What is equanimity?
Here are some definitions from the web:
• composure: steadiness of mind under stress wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
• Equanimity describes the unattached awareness of one's experience as a result of perceiving the impermanence of momentary reality. ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equanimity
• The state of being calm, stable and composed, especially under stress en.wiktionary.org/wiki/equanimity
• equanimous - collected: in full control of your faculties; "the witness remained collected throughout the cross-examination"; "perfectly poised and sure of ... wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
• equanimous - Calm and composed; of stable disposition en.wiktionary.org/wiki/equanimous
• Calmness and self-control, especially after a shock or disappointment or in a difficult situation http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
So equanimity is something to do with an immobile mind or self-control under any circumstances. Our mind jumps up and down on the basis of what we see, hear, smell, taste, touch and thought. One day we hear we have cancer; our mind does not settle, and worries fill our thoughts. In another minute we may hear we have just won seven million dollars in the lottery; our mind is thrilled and ecstatic. Next if someone tells us off and calls us an idiot; straight away anger fills our minds and revenge is desired. There isn’t one minute our mind is not shaken by the world around us. This applies to most of us.
If we have practice our equanimity, it becomes more difficult to shake our minds into such quivers. What does this mean? When we are in difficult situation or joyous moment, we don’t lose ourselves in a swirl of thoughts. To develop equanimity we need to understand impermanence and practice acceptance of our karma (Karma is our actions in thought, speech and deed). Everything is the outcome of our own karma and because of this we can then free ourselves from fear. We also need to understand the Buddha’s teaching of no-self (impermanence). No-self guides us on to the path of liberation.
To develop equanimity, we have to let go all possessive thoughts of mine; from small things to the whole heart clings such as our body. We also need to let go of our egoistic thoughts of self. Equanimity does not come as sudden enlightenment; we need to practice hard in our daily lives.
Equanimity is not suppressing our feelings or seeing things in a wrong way and not acting upon it. Lots people think equanimity is to suppress our feelings. Suppress means we attempt to deal with things in denial. Equanimity allows us to fully experience our feelings, not its suppression.
Here is my first experience on equanimity back in 2006.
Observer
The solid body of mine floats a stream of sensations
The world I see from my eyes
The words I hear from my ears
The smell I breathe through my nose
The food I taste on my tongue
The feelings I feel from my body
The thoughts I conceive into my mind
All form into this stream of sensations
This stream of sensations - Pleasant and unpleasant
Or even neutral I treat them equality
Because of their nature is the same
Arising and passing away
Through these sensations I come to realize
The law of nature Keep changing and so impermanent
So impersonal of these changes
I have no control of them
These non-material like of sensations
If I attach to them
I will have endless of suffering
I keep telling myself
I am not a planner, future teller, past owner
I am just an observer
Patiently and attentively
Aware and equanimity
To observe this stream of sensations
As it is and not as what I want it to be
Moment to moment
Not the past nor the future
Just this moment
22/12/2006
Equanimity allows us see things clearly and enjoy our live fully anywhere and anytime in the world around us. Finally I could like to re-tell a story which I love so much – The Eight Winds Cannot Move Me. I have copied and modified this story from http://www.edepot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3121
Su Dongpo was a famous scholar of the Song Dynasty who lived at Guazhuo (located at the northern shore of the Yangtze River). Across the river, on the southern shore, is Golden Mountain Temple where Zen master Foyin lived. Su Dongpo, one day, feeling accomplished in his practice, wrote a poem and sent it to Foyin for feedback. Here is the poem:
"Bowing with my highest respect
To the deva of devas, (The deva of devas means the Buddha)
Whose fine light illuminates the whole universe,
The eight winds cannot move me,
For I am sitting upright on the golden purple lotus blossom. (golden purple lotus means a "throne" of
spiritual attainment)
After receiving the poem from the attendant and reading it, Foyin wrote one word as his comment. When the attendant came back with the poem, Su Dongpo, expecting words of praise from the Zen Master, quickly opened it to read the comment. However, on that page, nothing was written except the word "Fart!" (means "absolutely nonsense") Upon seeing such an insult, Su Dongpo was on fire with anger. Immediately, he boarded a boat and crossed the Yangtze River to argue with Foyin.
Before the boat even pulled onto the shore, Foyin was already standing there waiting for Su Dongpo. Upon seeing Foyin, Su Dongpo said, "Zen Master, we are such intimate Dharma friends! It is fine that you do not compliment my practice or my poem. But how can you insult me like this?"
Innocently, as if nothing had happened, Foyin asked, "How have I insulted you?" Without saying another word, Su Dongpo simply showed the word "Fart" to Foyin.
Laughing wholeheartedly, Foyin said, "Oh! Didn't you say that the eight winds cannot move you? How come you are sent across the river with just a fart?" Hearing what Foyin said, Su Dongpo was extremely embarrassed."
Notes: A truth equanimity is unmoved by the 8 worldly conditions...
1) gain/benefit
2) loss/devastation
3) fame/acclaim
4) defame/bad repute
5) praise/approval
6) blame/ridicule
7) pleasure/happiness
8) pain/suffering
2010
