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General Buddhism => General Buddhism => Topic started by: hope rainbow on February 10, 2012, 06:21:13 PM
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What is actually the difference between indifference and equanimity.
Equanimity is described in the lamrim as being free from bias and anger,
but indifference also is free from bias and anger or else it would not be indifference. Right?
So there must be something more to equanimity.
What is it?
Thank you
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Indifference is a lack of enthusiasm and unconcerned nonchalance. Equanimity is freedom from all points of self-reference. I believe the difference is "indifference" arises from the "self" or "ego", whereas, equanimity arises from selflessness or no ego.
In other words, when a person is indifferent, the person doesn't care due to whatever selfish reasons. When a person operates out of equanimity, the person cares and operates out of compassion.
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Indifference is a lack of enthusiasm and unconcerned nonchalance. Equanimity is freedom from all points of self-reference. I believe the difference is "indifference" arises from the "self" or "ego", whereas, equanimity arises from selflessness or no ego.
In other words, when a person is indifferent, the person doesn't care due to whatever selfish reasons. When a person operates out of equanimity, the person cares and operates out of compassion.
I do like what you have said here... it really sums up the motivation begin the thought which explains the action. Hence yes, I agree that when a person is indifferent they just do not care enough to come up with even a conclusion as to whether they agree or not whereas a person that operates out of equanimity has taken the time to analyse the situation from all angles and chooses to be stable and to care enough to make a conclusion or decision without bias.
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Equanimity is freedom from bias and anger --> freedom from attachment (thinking i want this, i really would be happy with this) and aversion (thinking i don't like that, i hate that, that makes me angry) due to wrong projection/perception of the subject. we treat everyone with the same compassion.
Indifference --> don't care if something lives or die because i'm not involved, it doesn't affect/concern me, i didn't do anything to it. can't have compassion if we don't care.
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Equanimity is freedom from bias and anger --> freedom from attachment (thinking i want this, i really would be happy with this) and aversion (thinking i don't like that, i hate that, that makes me angry) due to wrong projection/perception of the subject. we treat everyone with the same compassion.
Indifference --> don't care if something lives or die because i'm not involved, it doesn't affect/concern me, i didn't do anything to it. can't have compassion if we don't care.
To add to the above, my view is:
(1) Equanimity - get involve, be in the situation but treat the situation, and people involved in it, equal, without prejudice, not bias - handle the situation objectively.
(2) Indifference - don't get involve, don't offer opinion, be 'outside' of the situation.
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"Indifference" has been defined and explained well already . I just wish to add another facet to the meaning of "Equanimity" . " Equanimity" also means that there is equal love and care for every being including oneself. This in turn stems from a strong conviction that every other being is as important as oneself and to be cherished as one cherishes oneself.
The story from Lord Buddha illustrates this quality very clearly. When Buddha Shakyamuni's son, Rahula, was very ill, Buddha said simply, "If it is true that I love Rahula as much as I love Devadatta, then may Rahula be healed". And Rahula was immediately healed.
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So what practice can we do so as to nurture and attain a mind of equanimity?
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All answers are great and I totally agree.
Another way of putting it. Indifference arises from ignorance, equanimity arises from Wisdom.
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All answers are great and I totally agree.
Another way of putting it. Indifference arises from ignorance, equanimity arises from Wisdom.
Indeed indifference arises from ignorance.
From ignorance arises:
bias liking = This or that is ignorantly identified as a cause for happiness (money, work, health, children...) = attachment = I like/I want = desire
bias dislike = This or that is ignorantly identified as a cause for un-happiness (money, work, sickness, children...) = rejection = I don't like/I don't want = aversion
bias neither like nor dislike = This or that is a cause for a neutral result = I don't see it as benefiting me nor harming me = I am not attracted, nor disgusted = the object is neutral = because of that, my emotions towards the object is: indifference
thus 3 categories of objects:
1. I like ignorantly,
2. I don't like ignorantly,
3. and I am neutral towards.
Now, let's count in our lives, how many beings we have in each and let's see which category IS, by logic, the most important?
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So what practice can we do so as to nurture and attain a mind of equanimity?
