Upeksha (Indian thought)

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Upeksha in Sanskrit or Upekkha in Pali means equanimity, non-attachment, even-mindedness or letting go. Upeksha does not mean indifference. It is the fourth element of true love and has as its seed the wisdom of equality that removes all boundaries, discrimination and prejudices while leading to the sublime unity where there is no self and no other; without Upeksha, love becomes possessive. [1] Equanimity or Upeksha grows out of mindfulness, then one becomes master of every situation no matter what the situation is without it one cannot take anything in one’s stride; its significance is that one really lives unconditionally. [2]

The understanding that our happiness and that of others is inseparable moves us directly into the fourth Brahmavihara , Upeksha. Equanimity of Upeksha carries the ability to take a large view and to look over the whole situation not bound by one side or the other, its near-enemy is in-difference which is difficult to recognise because it masquerades on the surface as even-mindedness; indifference causes retreat to a form of denial like repression, don’t care-can’t be bothered attitude. [3]

In Yoga, maîtri, karuna, mudita and upeksha are only different aspects of universal sympathy, which remove all perversities in our nature and unite us with our fellow-men. This is the positive aspect of the mind with reference to abstinence from injuring ( ahimsa ) which will cleanse the mind and make it fit for Śraddhā etc., prepare it to become steady with a view to attaining true discriminative knowledge. [4] It is a karmasthana that holds a very high place in sadhana . Like equality in Bhagavad Gita, upeksha of the Buddhists operates on many levels, and ten kinds of upeksha are enumerated; it is the equality called the six-limbed upeksha which renounces all the creaturely reactions of the six senses when anything agreeable or disagreeable presents itself. [5] Samadhi may also involve the cultivation of the four states called Brahmaviharas which four states are - "goodwill" (maîtri), "compassion" (karuna), "sympathetic joy" (mudita) and "equanimity" (upeksha). Practised to perfection these states take one to pure the mind-states on the plane of formlessness that are proximate to the apex of existence. [6]

Upeksha as a power includes freedom from all kinds of desires and birth because it has no preference for one thing more than the other. It is opposed to individuality. This power manifests as ten kinds which are –

All upekshas may be possessed by one and the same person but the second cannot be possessed without the first. [7]

According to the Theosophists, maitri, karuna, mudita and upeksha are the four qualities of a Jivanmukta who favours Sishya ("disciple") who attains mukti , Bhakta ("devotee") who gains his noble ends, Udasina ("indifferent person") who begins to cherish love for virtuous deeds and Pathaka (a "sinner") whose sins are purged, and whose lakshanas are akkrodha ("absence of hatred"), arogya ("sound health"), jitendriyathawam ("conquest of passions"), daya (kindness), kshama (forbearance), janapriyathawa (popularity), alobha ("absence of avarice"), dathruthawa (generosity), abhaya (courage) and nairmalaya (cleanliness). [8]

Along with the four upayas (sama, dana, bheda and danda) that were then the recognised expedients for application of foreign policy Kamandaka and others had recommended application of Upeksha, Maya and Indrajala in diplomacy; [9] the enemy could be warded off or neutralised by a policy of Upeksha and absolute indifference to even movements of enemy troops. [10]

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Karuṇā is generally translated as compassion or mercy and sometimes as self-compassion or spiritual longing. It is a significant spiritual concept in the Indic religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism.

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The Maitrayaniya Upanishad is an ancient Sanskrit text that is embedded inside the Yajurveda. It is also known as the Maitri Upanishad, and is listed as number 24 in the Muktika canon of 108 Upanishads.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bodhicitta</span> Concept in Buddhism

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buddhist meditation</span> Practice of meditation in Buddhism

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Sukha means happiness, pleasure, ease, joy or bliss. Among the early scriptures, 'sukha' is set up as a contrast to 'preya' (प्रेय) meaning a transient pleasure, whereas the pleasure of 'sukha' has an authentic state happiness within a being that is lasting. In the Pāli Canon, the term is used in the context of describing laic pursuits and meditation.

Upekshā is the Buddhist concept of equanimity. As one of the Brahma-viharas, virtues of the "Brahma realm", it is one of the wholesome mental factors cultivated on the Buddhist path to nirvāna through the practice of jhāna.

Rūpa means "form". As it relates to any kind of basic object, it has more specific meanings in the context of Indic religions.

