<p>Upekkhā word is used in <a href="http://84000.org/tipitaka/read/attha_page.php?book=53&amp;page=224&amp;pages=3&amp;edition=romanhttp://84000.org/tipitaka/read/attha_page.php?book=53&amp;page=224&amp;pages=3&amp;edition=roman" rel="nofollow noreferrer">10 contexts</a> of suttanta with 10 meaning, which were analysed by <a href="https://unmixedtheravada.blogspot.com/search?q=s%C4%81riputta" rel="nofollow noreferrer">sāriputta-aggasāvaka</a>, then concluded to 4 sabhāva:</p>

<ul>
<li>One refers to vedanā (upekkhā-feeling).</li>
<li>One refers to viriya (effort).</li>
<li>Two refer to paññā (understanding).</li>
<li>Six refer to tatramajjhattatā (equality/parity/counterbalance).</li>
</ul>

<p>So, when sāriputta try to explain each upekkhā, he used the synonym words to explain them, like we saw in the dictionary, nowadays, such as in KN. Jūlaniddesa, <a href="http://84000.org/tipitaka/read/roman_read.php?B=30&amp;A=4445" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Udayamāṇavakapañhāniddeso</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>[446]    <strong>Upekkhā</strong>satisaṃsuddhanti   upekkhāti   yā   catutthajjhāne
  <em>upekkhā</em>   upekkhanā   <em>ajjhupekkhanā</em>   cittasamatho   <em>cittappasādatā</em>  <strong>majjhattatā   cittassa</strong>. </p>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>That is the original tatramajjhattatā in pāli cannon.</strong></p>

<h2>Why commentary concluded 10 meaning to 4 sabhāva?</h2>

<p>Because of the main topic of each contexts, which each upekkhā word appearing. For the example in SN Mahāvagga, <a href="http://www.84000.org/tipitaka/read/roman_item_s.php?book=19&amp;item=1380&amp;items=19" rel="nofollow noreferrer">First Ānandasutta</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>[1393]   Yasmiṃ   samaye   ānanda   bhikkhu  tathā  <strong>samā</strong>hitaṃ  cittaṃ
  sādhukaṃ    <strong>ajjhupekkhitā</strong>    hoti   <strong>upekkhāsambojjhaṅgo</strong>   tasmiṃ   samaye
  bhikkhuno   āraddho   hoti   <strong>upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṃ</strong>   tasmiṃ   samaye  bhikkhu
  Bhāveti   upekkhāsambojjhaṅgo   tasmiṃ   samaye  bhikkhuno  bhāvanāpāripūriṃ
  gacchati.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>You can see sama-word and ajjhupekkhā-word, which appeared in <a href="http://84000.org/tipitaka/read/roman_read.php?B=30&amp;A=4445" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Udayamāṇavakapañhāniddeso</a> like tataramajjhupekkhā, explaining <strong>upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṃ</strong>. So, <a href="http://84000.org/tipitaka/read/attha_page.php?book=53&amp;page=224&amp;pages=3&amp;edition=roman" rel="nofollow noreferrer">commentary</a> concluded them as the same type upekkhā, tattaramajjhupekkhā.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-29T02:41:24.447Z
2018-01-29T03:10:33.963Z
2018-01-29T03:10:33.963Z
Bonn
<p>Friends, could anybody direct me to some suttas of the pâli canon about <strong>Tatramajjhattatā</strong>, the developed form of the equanimous abiding 'in the middle of all that'.
To the best of my knowledge, this specific mental factor is mentioned in the <strong><em>Abhiddhamma</em></strong> and the <strong><em>Visuddhimagga</em></strong>, but I was unable to find it referred to in the Pali Canon.</p>

