BUDDHISM IN KERALA: Feeding the Serenity of Equanimity!

Monday, May 21, 2012

Feeding the Serenity of Equanimity!

The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, just as this body, is sustained by feeding, exists in dependence on
feeding and cannot survive without food, so are the 7 Links to Awakening
also sustained by feeding, they can also only exist in dependence on feeding
and they cannot remain without feeding... And what, bhikkhus, is the feeding
of the emergence of any yet unarisen equanimity and also feeding of the
completion by condensation of any arisen Equanimity?
There are states that are basis & source for Equanimity! Frequently pointing
careful and rational attention to them, is feeding the emergence of unarisen
equanimity & also feeding of the gradual fulfillment of any arisen Equanimity
Link to Awakening... And what, Bhikkhus, is the starving that obstructs all
emergence of a yet unarisen equanimity, and which also hinders any already
arisen Equanimity Link from reaching complete fulfillment by development?
There are states that are the basis and source for the equanimity!
Not giving frequent, careful and rational attention to them; not considering
them much and often; is the starving that prevents an unarisen equanimity
from arising and also blocks any already arisen equanimity from reaching
any complete fulfillment through training in the form of frequent meditation!

Comments:
The main basis and source of Equanimity is knowing, seeing & understanding:
All beings are born, created, conditioned and shaped by their past kamma...
They are owner, debtor, inheritor of the effects of their prior behaviour.
Whatever they do - good as bad - only they will feel the long-term results!

Comments from the classical commentaries:
Imperturbable onlooking ballance is characteristic of the equanimity.
(Upekkhā-Sambojjhanga). Moderation, seeking a neutral middle, composure
and control is the purpose of the quality of Equanimity (Upekkhā)...
Imperturbability is the manifestation of the equanimity. This stable yet still
plastic patience purifies all the other advantageous mental states, which thus
reach their maximum, when joined with Equanimity...

Further conditions helpful for the emergence of the equanimity are:
1: Impartiality regarding all living and sentient beings...
2: Indifference regarding all inanimate material constructions...
3: Avoiding biased people, who prefer favouritism and one-sided partiality...
4: Friendship with well ballanced people unmoved by both pleasure and pain...
5: Commitment to ballance the mind into even and imperturbable Equanimity!

There is Equanimity towards living beings and regarding material things!
There is Equanimity towards internal states and regarding external states!
There is Equanimity towards all past, present, and future times and events!
There is Equanimity towards all mentality and regarding all materiality!