(10) Tenth Pāramī: The Perfection of Equanimity (upekkhā-pāramī)

Meaning of Upekkhā

A literal translation of the Pāli word ‘upekkhā’ would be ‘taking up a balanced view’ which means maintenance of a neutral position between the two extremes of sorrow and happiness. Traditional Myanmar scholars rendered it as ‘indifference’.

If the meaning of this rendering is not well thought of, one is liable to misinterpret it as ‘being inattentive’, ‘being negligent’. But upekkhā is not remaining inattentive or negligent. Upekkhā pays attention to objects but only in a balanced manner with the feeling of neutrality when encountering objects of sorrow or objects of happiness.

Development of Upekkhā

Development of upekkhā is the same as that of mettā mentioned in the Paṭisambhidāmagga. As mentioned above, the methods to be adopted in developing mettā are 528 because there are four basic modes. On the other hand, in developing upekkhā there is only one mode which is kammassakā meaning ‘all beings have deeds, kamma (done by them) as their own property.’ Therefore, the methods in this case form one fourth of 528 which is 132.

As in developing mettā, there are twelve categories of beings: five anodhisa (unspecified) and seven odhisa (specified).

Since there is just one mode of it, we have twelve methods only that are to be adopted before applying them to the ten directions:

(1) sabbe sattā kammassakā (all beings have kamma as their own property);

(2) sabbe paṇā kammassakā (all living things have kamma as their own property);

(3) sabbe bhūstā kammassakā (all existing creatures have kamma as their own property);

(4) sabbe puggalā kammassakā (all persons or individuals have kamma as their own property);

(5) sabbe attabhāvapariyāpannā kammassakā (all those who have come to individual existences bodies have kamma as their own property);

(6) sabbā itthiyo kammassakā (all women have kamma as their own property);

(7) sabbe purisā kammassakā (all men have kamma as their own property);

(8) sabbe ariyā kammassakā (all noble ones have kamma as their own property);

(9) sabbe anariyā kammassakā (all persons who have not yet attained the state of ariyas have kamma as their own property);

(10) sabbe devā kammassakā (all devas have kamma as their own property);

(11) sabbe manussā kammassakā (all humans have kamma as their own property); and

(12) sabbe vinipātikā kammassakā (all petas belonging to miserable states have kamma as their own property).

When these twelve are applied to the ten directions the result is 120. To these are added twelve methods which have no reference to any direction and the total number of methods becomes 132. Any one of these suitable methods may be used in developing upekkhā but it should not be taken that the other methods are inapplicable.

To make it clearer: As in the case of mettā, one may develop upekkhā by using other terms for beings and persons if one so desires. The word ‘kammassakā’ may also be replaced by other Pāli terms of the same meaning, which are mentioned in the Abhinha Sutta, Nīvarana Vagga, Pañcaka Nipāta of the Aṅguttara Nikāya.

There it is said:

sabbe sattā kammassakā, kammadāyādā, kammayoni, kammabandhū, kammapaṭissaranā.

(1) kammassakā, ‘having kamma as one’s property’;
(2) kammadāyādā, ‘having kamma as one’s heritage’;
(3) kammayonī, ‘having kamma as one’s origin’; 
(4) kammabandhū, ‘having kamma as one’s own friend’;
(5) kammapaṭissaraṇā, ‘having kamma as one’s refuge’.

Since all these five Pāli terms have one and the same significance, one may develop upekkhā by substituting ‘sabbe satta kammassakā’ with any of the following four expressions that pleases one or that is understood well by one.

sabbe sattā kammadāyādā,
sabbe sattā kammayoni,
sabbe sattā kammabandhū,
sabbe sattā kammapaṭissaraṇā.

A Point to consider

In this connection, a point to consider is this: It is clear that mettā is a Perfection to be fulfilled for the welfare of beings and thus deserves to be considered as a noble Perfection. On the other hand, though upekkhā is a Perfection to be fulfilled, it is a mental disposition which holds that “happiness or suffering is one’s lot in life; if one is possessed of good deeds for happiness, one will be happy; if one is possessed of bad deeds for suffering, one will suffer. I can do nothing to alter the kamma of others.” Is it not difficult to call such an attitude noble? Will it be wrong if one says that upekkhā is an attitude of mind which does not care for the welfare of beings and which remains apathetic towards them? It is therefore, necessary to consider why upekkhā is ranked as an exalted virtue of Perfection.