I was told that the best way to nurture and attain a mind of equanimity is to meditate on seeing all sentient beings as having been our mothers, in one of our many eons of existence.
In this life, we love our mothers because we have direct and intimate relationship with them, and when we expand our thoughts that every sentient beings could have been our mothers who have been loving, caring and kind to us in our past lives, we then generate the thought of equanimity that we should treat all sentient beings like our beloved mothers of this life.
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So what practice can we do so as to nurture and attain a mind of equanimity?
I was told that the best way to nurture and attain a mind of equanimity is to meditate on seeing all sentient beings as having been our mothers, in one of our many eons of existence.
In this life, we love our mothers because we have direct and intimate relationship with them, and when we expand our thoughts that every sentient beings could have been our mothers who have been loving, caring and kind to us in our past lives, we then generate the thought of equanimity that we should treat all sentient beings like our beloved mothers of this life.
Thank you Triesa,
Can I correct one thing though.
It is not that we should think that all sentient beings could have been our mothers.
It is that all sentient beings HAVE been our mother.
And not once but countless times.
The logic is here:
1.
We have been wandering in samsara since beginingless time.
2.
Thus we have been taking rebirth since beginning-less time.
3.
Thus there cannot be a being that has not been our mother before.
4.
Thus all beings have been my mother before and countless times.
So, this is not a matter of making-believe that sentient may have been our mothers before, this is facing the reality that all sentient beings have been our mothers before.
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Equanimity is mentioned in the four immeasurable, it says having equanimity is free of bias, attachment and anger.
"May all sentient beings have happiness and its causes,
May all sentient beings be free of suffering and its causes,
May all sentient beings never be separated from bliss without suffering,
May all sentient beings be in equanimity, free of bias, attachment and anger."
What i can relate to equanimity is also the love, care and kindness that generated from a Bodhicitta heart. Only when you practice how to overcome your anger, every actions you do is generated from a loving and caring motivation. Practice sympathy to over the hatred that caused by bias. Practice how to detach and understand the consequences of attachment would bring to us, that is unhappiness.
Indifference is ignorance. No care therefore you remain quiet when you see something happen, no actions taken because you do not want to get yourself into trouble. An indifferent person is someone selfish.
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To put it simply, indifference equals selfishness and self-cherishing. Equanimity equals selflessness and cherishing of others. To achieve equanimity, one way is to see all living beings as our precious mother. Another way is to see others as our children. Imagine a parent who has only one child. How much the parent must cherish this child! This is how the Buddhas love sentient beings, like a mother (or father) for her/his only child.
I think the best description of "indifference" and "equanimity" comes from Je Tsongkhapa in his "Twenty-seven Verses on Mind Training". It teaches us how important it is to practise universal kindness and thus bring about a positive change in society and the universe.
In Verse 20, he says:
"So sensitive an ecology is the interdependence of all, that the slightest attention and assistance to others creates moral elevation for ourselves and humanity, while the slightest indifference or neglect toward others creates moral harm for ourselves and our civilisation. The faintest spark of ill will toward other beings can burst forth into a terrible forest fire, consuming vast expanses of sympathetic joy. Even the faintest negative reaction or malicious wish opens wide channels throughout our entire being for life-destroying poisons of negation and life-obscuring shadows of self-cherishing."
Equanimity is very hard to achieve but it is the basis of the other three immeasurables: love, compassion and sorrowless bliss.
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We can talk about indifference and equanimity in terms of dynamic forces.
Indifference is a force that prevents one from responding to an object whether people or physical things.This is the force of self cherishing. This force manifest when we meet a stranger or anyone whom we have no interest in materially or emotionally. The result is inertness of bodily response and speech which translates into uncaring and disinterestedness.
Equanimity is quite the opposite. It functions to remove the forces of push and pull which confuses and obstructs one's good qualities from manifesting fully. The pushing comes from aversion to things we dislike and the pulling comes from being attracted or attached to things we like. Once these two powerful selfish energies are reduced or removed , the force of indifference that keeps us in our comfort zone and rendering one static is also overcome . We are then freed to allow the good energies of our love and compassion to flow and reach others in unlimited active ways via our body , speech and mind. Our mind is now said be to be in equilibirum.
