Much has been written about lovingkindness, compassion, and altruistic joy in my previous articles. Now we turn to equanimity, the last of the four brahmavihara meditations, also known as the four sublime states of mind.
The most important thing to keep in mind about equanimity, or upekkha, is that all three other brahmaviharas are implicit in it, they are all part of it. “It’s the culmination of the other three,” Ratnavandana says in her Free Buddhist Audio talk. “Through our practice of it, I think it is very definitely true that we get less caught up in pleasure and less fearful of pain.”
And this is what we’re going to explore in this article.
What Is Equanimity Meditation?
Equanimity, or upekkha, is the last of four meditations included in the Buddhist brahmavihara practice. “It’s a balance of mind that’s completely free from reactivity,” Ratnavandana says.
Here’s a more detailed explanation from a Free Buddhist Audio article:
Upekkha is characterised both by profound positivity and by non-reactivity. The positivity comes from the fact that metta, karuna and mudita are all equally there in it. The non-reactivity comes from seeing — getting a feeling for — the fact that the pleasure or pain and so on that we’re aware of in ourselves and others isn’t ultimate, it isn’t the whole picture.
Rather, it arises in dependence on conditions, like all things – any particular pleasure or pain just arises and passes away. If we can really connect with this truth, we tend to become less caught up in our responses of craving and aversion to our own and others’ happiness and sorrow, pleasure and pain, skilfulness and unskilfulness.
By freeing up from these reactions, we’re able to develop a degree of ‘positive detachment’. This means an emotional engagement which is exclusively positive (not to be confused with some kind of emotional non-involvement or alienation). What we’re ‘detached’ from is our reactions of craving, aversion and indifference which usually get in the way of our full, positive emotional engagement with people.
This means that if we embodied & expressed upekkha we’d be steadfast and non-reactive in the face of whatever suffering or joy we encounter. In other words, we’d be able to respond appropriately because all the brahmaviharas would be implicit in our response, and at the same time there wouldn’t be any tendency to get caught up in our own subjective (ego) reactions to what is going on.
Before You Begin
Before you begin please note that the contemplation pattern described below should be followed in steps 2-5 of equanimity meditation, according to Free Buddhist Audio article :
1. … Bring a person to mind.
2 a. Bring to mind the person’s ‘downs’ / unskilfulnesses – [lovinkindness] will tend towards [compassion].
2 b. Bring to mind their ‘ups’ / skilfulnesses – [lovingkindness] will tend towards [altruistic joy].
2 c. Work towards a ‘whole’ impression or sense of the person, including all their ups and downs while still cultivating [lovingkindness] – allowing it to respond to that ‘whole’ impression. (Work towards dispensing with 2 a. and b. – i.e. seeing the person as a whole including ups and downs directly.)
3. Bring in the reflection or awareness that these experiences have arisen in dependence on prior conditions. Any particular ‘up’ or ‘down’ isn’t the whole picture – in itself, it’s just a conditioned arising, a transitory phenomenon.
Please keep this pattern in mind while you work through the meditation steps below.
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How to Practice Equanimity Meditation in 5 Easy Steps
Here’s how to practice upekkha, also known as equanimity meditation, according to Satyaraja, courtesy of Free Buddhist Audio.
1. Cultivate Lovingkindness Toward Yourself
Lovingkindness meditation is the root of this practice. That’s why you start by cultivating kindness toward yourself, wishing, “May I be well, may I be happy.” As you repeat these words, try to feel their meaning as deeply as possible. Keep attention on that friendly response.
2. Call to Mind a Neutral Person
When you turn your attention to a neutral person, you can think of someone you know but have no strong feelings about, whether positive or negative. Again, take in the whole person and reflect on their current life situation.
You may not know them very well, but they’re just like you. They experience old age, sickness, death, and separation from loved ones, just as you do. They also win small and big, achieve goals, and get what they want.
By reflecting on this universal experience, you act appropriately. If they’re suffering, you respond with compassion. If they’re achieving great things, you respond with altruistic joy. This should come naturally because of your preceding practice of other brahmavihara meditations.
To reinforce this feeling, you can say to yourself, “We are the owners of our actions; actions have consequences.”
“It’s a bit like when we hear somebody’s life story,” Satyaraja says in his Free Buddhist Audio talk. “And we understand, ‘Oh yeah, that’s why they the way they are.’ … And you see that we’re all in the same boat in relation to karma. This, in a way, unites us all.”
3. Think of a Good Friend
When you think of a good friend, follow the same process as in the previous stage. Consider your friend’s current struggles or accomplishments and connect with them through equanimity.
4. Turn Your Attention to a Difficult Person
Repeat the same process when you bring to mind a difficult person or your “enemy.”
“Particularly with the enemy, you’re looking for the sameness of response, you’re looking to overcome your prejudices, you’re looking to respond with the same [lovinkindness], the same [compassion], the same [altruistic joy] to the enemy as [you would to] a friend,” Satyaraja says. “Rather than relating to the enemy in terms of likes and dislikes, or prejudice, you’re trying to relate to them on the basis of karma, the product of their karma.”
5. Bring to Mind Yourself and Three Other People and Expand Your Equanimity Outwards to the Whole World
In the sixth stage, you bring to mind yourself and three other people, cultivating an equal response of equanimity toward them all. Then expand this feeling to yourself, everybody in the room, and the whole world.
“And just seeing that all beings are subject to karma. This is a universal law,” Satyaraja concludes.
10-Minute Upekkha Guided Meditation
Here’s a 10-minute audio with upekkha meditation script by Taranita, courtesy of Free Buddhist Audio.
How to Use This Recording:
- Read the steps above.
- Choose a comfortable meditation posture.
- Press “play,” close your eyes, and listen to instructions.
- Don’t worry about periods of prolonged silence. The sound of the bell will signal the start and end of each step.
What Are the Near and Far Enemies of Equanimity?
In this 5-minute excerpt from Free Buddhist Audio, Satyaraja talks about the near and far enemies of equanimity, such as neutrality (ordinary indifference) and cold indifference.
What Book Should I Read to Learn More About Buddhist Equanimity Meditation?
If you want to learn more about Buddhist compassion meditation, I recommend a book titled Brahma Viharas: Divine Abodes by Jayan Romesh Edirisinghe.
The Brahma Viharas are the sublime qualities: the essential nature and radiance of the enlightened heart. They are also known as the Four Immeasurables. As these qualities grows within us through deligent practice, it extends immeasurably to all living beings throughout all realms of existence.
They are the great removers of tension, the great peace-makers in social conflict, and the great healers of wounds suffered in the struggle of existence. These noble qualities reduce social barriers, build harmonious communities, awaken the slumbering generosity within us, and revive the joy and hope long abandoned.
Through deep contemplation and dedicated practice of The Brahma Viharas, we transform our hate, greed, and delusion. [The Brahma Viharas] should become our inseparable companions, and we should be mindful of them in all our daily activities.
The Buddha tells us: “Cherish all living beings with a boundless heart, radiating kindness over the entire world.” He suggests we remain in this goodwill state of being at all times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I practice other brahmavihara meditations before I try equanimity?
Yes, you should get acquainted with other brahmavihara meditations before you try equanimity. Please see our detailed guides on how to practice lovingkindness, compassion, and altruistic joy.
Is equanimity meditation based on the teaching about karma?
Although we do reflect on the consequences of actions during this meditation, some teachers argue that it’s helpful to keep in mind other determinants beside karma. To learn more, read our article on the five natural laws in Buddhism and then listen to Singhamati’s talk about considering other factors when practicing equanimity:
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