The Nine Kinds of Equanimity (Upekkhā) as Explained in the Sutta Piṭaka by Bhante Dr. G. Chandima | dCRADLE (Centre of Research and Dhamma Leadership Enhancement)
2. Equanimity (Upekkhā) as a Brahma-Vihāra
3. Equanimity (Upekkhā) as an Enlightenment Factor
4. Equanimity (Upekkhā) of Energy
5. Equanimity (Upekkhā) about Formations
6. Equanimity (Upekkhā) as a Feeling
7. Equanimity (Upekkhā) about Insight
8. Equanimity (Upekkhā) of Jhāna
9. Equanimity (Upekkhā) of Purification
1. Six-factored Equanimity (Upekkhā)
The six-factored equanimity connects upekkhā to all six senses, allowing a monk to remain equanimous, mindful, and clear comprehending after seeing a form. Aṅguttara Nikāya (AN) 6.1. Each sense is associated with its function:
“Having heard a sound with the ear,” “smelled an odour with the nose,” “experienced a taste with the tongue,” “felt a tactile object with the body,” and “cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind” (AN 6. 1).
Equanimity, mindfulness, and clear comprehension are said to arise together. The Buddha further says that a monk with these six qualities is worthy of gifts, hospitality, offerings, and reverence and radiates an unmatched field of merit for the world (AN 6.1.
2. Equanimity (Upekkhā) as a Brahma-Vihāra
Upekkhā is one of four brahma-vihāras, along with loving kindness (mettā), compassion (karuṇā), and sympathetic joy (muditā).
"He/she resides across the globe, full of equanimity, abundance, and without hatred or ill will (MN 52)."
As a brahma-vihāra, Upekkhā is impartial and has no bias towards others, neither excessively negative nor too complimentary. Equanimity overcomes bias and prejudice, which damage others. Thus, equanimity as an impartiality practice affects established biases.
3. Equanimity (Upekkhā) as an Enlightenment Factor
One of the seven enlightenment factors is equanimity.
These are: 1. Mindfulness (sati) 2. investigation of dhamma (dhamma vicaya) 3. Energy (viriya) 4. Rapture (pīti) 5. Peace (passadhhi) 6. Concentration (samādhi) 7. Equanimity (upekkhā).
Seclusion, dispassion, cessation, and renunciation assist the seven enlightenment components, which help relinquish worldly defilements, annoyances, and desires (MN 2). Enlightenment factors are multifaceted and interrelated. Equanimity, an enlightenment component, boosts vitality and attentiveness.
4. Equanimity (Upekkhā) of Energy
Energy equanimity is the balance between laziness and restlessness, as stated below.
"When a Bhikkhu devoted to the higher mind periodically focuses on (3 important aspects) to the mark of concentration [samādhi nimitta], to the mark of exertion [paggaha nimitta], and to the mark of equanimity [upekkhā nimitta], his mind becomes malleable, wieldy, luminous, pliant, and properly concentrated to destroy the taints" AN 3.100).
Equanimity balances energy, mindfulness, and concentration, helping meditation practitioners reach an optimal point of concentration to overcome restlessness or sleepiness. Developing awareness and attention in meditation is challenging when one is restless or drowsy.
In the Soṇa Sutta, the Buddha explains to the monk Soṇa that meditation requires equanimity of energy, like lute strings that must be balanced for perfect play.
"Energy overarousal causes restlessness, while energy underarousal causes sleepiness. Thus, Soṇa should strike a balance of energy, acquire spiritual evenness, and focus on the object" (AN.6.55).
5. Equanimity (Upekkhā) about Formations
Equanimity about formations is categorized into two categories in the Paṭisambhidāmagga: a) concentration (8 types) and b) insight (10 types). The eight types created by concentration correspond to the eight jhānas. The 10 types of insight are linked to the four routes, four fruitions, void, and signless abiding (Paṭisambhidāmagga I 64).
The tilakkhaṇa provides support, stating, “sabbe saṅkhāra dukkhā, sabbe saṅkhāra aniccā, sabbe dhamma anattā” ( Dhammapada 277-279). Overall, “all conditioned phenomena are unsatisfactory, all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, all phenomena are not-self.”
Conditioned things (saṅkhāra) are associated with unsatisfactoriness (dukkhā) and impermanence (aniccā), while dhamma is associated with the unconditioned state of not-self (anattā). Learning about dukkhā and aniccā leads to understanding the unconditioned state, anattā.
6. Equanimity (Upekkhā) as a Feeling
Equanimity refers to a sensation that is neither pleasant nor unpleasant (adukkhamasukhā).
This underlying tendency is acknowledged through mindfulness of feeling practice (vedanānupassanā), allowing it to be attended to and completely comprehended (SN 36.3).
Thus, equanimity as a feeling provides a haven of neutrality by moderating the constant oscillation of sensations between the opposing states of pleasant and unpleasant emotions.
Equanimity, which employs investigation to let go of all attachments, leads to the profound awareness that one is
“not attached to existence, not attached to origination, and sees with true wisdom: there is a higher state that is peaceful” (AN 7.55).
"This gives him calm. Neither does he enjoy nor hold onto that equanimity. By not doing so, his consciousness does not become dependent on and attach to it. Ānanda, a monk without clinging, attains Nibbāna." (MN 38).
Being equanimous about equanimity is a reminder of the raft metaphor (MN 22), where one relinquishes the dhamma even during realization (dhammā pi pahātabbā).
8. Equanimity (Upekkhā) of Jhāna
According to MN 43, equanimity is the main quality of the fourth jhāna, which involves renouncing pleasure and pain and the prior removal of joy and grief. In the fourth jhāna meditative state, emotions such as joy and grief are replaced by an unbiased state of mind.
9. Equanimity (Upekkhā) of Purification
Equanimity purifies the mind, making it “thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability” (MN 27).The Cūḷahatthipadopama Sutta states that the Buddha gained knowledge of former lifetimes, passing away and reappearing of beings, and destroying taints via mindfulness and equanimity. After learning these three things, the Buddha became enlightened (MN 27). The canonical literature suggests that mindfulness and equanimity are essential to enlightenment, which explains why they are called enlightenment components. Strong mindfulness yokes the mind, allowing equanimity without distraction.
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