<p>Many thanks for your much appreciated help, with Mettā</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-29T00:59:12.207Z
I don't think it is mentioned in Pali Canon, it seems the term was coined by Buddhaghosha. Do you mind providing quotes from Abh and Vsm? What this reminds me though is _ataraxia_ of Pyrrho, which was supposedly a concept he picked up from Buddhists in Northern India. ("In non-philosophical usage, the term was used to describe the ideal mental state for soldiers entering battle.") I wonder if Sarvastivadins had a similar concept... Perhaps Tattvasiddhi-Śāstra has something on the topic...
Andriy Volkov
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-29T04:28:56.710Z
I think I heard these texts being mentioned in that talk : https://www.abhayagiri.org/talks/6179-in-the-middle-about-that but I fear I may be unable to provide specific quotes.
Fabien Todescato
<theravada><reference-request><sutras>
Tatramajjhattatā • Equanimity • In the middle of all that
# Tatramajjhattatā • Equanimity • In the middle of all that

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-01-28)

Friends, could anybody direct me to some suttas of the pâli canon about **Tatramajjhattatā**, the developed form of the equanimous abiding 'in the middle of all that'.
To the best of my knowledge, this specific mental factor is mentioned in the ***Abhiddhamma*** and the ***Visuddhimagga***, but I was unable to find it referred to in the Pali Canon.

Many thanks for your much appreciated help, with Mettā

**Tags:** theravada, reference-request, sutras

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I don't think it is mentioned in Pali Canon, it seems the term was coined by Buddhaghosha. Do you mind providing quotes from Abh and Vsm? What this reminds me though is _ataraxia_ of Pyrrho, which was supposedly a concept he picked up from Buddhists in Northern India. ("In non-philosophical usage, the term was used to describe the ideal mental state for soldiers entering battle.") I wonder if Sarvastivadins had a similar concept... Perhaps Tattvasiddhi-Śāstra has something on the topic...  
> **username_0**: I think I heard these texts being mentioned in that talk : https://www.abhayagiri.org/talks/6179-in-the-middle-about-that but I fear I may be unable to provide specific quotes.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-01-29. Score: 1

Upekkhā word is used in [10 contexts](http://84000.org/tipitaka/read/attha_page.php?book=53&page=224&pages=3&edition=romanhttp://84000.org/tipitaka/read/attha_page.php?book=53&page=224&pages=3&edition=roman) of suttanta with 10 meaning, which were analysed by [sāriputta-aggasāvaka](https://unmixedtheravada.blogspot.com/search?q=s%C4%81riputta), then concluded to 4 sabhāva:

* One refers to vedanā (upekkhā-feeling).
* One refers to viriya (effort).
* Two refer to paññā (understanding).
* Six refer to tatramajjhattatā (equality/parity/counterbalance).

So, when sāriputta try to explain each upekkhā, he used the synonym words to explain them, like we saw in the dictionary, nowadays, such as in KN. Jūlaniddesa, [Udayamāṇavakapañhāniddeso](http://84000.org/tipitaka/read/roman_read.php?B=30&A=4445):

> [446] **Upekkhā**satisaṃsuddhanti upekkhāti yā catutthajjhāne
> *upekkhā* upekkhanā *ajjhupekkhanā* cittasamatho *cittappasādatā* **majjhattatā cittassa**.

**That is the original tatramajjhattatā in pāli cannon.**

## Why commentary concluded 10 meaning to 4 sabhāva?

Because of the main topic of each contexts, which each upekkhā word appearing. For the example in SN Mahāvagga, [First Ānandasutta](http://www.84000.org/tipitaka/read/roman_item_s.php?book=19&item=1380&items=19):

> [1393] Yasmiṃ samaye ānanda bhikkhu tathā **samā**hitaṃ cittaṃ
> sādhukaṃ **ajjhupekkhitā** hoti **upekkhāsambojjhaṅgo** tasmiṃ samaye
> bhikkhuno āraddho hoti **upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṃ** tasmiṃ samaye bhikkhu
> Bhāveti upekkhāsambojjhaṅgo tasmiṃ samaye bhikkhuno bhāvanāpāripūriṃ
> gacchati.

You can see sama-word and ajjhupekkhā-word, which appeared in [Udayamāṇavakapañhāniddeso](http://84000.org/tipitaka/read/roman_read.php?B=30&A=4445) like tataramajjhupekkhā, explaining **upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṃ**. So, [commentary](http://84000.org/tipitaka/read/attha_page.php?book=53&page=224&pages=3&edition=roman) concluded them as the same type upekkhā, tattaramajjhupekkhā.


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