Upekshā (Pali: 𑀉𑀧𑁂𑀓𑁆𑀔𑀸, romanized: upekkhā) 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.
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👉 Upekkhā in the context of Brahmavihara
The brahmavihārā (sublime attitudes, lit. "abodes of Brahma") is a series of four Buddhist virtues and the meditation practices made to cultivate them. They are also known as the four immeasurables (Pāli: appamaññā) or four infinite minds (Chinese: 四無量心). The brahmavihārā are:
- loving-kindness or benevolence (mettā)
- compassion (karuṇā)
- empathetic joy (muditā)
- equanimity (upekkhā)
According to the Metta Sutta, cultivation of the four immeasurables has the power to cause the practitioner to be reborn into a "Brahma realm" (Pāli: Brahmaloka).
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Upekkhā in the context of Seven Factors of Enlightenment
In Buddhism, the seven factors of awakening (Pali: satta bojjhaṅgā or satta sambojjhaṅgā; Skt.: sapta bodhyanga) are:
- Mindfulness (sati, Sanskrit smṛti). To maintain awareness of reality, in particular the teachings (Dhamma).
- Investigation of the nature of reality (dhamma vicaya, Skt. dharmapravicaya).
- Energy (viriya, Skt. vīrya) also determination, effort
- Joy or rapture (pīti, Skt. prīti)
- Relaxation or tranquility (passaddhi, Skt. prashrabdhi) of both body and mind
- Concentration (samādhi) a calm, one-pointed state of mind, or "bringing the buried latencies or samskaras into full view"
- Equanimity (upekkhā, Skt. upekshā). To accept reality as-it-is (yathā-bhuta) without craving or aversion.
This evaluation of seven awakening factors is one of the "seven sets" of "awakening-related states" (bodhipakkhiyadhamma).