Upekṣā
Concept of equanimity in Buddhism
title: "Upekṣā" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["wholesome-factors-in-buddhism", "sanskrit-words-and-phrases"] description: "Concept of equanimity in Buddhism" topic_path: "arts/film" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upekṣā" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Concept of equanimity in Buddhism ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox Buddhist term"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| title | Upekkha |
| en | Equanimity, neutral |
| pi | upekkhā |
| sa | उपेक्षा |
| sa-Latn | upekṣā |
| my | ဥပေက္ခာ |
| my-Latn | ʔṵ pjɪʔ kʰà |
| zh | 捨 |
| zh-Latn | shě |
| ja | 捨 |
| ja-Latn | sha |
| km | ឧបេក្ខា |
| km-Latn | ŭbékkha |
| si | උපේක්ෂා |
| si-Latn | upēkshā |
| tl | Upeksa |
| th | อุเบกขา |
| th-Latn | upekkhaa |
| vi | xả |
| id | ketenangan, keseimbangan batin |
| :: |
| title = Upekkha | en = Equanimity, neutral | pi = upekkhā | sa = उपेक्षा | sa-Latn = upekṣā | bn = | my = ဥပေက္ခာ | my-Latn = ʔṵ pjɪʔ kʰà | zh = 捨 | zh-Latn = shě | ja = 捨 | ja-Latn = sha | km = ឧបេក្ខា | km-Latn = ŭbékkha | ko = | ko-Latn = | lo = | mnw = | mnw-Latn = | shn = | shn-Latn = | si = උපේක්ෂා | si-Latn = upēkshā | ta = | tl = Upeksa | th = อุเบกขา | th-Latn = upekkhaa | bo = | bo-Latn = | vi = xả | id =ketenangan, keseimbangan batin pi () () is the Buddhist concept of equanimity. As one of the brahmaviharas or "virtues of the "Brahma realm" (brahmaloka), it is one of the wholesome mental factors ((kuśala cetasika) cultivated on the Buddhist path to nirvāna through the practice of jhāna.
Pali literature
Many passages in the Pali Canon and post-canonical commentaries identify upekkhā as an important aspect of spiritual development. It is one of the Four Sublime States of Brahmavihara, which purify mental states capable of counteracting the defilements of lust, aversion, and ignorance. As a Brahmavihara, it is also one of the forty traditionally identified subjects of Buddhist meditation (kammaṭṭhāna). In the Theravada list of ten pāramī (perfections), pi is the last-identified bodhisatta practice, and in the Seven Factors of Awakening (pi), it is the ultimate characteristic to develop.
To practice pi is to be unwavering or to stay neutral in the face of the eight vicissitudes of life which are otherwise known as the eight directions of worldly winds or eight worldly conditions: loss and gain, good-repute and ill-repute, praise and censure, and sorrow and happiness (the pi).
In the development of meditative concentration, upekkhā arises as the quintessential factor of material absorption, present in the third and fourth jhāna states.
In post-canonical text, the "far enemies" of upekkhā are greed and resentment driven by desire and anger, which are mind-states that are in obvious opposition. The "near enemy", the quality which superficially resembles upekkhā but which subtly opposes it, is indifference or apathy.
Buddhaghosa identifies ten canonical contexts for upekkhā: (1) the destruction of the cankers ("six-factored equanimity," based on the six sense bases); (2) a brahmavihārā; (3) a bojjhaṅgā; (4) as arising from a balancing of energy; (5) a "formation" arising from concentration or insight; (6) a vedanā (that is, a synonym for "profitable" adukkham-asukhā); (7) arising from insight from investigation; (8) a "specific neutrality"; (9) "equanimity of jhana" ("impartiality towards even the highest bliss"); and, (10) "purifying equanimity" ("equanimity purified of all opposition").{{cite encyclopedia | last = Anālayo | first = Bhikkhu | author-link = Bhikkhu Anālayo | editor-last = Weeraratne | editor-first = W.G. | title = Upekkhā | encyclopedia = Encyclopaedia of Buddhism | volume = 8 | number = 2 | pages = 442–449 | publisher = Department of Buddhist Affairs | location = Sri Lanka | date = 2008 | url = https://www.buddhismuskunde.uni-hamburg.de/pdf/5-personen/analayo/encyclopedia-entries/upekkha.pdf }}
Contemporary exposition
Bhikkhu Bodhi, an American monk, wrote: ::quote[attribution="indifference]] in the sense of unconcern for others. As a spiritual virtue, {{transliteration|pi|upekkha}} means equanimity in the face of the fluctuations of worldly fortune. It is evenness of [[chitta"] The real meaning of [pi] is equanimity, not [[apathy ::
References
References
- Piyadassi, Thera. (1960). "The Seven Factors of Enlightenment". Buddhist Publication Society.
- Buddhaghosa, Bhadantácariya. (2010). "Vishudimagga: The Path of Purification".
- Buddhaghosa, ''op cit.'', IV, 156-182, pp. 156-160.
- Bodhi, Bhikkhu. (5 June 2010). "Toward a Threshold of Understanding". Barre Center for Buddhist Studies.
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