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śramaņa, Vol 59, No. 4/October-December 2008
In other words, "Equanimity is characterized as promoting the aspect of neutrality towards beings. Its function is to see equality in beings. It is manifested as the quieting of resentment and approval. Its proximate cause is seeing ownership (kamma). Thus, Beings are owners of their deeds"20.
Upekkhā has four-fold purpose, which are: 1. removal of hatred 2. removal of cruelty 3. removal of aversion 4. removal of passion
By these four-fold removals from the mind, the mind becomes well balance and impartial at any circumstance. To put it in the words of Lord Buddha:
"Cetovimutti; deriverance of mind, friends, is the elimination of hatred, friends,
Cetovimutti; deriverance of mind is elimination of cruelty, friends, Cetovimutti; deriverance of mind, is elimination of Arati (aversion), friends, Cetovimutti; deliverance of mind, is elimination of passion"21
Above all, the Upekkhā also helps one to free oneself from greed (Räga). The Inter-relationships between the four divine abiding principles
The four abiding principles are interlinked in such a way that the practice of one implies the practice of others. The simultaneous practice of the four divine abiding principles in addition to Pascaśīla2, Pañca Kalyāṇadhamma and the Sucarita will make one eligible to attain Buddhahood, since the possession of these virtues form the necessary conditions for Buddhahood but they are not sufficient. The one who has attained these virtues may be called a Buddha to be (Bodhisatta).
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