the cause of Arahat is 4NT, nonattachment.
the cause of Pratyekabuddha is Dependent
origination.
the cause of Bodhisattva is paramita,
nondiscrimination.
the cause of Buddha is equanimity ,
even-mindedness.
Thich Nhat Hanh says (in The Heart of the Buddha's
Teaching, p. 161) that the Sanskrit word upeksha
means "equanimity, nonattachment, nondiscrimination,
even-mindedness, or letting go. Upa means 'over,' and
iksh means 'to look.' You climb the mountain to be able to
look over the whole situation, not bound by one side or the
other."
Pema Chodron says that when feelings of attraction or aversion
arise, we can "use our biases as stepping-stones for connecting
with the confusion of others." When we become intimate with and
accepting of own feelings, we see more clearly how everyone gets
hooked by their hopes and fears. From this, "a bigger perspective
can emerge."
Thich Nhat Hanh says that Buddhist equanimity includes the
ability to see everyone as equal. "We shed all discrimination and
prejudice, and remove all boundaries between ourselves and others,"
he writes. "In a conflict, even though we are deeply concerned, we
remain impartial, able to love and to understand both sides.
[The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching, p. 162]." I confess,
that last one is really difficult for me, but that's what we are
called to do.
http://buddhism.about.com/od/basicbuddhistteachings/a/Buddhism-And-Equanimity.htm
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