beautiful flower or sunset?
It will only spew useless information about these things.
Taking us far away from the beauty of life.

The mind is never concerned with this moment, because it cannot survive here.
It needs to bring in the past, the future, as a pendulum it moves between them.
Enlightenment is when the pendulum stops moving.
Nirvana is this moment alone.
 
The Original Mind of the Theravedins is not other than the no-mind of Zen.
Thinking is how the Original Mind becomes modified.
No mind is its purification, the dropping of thoughts.
Our identifications, our beliefs, so much of our life is down to thought alone.
Without all of this, there is only Buddha, the naked Self.
 
brijesh said:
If i am right? Duty is very cheep thing. It creates burden. It is love for others and dharma for self....
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Allow me to return to this post which is about 9 months old, but requires an answer. Considering duty (dharma) cheap is ignorance. 'Dharma' includes all actions in life, for others as well as self. Love for others also is 'dharma', a feeling that one should have.
 
Aupmanyav said:
Allow me to return to this post which is about 9 months old, but requires an answer. Considering duty (dharma) cheap is ignorance. 'Dharma' includes all actions in life, for others as well as self. Love for others also is 'dharma', a feeling that one should have.
Click to expand...

Dharma is what is.

Nothing can be excluded, but nothing in particular is included.

It is simply what is here, always, ever present.

Dharma is now without mental fabrications about it.

Yet even mental activity can be there.

Ignorance can be there, as can knowledge.

It is the space in which all else is happening.

It is everything that happens.

Yet beyond it all.

It is the oneness of life.

Inseparable from anything in life.

Dharma is.
 
Whether God or Brahman, Sunyata or Tao, Awareness or Self.

Dharma is another word for this list.

Just another word used as a placeholder for what is Real, Truth.

Language falls short, but we go on talking about it.

To talk about it, we must give it a name.

Man has many names for it.

Yehwey, Allah, Omkar, it is irrelevant.

It is just life, happening now.

Whatever is here, it is the expression of that.

The formless beyond all forms, the creator of all which appears.

The ocean in which all waves rise and fall.

It is you.
 
We take ourselves to be a particular arising.

This body, this mind, these experiences, this is me.

No, you are the one that goes on watching these and all else.

All is happening within you.

Do not accept my word, I am a reminder.

This too is happening within you.

Find out who you are.

Look.

This simple looking is what is meant by meditation.

Do not overlook the meditator.

That is another thought arising in you.

Where are these arising from?

Find their source.
 
Its actually the last link in the chain of development. Althought people generally love it, there are differend kinds of Upekkhā.
One under those is one that the Buddha always "fighted against", what he did not for the most of other ideas, since the so called "equanimity of the householder" actually closes the door to the Dhamma an insight for liberation for very long time.
Actually most of so called buddhist teachers are actually teaching such and the biggest branches make good livelihood with it.


Its good to learn to investigate of what is good and bad, skillful and unskilful even till the highest peak.
 
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