Pitṛputra Saṃnipāta Sūtra Commentary (I, II, III)

The State of Equanimity

Equanimity is a state that is neither joyful nor sorrowful, abiding in the middle way apart from extremes. It is neither grasping nor averse, neither good nor bad, neither painful nor pleasurable. At this time, the mind is calm and undisturbed, without highs or lows. For example, when looking at a person, one feels no particular sensation—neither liking nor disliking. This is equanimity. If a feeling of fondness arises, then one experiences pleasure; if one finds the person disagreeable, that is a form of suffering, and hatred emerges. Thus, feelings are divided into three types: suffering, pleasure, and the neutral feeling of equanimity, which is neither suffering nor pleasure.

As for the sound of equanimity, it refers to a sound that is neither wholesome nor unwholesome, existing in a neutral state that is neither good nor bad. In a dream, a person hears others uttering incoherent, meaningless words. Though the mind feels nothing particular about it, they mistake it for something real and continuously recall it. Even when clinging to this state of equanimity as real, becoming attached to this equanimous thought, they fail to recognize that the six dust realms perceived in equanimity are equally illusory and thus remain bound to the cycle of birth and death.

The term "non-definitive meaning sentence" here differs from "non-definitive meaning sutra" in Buddhist scriptures; they are not the same concept. Buddhist sutras are divided into definitive meaning sutras and non-definitive meaning sutras. Definitive meaning sutras are true, proclaiming the true dharma, while non-definitive meaning sutras proclaim non-true dharma. Definitive meaning sutras expound upon the supreme truth of the Mahayana scriptures—the Tathagatagarbha dharma. This is called definitive meaning, the fundamental dharma, the dharma of true reality. Other sutras that do not address the Tathagatagarbha dharma are not definitive meaning sutras. Sutras that do not address our true mind, the Tathagatagarbha, are non-definitive meaning; they are not fundamental sutras. Of course, definitive meaning sutras may also contain non-definitive meaning sentences, and non-definitive meaning sutras certainly contain non-definitive meaning sentences.