How is Release by Equanimity Achieved?
The Blessed Buddha once said:
And how, Bhikkhus, is release of mind by serene equanimity (Upekkhā)
achieved? What does this liberation have as its destination, what is
its culmination, what is its sweet fruit, and what is the ultimate goal
of
mental release by universally neutral & imperturbable equanimity?
Here, a Bhikkhu dwells pervading
first the entire frontal quadrant,
with a mind imbued with infinite
equanimity, so the second quadrant,
the 3rd quadrant, and the 4th
quadrant. As above, so below, across,
and everywhere, & as to all beings
also to himself, he dwells pervading
the entire universe with a mind saturated with unlimited
equanimity,
immense, exalted, measureless, without hostility, without any enmity,
without any ill will! Thus prepared and expanded, he then develops:
1:
The Awareness
Link to Awakening joined with limitless equanimity.
2:
The
Investigation Link to Awakening fused with such equanimity.
3:
The Energy
Link to Awakening together with infinite equanimity.
4:
The Joy Link
to Awakening accompanied with absolute equanimity.
5:
The Tranquillity Link to Awakening linked with serene
equanimity.
6:
The Concentration Link to Awakening associated with
equanimity.
7:
The
Equanimity Link to Awakening joined with endless equanimity.
Based upon seclusion, disillusion, ceasing, and culminating in release.
If he then wishes:
"May I dwell experiencing repulsiveness in anything attractive & tempting",
then he can dwell experiencing repulsiveness therein. If he wishes:
"May I dwell experiencing delight in anything disgusting & repulsive,"
then he dwells experiencing pleasing beauty in whatever is disgusting!
If he wishes: "May I dwell experiencing the repulsive in what is both
unrepulsive & repulsive", he dwells experiencing repulsive disgust in it.
If he wishes: "May I dwell experiencing the unrepulsive in what is both
unrepulsive & repulsive", he experiences only unrepulsive beauty by it!
If he wishes: "Avoiding both the repulsive and the unrepulsive, may I
dwell in
equanimity,
just aware and clearly comprehending", then he
dwells in
equanimity,
just aware and clearly comprehending! Or else,
completely transcending the realm of
the infinitude of
consciousness,
only aware
that there is nothing, he enters and dwells in the sphere of
the
void, empty and vacuous
nothingness.. I tell you Bhikkhus for a wise
Bhikkhu here, who has not yet penetrated to an even more superior
mental release, that mental release by imperturbable
equanimity
has
this exceedingly subtle sphere of void nothingness as its final culmination!
Podcast on How to gain Equanimity, Balance,
Peace and Ease:
https://soundcloud.com/bhikkhu-samahita/serene-equanimity-upekkha
More on this
serene mental state of Equanimity
(Upekkhā):
Divorced_Freedom,
Tatra-Majjhattat,
Exquisite_Equanimity,
Unshakable Equanimity,
Equanimity Upekkha,
Feeding Equanimity,
Even
is Equanimity,
The 7 Links to Awakening,
Serene_Equanimity,
Serene Equanimity and Beyond,
Imperturbable Equanimity,
Safe_Medicine.