In both secular and spiritual matters, it is natural that something which is difficult to get is of great value and something which is easy to get is of little value. It is, therefore, a common knowledge that in the world, easily available materials, such as pebbles and sand are cheap, whereas gold, silver, rubies and other gems, which are hard to come by, are precious.

Similarly in spiritual matters, greed, hate and other unwholesome mental states are likely to arise easily; accordingly they are of little worth. It requires no special exertion to let them arise. As a matter of fact, what is difficult is to prevent them from arising in an uncontrollable manner. They are indeed like useless weeds. On the other hand, dāna, sīla and other wholesome deeds cannot happen without putting forth necessary efforts; they do not take place automatically. One of such meritorious deeds is development of genuine mettā which is superior to dāna and sīla. This genuine loving-kindness is indeed difficult to be developed.

There are three types of persons: verī-puggala, majjhatta-puggala and piya-puggala, a foe, neither a foe nor a friend and a friend respectively. It is difficult to develop mettā directed towards a verī-puggala (foe), not so difficult towards a majjhatta-puggala (neither a foe nor a friend); on the contrary, it is easy to direct mettā towards a piya-puggala (friend). Mettā that has as its object neither a verī nor a majjhatta but only a piya-puggala is mettā of no value, no matter how often it is developed, because it is just a performance of an easy task.

If one desires to fulfil mettā pāramī properly, one should develop mettā directed towards oneself first. Since such a development is in one’s own interest, mettā arises easily and fully without fail. This mettā which is complete as it is developed for one’s own self should serve as an example. Hence mettā should be directed towards oneself first.

When mettā is directed towards a verī, a majjhatta and a piya, one should do so all alike without any discrimination, in the same manner one has done towards oneself. Could it be easily done? No, it could not be. Indeed it is difficult to develop mettā even towards a friend the way one does towards oneself, let alone towards a foe or a neutral person, as has been instructed by the Buddha, attasamaṃ pemaṃ n'atthi, there is no person like oneself that one loves. Only when mettā, which is so difficult to develop towards a friend, can be developed not only towards a friend but also towards the other two persons on a par with oneself and without the slightest difference, can it become genuine mettā of pāramī stature. This suggests how difficult it is to develop genuine mettā and how great its value is. On account of the development of this form of mettā, as has been stated above, Suvanna Sāma was loved by wild beasts like tigers, lions, etc. It is even more difficult to develop upekkhā as a fulfilment of Perfection than to develop mettā for the same purpose.

It is not easy to develop upekkhā even towards a neutral person of the three types. People would say: “I remain equanimous with regard to him now" or "In this matter I adopt the attitude of kammassakā," and so on. As such a saying signifies unconcern and disinterest, upekkhā appears to be of little importance. In reality upekkhā presupposes paying attention to and taking interest in the object of contemplation (but as a neutral observer).

As it is easy to develop mettā towards a friend, so it is easy to develop upekkhā towards a neutral person. Because one does not love or hate him, it is easy to keep one’s attitude towards him balanced without any desire to see him happy or to see him suffer. But it is more difficult to develop upekkhā, towards a foe. Because, if one hates him, one rejoices easily when he declines and one envies him when he prospers. It is hard to prevent both mental states from arising;when either of them sets in, even in the slightest manner one fails to maintain upekkhā.

It is still more difficult to develop upekkhā towards a friend than towards a foe. Because one is already attached to a friend one is delighted when he prospers or distressed when misfortune befalls him. It is difficult to prevent both delight and distress from arising in oneself.

Only when one maintains equanimity with the same attitude towards all three types of persons as towards oneself without any of the above-mentioned difficulties can development of upekkhā be possible. As long as there is partiality in one’s attitude towards these three types of persons upekkhā is far from successful.

As has been said, development of upekkhā is not an attitude of unconcern or neglect; on the contrary, it does pay attention to and takes interest (in the object of contemplation). In doing so, one says to oneself: “Nothing can be done to make beings including myself happy or unhappy. Those who are possessed of good kamma will be happy and those who are possessed of bad kamma will be unhappy. Since their happiness and unhappiness are related to their past deeds, nothing could be done about them.” Only profound reflection in this vivid manner, with living beings as objects of contemplation, constitutes genuine upekkhā. Since it involves neither anxiety nor uneasiness, it is noble, serene and calm. The more it goes beyond mettā, the higher its spiritual standard is.