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[...]
It is not that we should think that all sentient beings could have been our mothers.
It is that all sentient beings HAVE been our mother.
And not once but countless times.
The logic is here:
1.
We have been wandering in samsara since beginingless time.
2.
Thus we have been taking rebirth since beginning-less time.
3.
Thus there cannot be a being that has not been our mother before.
4.
Thus all beings have been my mother before and countless times.
So, this is not a matter of making-believe that sentient may have been our mothers before, this is facing the reality that all sentient beings have been our mothers before.
I find this hard to contemplate, have all sentient beings been my mother before, even an ant or an earth worm?
This is pretty hard to absorb...
Thus the love that I have for my mother now, I once had it, and several times, for every being that I encounter in my life?
I think I'll pass on KFC today and will just eat vegetables for a day... and will think about this!
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"Indifference", as has been agreed upon, arises out of lack of care or concern.
"Equanimity", on the other hand means an equal care and concern for every other being.When we have equanimity, we treasure every being as equally precious. There is no separation of "I" and "others" .We recognize that each and every being equally desires happiness and does not wanting suffering.With equanimity, there is no more labeling and categorizing of people(for instance) as 'friends', 'enemies ' and 'stranger'. Labelling become meaningless, when in cyclic existence, enemies and even strangers, have been our friends in a previous life.When we have equanimity, we will not have hatred, attachment or indifference. Yes, equanimity arises from 'wisdom' ,and leads to peace
We develop equanimity, when we realize that all beings have been our mothers before. In 'Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand'(p.524), it is established, by logic, that "since we have had more rebirths than there are sentient beings, not only must they have been your mother, but also every single one must have been your mother in human rebirths. Thus it is reasonable to conclude that all beings have truly been your mother".
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Indifference is based on personal ego and is one of the 2 obscurations preventing Nirvana. It is based on the "Self of the individual". It acknowledges the existence of others but places oneself as the most important. So it is the manifestation of the "worst of the worse" ego the self. Equanimity is on the basis of selflessness and that others are more important. From the point of view of others, the loved ones, the enemies and the strangers are equal; hence the word "equanimity".
So, indifference and equanimity are actually opposites.
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[...]
It is not that we should think that all sentient beings could have been our mothers.
It is that all sentient beings HAVE been our mother.
And not once but countless times.
The logic is here:
1.
We have been wandering in samsara since beginingless time.
2.
Thus we have been taking rebirth since beginning-less time.
3.
Thus there cannot be a being that has not been our mother before.
4.
Thus all beings have been my mother before and countless times.
So, this is not a matter of making-believe that sentient may have been our mothers before, this is facing the reality that all sentient beings have been our mothers before.
I find this hard to contemplate, have all sentient beings been my mother before, even an ant or an earth worm?
This is pretty hard to absorb...
Thus the love that I have for my mother now, I once had it, and several times, for every being that I encounter in my life?
I think I'll pass on KFC today and will just eat vegetables for a day... and will think about this!
Dear BF,
WE can abstain from eating meat for various reasons, some do it because they are convinced that it helps with their health, some do it because they find it unacceptable to abuse animals, some do it because they can recognize the link that is between us all, between all beings.
The link is not only that all beings have been our mothers countless times, it is that they all have been our sons and daughters too, that we have embraced them with wrapping and protecting love, that we would have given our lives for them, that we would have sacrificed anything to bring a smile to their faces, that we cared so much for them that our own desires were extinguished by the power of our love and compassion.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful that the love we are capable of could extend to all beings without any agenda, without expecting anything in return but simply because we care for all without discrimination and equally (with EQUANIMITY thus –and not INDIFFERENCE!).
Then, of course, one consequence is that we would stop indulging in the taste of their flesh.
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What is actually the difference between indifference and equanimity.
Equanimity is described in the lamrim as being free from bias and anger,
but indifference also is free from bias and anger or else it would not be indifference. Right?
So there must be something more to equanimity.
What is it?
Thank you
Very often we get mistaken to the ''method'' and ''cause'' behind indifference and equanimity. This article is a great learning for us not to be mistaken.