World religion: Because equanimity is an essential Buddhist virtue

The English word equanimity refers to a state of calm and balance, especially in the midst of difficulties. In Buddhism, equanimity (in Pali, upekkha; in Sanskrit, upeksha) is one of the four immeasurable virtues or four great virtues (along with compassion, loving kindness and sympathetic joy) that the Buddha taught his disciples to cultivate.

But is being calm and balanced all for equanimity? And how does equanimity develop?

Upekkha Definitions of Upekkha
Although translated as "equanimity", the precise meaning of upekkha seems difficult to define. According to Gil Fronsdal, who teaches at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California, the word upekkha literally means "looking beyond". However, a Pali / Sanskrit glossary that I consulted says that it means “not taking note of it; ignore".

According to the monk and scholar Theravadin, Bhikkhu Bodhi, the word upekkha was incorrectly translated in the past as "indifference", which led many in the West to erroneously believe that Buddhists should be detached and indifferent to other beings. What it really means is not to be governed by passions, desires, likes and dislikes. Bhikkhu continues,

“It is uniformity of the mind, unshakeable freedom of the mind, a state of inner balance that cannot be upset by gain and loss, honor and dishonor, praise and guilt, pleasure and pain. Upekkha is freedom from all points of self-reference; it is indifference only to the needs of the ego-self with its desire for pleasure and position, not for the well-being of its own kind. "

Gil Fronsdal says that the Buddha described the upekkha as "abundant, exalted, immeasurable, without hostility and unwillingness." It's not the same as "indifference", is it?

Thich Nhat Hanh states (in The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching, p. 161) that the Sanskrit word upeksha means "equanimity, non-attachment, non-discrimination, equanimity or letting go. Upa means "above", and iksh means "to look". ' Climb the mountain to be able to look at the whole situation, not bound by one side or the other. "

We can also look to the life of the Buddha as a guide. After his enlightenment, he certainly did not live in a state of indifference. Instead, he spent 45 years actively teaching dharma to others. For more information on this topic, see Why do Buddhists avoid attachment? "And" Why posting is the wrong word "

Standing in the middle
Another word pali which is usually translated into English as "equanimity" is tatramajjhattata, which means "to be in the middle". Gil Fronsdal says that "being in the middle" refers to a balance that derives from inner stability, remaining centered when surrounded by riots.

The Buddha taught that we are constantly being pushed in one direction or another by things or conditions that we desire or hope to avoid. These include praise and guilt, pleasure and pain, success and failure, gain and loss. The wise person, said the Buddha, accepts everything without approval or disapproval. This constitutes the core of the "Middle Way which constitutes the core of Buddhist practice.

Cultivating equanimity
In her book Comfortable with Uncertainty, Tibetan professor Kagyu Pema Chodron said: "To cultivate equanimity, we practice capturing ourselves when we experience attraction or aversion before it hardens into grasping or negativity."

This obviously links to awareness. The Buddha taught that there are four frames of reference in awareness. These are also called the four fundamentals of awareness. These are:

Mindfulness of body (kayasati).
Awareness of feelings or sensations (vedanasati).
Mindfulness or mental processes (citizenship).
Mindfulness of objects or mental qualities; or awareness of dharma (dhammasati).
Here, we have an excellent example of working with awareness of feelings and mental processes. People who are not aware are perpetually made fun of by their emotions and prejudices. But with awareness, recognize and recognize feelings without letting them control.

Pema Chodron says that when feelings of attraction or aversion arise, we can "use our prejudices as stepping stones to connect with the confusion of others." When we become intimate and accept our feelings, we see more clearly how everyone is captured by their hopes and fears. From this "a wider perspective can emerge".

Thich Nhat Hanh states that Buddhist equanimity includes the ability to see everyone equal. "We have eliminated all discrimination and prejudice and removed all the boundaries between ourselves and others," he writes. "In a conflict, even if we are deeply concerned, we remain impartial, capable of loving and understanding both sides".