Like mettā, upekkhā is one of the forty subjects of samatha meditation and one of the Ten Perfections. One who desires to meditate on upekkhā according to samatha method does so only for the highest jhāna and not for the lower ones. Those who are slow to grasp, reach the highest stage of jhāna only by acquiring them five times. For them, the Buddha has taught fivefold jhāna which is called pancaka method (method of five). The jhāna acquired for the first time by them is the first jhāna, that acquired for the second time is the second jhāna and so on up to the fifth jhāna. In this way, there are five jhāna for the dull.

The intelligent, however, reached the highest jhāna after acquiring them four times. For them, the Buddha has taught fourfold jhāna which is known as catukka method (method of four). The jhāna acquiring for the first time is the first jhāna, and so on. In this way there are four jhāna for the intelligent.

Those who have not attained any jhāna in either of these two ways should not try to meditate yet on upekkhā for the highest stage of jhāna. Upekkhā, as a subject for meditation, belongs to the fifth jhāna in the pancaka method and to the fourth jhāna in the catukka method. The dull can meditate on upekkhā only when they have attained the fourth jhāna and the intelligent only after acquiring the first three jhāna, by means of other samatha subjects. Because, as has been said, upekkhā is subtle, serene and noble and thus belongs to the highest jhāna and not to the lower ones.

Mettā on the other hand belongs to the lower four or three jhāna. This indicates the fact that upekkhā is superior to mettā. If upekkhā is not intended as a subject for meditation but intended as a Perfection to be fulfilled. it can be developed at any time.

[Mahā Lomahaṃsa Cariya]

Fulfilment of Upekkhā

Extinction of hate and love is fulfilment of upekkhā. (Upekkhā pāramī signifies stilling of these two mental states. There is no Perfection of Equanimity unless both are calmed.)

In special affairs, staying in a negligent mood without taking interest in anything leads to the impairment of upekkhā. Such an attitude cannot be called upekkhā. It is only unawareness which is wrongly thought to be so.

Real upekkhā is not indifference or unawareness. It sees both good and evil which lead to happiness and suffering respectively. But he who observes upekkhā reflects clearly: “I am not concerned with these matters of happiness and suffering; they are the results of their own good and evil deeds.”

In the Netti Commentary it is stated: “Extreme absent-mindedness appearing as indifference with regard to various sense objects either good or bad is deceptive. (Delusion (moha), disguised as upekkhā is deceptive.) Reluctance to perform deeds of merit also tends to deceive by assuming the appearance of the sublime mode of doing upekkhā. Indolence (kosajjha), for doing good deeds is also likely to pretend to be upekkhā.) Therefore, one should take care of oneself not to be deceived by either delusion or indolence that is apt to behave like upekkhā.

Essence of Upekkhā

Upekkhā in ultimate sense is a separate entity. It is a mental concomitant (cetasika) called tatramajjhattatā (central position thereof). But all the mental concomitants of tatramajjhattatā cannot collectively be called Upekkhā Pāramī. Tatramajjhattatā is a mental concomitant that is associated with all sobhana cittas (‘beautiful’ consciousness); it accompanies each arising of sobhana citta. Tatramajjhattatā which can be regarded as genuine Upekkhā Pāramī pays attention to beings and reflects: “Happiness and suffering of beings are conditioned by their kammas in which nobody can intervene. They have kamma as their own property and cause.” Tatramajjhattatā that arises out of contemplation, not of beings but of the Three Gems, alms-giving and observance of the precepts cannot constitute Upekkhā Pāramī.

When equanimity is maintained, contemplating happiness and suffering of beings, tatramajjhattatā does not arise alone but all associated consciousness and mental concomitants appear with it. Though the object of tatramajjhattatā and the object of its associates are one and the same, equanimity, with regard to happiness and suffering of beings, is its main function. Therefore, this tatramajjhattatā is designated Upekkhā Pāramī.

Its associated consciousness and mental concomitants also come to be included in Upekkhā Pāramī; tatramajjhattatā plays the leading role and this is the only difference between it and its associates.

Ten Kinds of Upekkhā

There are other kinds of upekkhā that cannot be included in Upekkhā Pāramīthough each of them is an ultimate reality. The Visuddhimagga and the Atthasalini enumerate ten such upekkhā:

1. Chalanga-upekkhā,
2. Brahmavihāra-upekkhā,
3. Bojjhaṅga-upekkhā,
4. Viriya-upekkhā,
5. Saṅkhāra-upekkhā,
6. Vedana-upekkhā,
7. Vipassana-upekkhā,
8. Tatramajjhatta-upekkhā,
9. Jhāna-upekkhā, and
10. Parisuddha-upekkhā.