Maitrī means benevolence, loving-kindness, friendliness, amity, good will, and active interest in others. It is the first of the four sublime states and one of the ten pāramīs of the Theravāda school of Buddhism.

The brahmavihārā are a series of four Buddhist virtues and the meditation practices made to cultivate them. They are also known as the four immeasurables or four infinite minds. The brahmavihārā are:

  1. loving-kindness or benevolence
  2. compassion
  3. empathetic joy
  4. equanimity
<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vairagya</span> Dispassion, detachment, or renunciation in Hinduism and Jainism

Vairāgya (वैराग्य) is a Sanskrit term used in Hindu as well as Eastern philosophy that roughly translates as dispassion, detachment, or renunciation, in particular renunciation from the pains and pleasures in the temporary material world. The Hindu philosophers who advocated vairāgya told their followers that it is a means to achieve moksha.

Equanimity is a state of psychological stability and composure which is undisturbed by the experience of or exposure to emotions, pain, or other phenomena that may cause others to lose the balance of their mind. The virtue and value of equanimity is extolled and advocated by a number of major religions and ancient philosophies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dhyana in Buddhism</span> Training of the mind through meditation

In the oldest texts of Buddhism, dhyāna or jhāna is a component of the training of the mind (bhavana), commonly translated as meditation, to withdraw the mind from the automatic responses to sense-impressions, "burn up" the defilements, and leading to a "state of perfect equanimity and awareness (upekkhā-sati-parisuddhi)." Dhyāna may have been the core practice of pre-sectarian Buddhism, in combination with several related practices which together lead to perfected mindfulness and detachment.

Paramananda is a Sanskrit word composed of two words, parama and ānanda. Parama is taken to mean the highest or transcendent. Ānanda means bliss or happiness, and also suggests a deep-seated spiritual emotion that is entrenched. The Upanishadic authors also used ānanda, to denote Brahman, the Supreme Being in Hinduism.

Brihadratha, belonging to the Ikshvaku race, was a king of the Vedic era. This name Brihadratha of a warrior king who was a Maharatha is found in the Rig Veda. The word, Brihadratha, means the Mighty Warrior. He appears at the beginning of the Maitri Upanishad after he had renounced his kingdom in favour of his son, seeking for himself relief from the endless cycle of birth and rebirth. No other information about him or his period is available in this text or in any other text. Maitri Upanishad belongs to the Maitrayaniya branch of Krishna Yajur Veda, which upanishad was taught to Sakayana by Maitri or Maitreya, the son of Mitra. Brihadratha chose the knowledge of the Self when he was offered a boon. He gave up his home and possessions and thereafter assisted by Sakayanya even renounced the “I-ness” of his body.

Samatva is the Hindu concept of equanimity. Its root is sama (सम) meaning – equal or even.Sāmya - meaning equal consideration towards all human beings - is a variant of the word.

References

  1. ↑ Thich Nhat Hanh (21 October 2008). Teachings on Love. Readhowyouwant.com. p. 12. ISBN   9781427093011.
  2. ↑ David Brazier (25 October 2012). Zen Therapy. Constable and Robinson Ltd. p. 90. ISBN   9781472103932.
  3. ↑ Daniel Patrick Liston (2004). Teaching, Learning and Loving. Routledge. p. 175. ISBN   9780415945141.
  4. ↑ Surendra Nath Dasgupta (March 2003). Yoga as Philosophy and Religion. Kessinger Publishing. p. 137. ISBN   9780766147058.
  5. ↑ Ram Swarup (2000). Meditations:Yoga, Gods, Religions. Voice of India. p. 19,60. ISBN   9788185990644.
  6. ↑ Oliver Leaman (4 January 2002). Encyclopedia of Asian Philosophy. Taylor and Francis. p. 536. ISBN   9780203187715.
  7. ↑ Robert Spence Hardy (1853). A Manual of Budhism, in its Modern Development. Partridge and Oakey. p.  505. Upeksha.
  8. ↑ The Theosophist October 1886 to April 1187. Kessinger. December 2004. p. 119. ISBN   9781419173417.
  9. ↑ Bharati Mukharjee (1976). Kautilya's Concept of Diplomacy. Minerva Associates. p. 39. ISBN   9780883865040.
  10. ↑ M.V.Krishna Rao (1979). Studies in Kautaliya. Munshiram Manoharlal. p. 102.
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