EQUANIMITY (LETTING GO) – VEN. THAY THANH

Equanimity (Letting Go)

Teaching in Virginia Beach in January, 2016, Chuc Thanh used the example of his hand holding an object to describe the concept of equanimity, or letting go, in Buddhism.  He explained that while his hand is holding that object, it cannot do anything else or hold anything else.  In order to do something else, it first has to let go of that object.   He asked us to apply this concept to daily life things. He used perception as an example, by saying “If you cling to one perception of someone or something, you are hindering yourself in the ability to adapt and change.”

In your practice, can you recall examples of when you experienced or applied the concept of equanimity?  Do you have some opportunities to apply the practice of equanimity to that you have not considered before? Is letting go of something used only in negative situations?

(Venerable Thich Chuc Thanh is the Dharma Master at Dong Hung Temple. These quotations were collected from 2015 through 2018 as he taught in Virginia Beach, VA and Southern Shores, NC.  The quotation titles and commentary are by Mark Palamara.)