1. There are six sense objects, good and bad, that appear at the six sense-doors. Arahats are not delighted when the sense objects are desirable and not dejected when these are undesirable. Always being endowed with mindfulness and comprehension they take them in with equanimity, maintaining their natural purity of their mind. This kind of mental equipoise is called Chalang'upekkhā. (That is, upekkhā with six factors, namely, six sense-doors and six-objects.)

2. Equanimity, which views that happiness and suffering of beings occur according to their kamma, is Brahmavihār'upekkhā. (Equanimity with sublime living. Upekkhā Pāramī is this kind of upekkhā.)

3. When efforts are made to attain the Path and the Fruition, if some factors are weak and other strong, the weaker ones are to be strengthened and the stronger are to be suppressed; but when these factors of the Path reached the status of Bojjhaṅgas

(Constituents of Enlightenment), their associated factors are of equal strength. Upekkhā observed equally on these elements is called Bojjhaṅg'upekkhā.

4. In making efforts to attain the Path and the Fruition, energy extended for just the required amount, neither more nor less, is Viriy'upekkhā.

5. In making efforts for the attainment of concentration, Path and Fruition states, remaining detached from saṅkhāra-dhammas (conditioned things), such as nivaraṇas

(hindrances), etc., that are to be eradicated by means of the first jhāna, etc. is called Saṅkhār'upekkhā. (This Saṅkhār'upekkhā arises when the Vipassanā wisdom matures. Before its maturity, one needs making efforts to eradicate saṅkhāra-dhammas. But once the maturity is acquired, it is no longer necessary to make special efforts to eradicate them. Only an attitude of indifference is needed for the purpose.)

6. Feeling experienced neutrally without delight or dejection when in taking in a sense object is Vedan'upekkhā.

7. Maintaining a mental equilibrium in developing insight into the nature of impermanence and other characteristics of the aggregates is called Vipassan'upekkha. (A brief meaning of ‘Vipassanā’ may be given here in this connection. ‘Vi’ means ‘special’ and ‘passana’, ‘seeing’. Hence ‘Vipassanā’ is ‘Insight’. Perceiving that there are concrete things, such as men, women and so on, is an ordinary knowledge, common to all. It is an understanding based on perception but not a special understanding based on profound wisdom. Vipassanā Insight is: “In reality there are no such things as ‘I’ or ‘he’. What is termed ‘I’ or ‘he’ is just an aggregate of matter and mind that is subject to destruction and dissolution. These aggregates are continuously decaying without interruption. There is no sign of impairment only because every decaying object is being endlessly replaced by a newly conditioned thing.”)

8. Upekkhā observed without making efforts to maintain neutrality on these correlated dhammas that are well balanced in their respective functions is called Tatramajjhattat'upekkhā.

9. In developing jhāna, remaining indifferent to the sublime bliss that appears at the third jhāna is called Jhān'upekkhā. (It is the upekkhā that is acquired only at the final jhāna.)

10. Being purified of all opposing factors and requiring no effort in pacifying them is called Parisuddh'upekkhā. (It is the equanimity at the fourth jhāna stage which is free of all opposing factors.)

Of these ten, the six, namely, Chalang'upekkhā, Brahmavihār'upekkhā, Bojjhaṅg'upekkhā, Tatramajjhattat'upekkhā, Jhān'upekkhā and Parisuddh’upekkhā, are the same in their ultimate sense. They are all Tatramajjhattatā cetasikas.

Why are they then enumerated as six kinds? Because they differ from one another in their time of arising. A simile is given in the above-quoted Commentaries to explain this point. A man, in his childhood, is called kumāra (boy); when he becomes older, he is called yuva (youth); again, when he becomes older, he is called vuddha (adult), senapati (general), raja (king), etc. A man is thus called differently according to the stages in his life.

To make it clearer: Their distinctions are due to the differences in their functions which are as follows:

(1) As has been stated before, to contemplate all six sense objects, good and bad, with equanimity is the Function of Chalang'upekkhā.

(2) To contemplate happiness and suffering of beings with equanimity is the function of Brahmavihār'upekkhā.

(3) In striving to achieve the jhānas, Path and Fruition states, to contemplate with equanimity the hindrances that are to be removed is the function of Bojjhaṅg'upekkhā.

