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Upekkha

World Religion
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Equanimity or impartiality in Buddhism, maintaining balance amid pleasure and pain, gain and loss.

Detailed Definition
Upekkha is the fourth Brahma Vihara, representing serene acceptance without attachment or aversion. In poetry, it appears as a mountain unmoved by storms or a still pond reflecting clouds without clinging. Poets value upekkha not as cold detachment but as deep stability that allows genuine care to flow without burnout or bias.
Example
Example in poetry:
A Buddhist poem: “Upekkhā is not indifference—it’s equanimity that holds joy and sorrow equally”; In a modern verse, “Upekkhā is watching my team lose—and still feeling peace”; A minimalist haiku: “Autumn leaves fall—/ upekkhā in the letting / without regret”; A meditation reflection: “Upekkhā is the calm after the storm of caring.”
Additional Notes
Upekkha is one of the four Brahma-viharas (sublime states) in Buddhism, meaning equanimity or impartiality. It is a state of mental balance and non-attachment, free from craving and aversion, in the face of life's eight worldly conditions: gain and loss, fame and disgrace, praise and blame, pleasure and pain. For poets, Upekkha represents the ideal of unshakable inner peace, the calm center in the storm of existence, and the wisdom of seeing all beings with equal regard.
Also Known As
Upeksa Equanimity
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