(4) To develop energy neither more nor less than what is required is the function of Viriya'upekkhā.

(5) To contemplate with equanimity all correlated factors without encouraging or suppressing is the function of Saṅkhār'upekkhā.

(6) To contemplate sensations with equanimity is the function of Vedan'upekkhā.

(7) To contemplate with equanimity the three characteristics (anicca, dukkha and anatta) is the function of Vipassan'upekkhā.

(8) To contemplate with equanimity the associated factors which are well balanced is the function of Tatramajjhattat’upekkhā.

(9) To contemplate with equanimity even the most sublime bliss of jhānas is the function of Jhān'upekkhā.

(10) To contemplate with equanimity which is purified of all opposing factors is the function of Parisuddh'upekkhā.

Thus, not only the differences of functions but those of sense objects should be noted. Vīriy'upekkhā is vīriya cetasika and Vedan'upekkhā is vedanā cetasika: these two upekkhās are quite separate from other cetasikas in terms of Dhamma. Saṅkhār'upekkhā and Vīriy'upekkhā are both paññā cetasikas. But they have two different functions as follows:

Contemplating without making special efforts on the three characteristics of conditioned things (saṅkhāra) is Vipassan'upekkhā; equanimity, when contemplating without fear of the conditioned things (saṅkhāra), is Saṅkhar'upekkhā.

Upekkhā as A Perfection and The Ten Upekkhās

The list of these ten upekkhās mentioned by the Commentators do not directly include Pāramī Upekkhā, upekkhā as a Perfection. One might, therefore, anxious to know: Is the exclusion due to the fact that upekkhā as a Perfection is not associated with any of the ten or is it an oversight on the part of the Commentators? It could not be said that the Commentators were so negligent as to leave it out from their list. It is to be taken that Pāramī Upekkhā is contained in Brahmavihār'upekkhā.

However, some are of the opinion that Brahmavihār’upekkhā and Pāramī Upekkhā are two different things. According to them, taking up one and the same attitude towards one’s foe and friend alike is Pāramī Upekkhā; taking up one and the same attitude towards happiness and suffering of beings with the thought that these two conditions are the result of their own deeds is Brahmavihār'upekkhā.

That is to say, Pāramī Upekkhā contemplating happiness and suffering of beings is not Pāramī Upekkhā but Brahmavihar'upekkhā.

However, the nature of Upekkhā Pāramī is explained in the Buddhavaṃsa thus:

Tath'eva tvam pi sukhadukkhe
tulābhūto sadā bhava
upekkhāpāramitaṃ gantvā
sambodhiṃ pāpuṇissati.

In this verse, ‘sukhadukkhe tulābhūto’ means ‘in happiness and suffering, be like the scales of a balance.’

Thus contemplation of happiness and suffering is taught as the basis of Upekkhā Pāramī also in the Mahā Lomahamsa Cariya of the Cariya Piṭaka. It is said:

Ye me dukkham upadahanti
ye ca denti sukhaṃ mama
sabbesaṃ samako homi.

There, also on the basis of those two stages in life, it is taught, “Some people do harm while others give comfort. My attitude towards all of them is the same.” “Sukhadukkhe tulābhūto yasesu ca—whether in happiness and suffering, or in fame and disgrace, I am like the scales of a balance.”

In the Atthasālini and the Pātha Jātaka Commentary mentioned above, explanations are given also on the basis of those two mental states: happiness and suffering. “Though the village boys' ill-treatment (spitting of phlegm, etc.) should normally cause suffering and the villagers' honouring him with flowers, scents, etc. should normally cause happiness, the Bodhisatta viewed both with a balanced attitude of mind. The Bodhisatta’s upekkhā that did not deviate from that balanced position was the supreme Perfection of Equanimity, Paramattha Upekkhā Pāramī.”

Besides, when the Visuddhi-magga and the Atthasalini explain the characteristics, etc. of Brahmavihar'upekkhā it is said thus: Sattesu majjhattakaralakkhana upekkhā——“upekkhā has the characteristics of viewing things with equanimity”. Satta (beings), here is used as a general term; it means those who offend and those who show kindness towards oneself, or those who are happy and those who are suffering. Therefore, taking up a neutral attitude towards one’s foe and friend alike is clearly Brahmavihar'upekkha. Therefore, it clearly means also that Pāramī Upekkhā is included in Brahmavihar'upekkhā.