<blockquote>
<p>What does that mean? What is an example of lay equanimity?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The outward appearance of equanimity based on household life vs. based on renunciation would probably look the same: calmness, composure, unswayed, etc.. The inner power that drives such behavior is different. In the lay equanimity, it lacks the contemplative insight, hence the wisdom, into the true nature of conditioned phenomena. And that's why it's still limited and has not transcended the sensory objects that come into range. While the renunciated kind possesses the insight element, hence the wisdom to transcend forms as described in the next paragraph:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Herein, what are the six kinds of equanimity based on renunciation? When, by knowing the impermanence, change, fading away, and cessation of forms, one sees as it actually is with proper wisdom that forms both formerly and now are all impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, equanimity arises. Such equanimity as this transcends the form; that is why it is called equanimity based on renunciation.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-02T00:47:54.187Z
2022-05-02T00:47:54.187Z
santa100
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/mn137/en/sujato" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MN 137</a> discusses the six sense fields.</p>
<p>How can we understand lay equanimity with respect to the six sense fields?</p>
<p>For sights, lay equanimity arises for an uneducated ordinary layperson but such equanimity does not transcend the sight, and that's why it's called lay equanimity - says the sutta.</p>
<p>What does that mean? What is an example of lay equanimity?</p>
<blockquote>
<p>And in this context what are the six kinds of lay equanimity? When
seeing a sight with the eye, equanimity arises for the uneducated
ordinary person—a foolish ordinary person who has not overcome their
limitations and the results of deeds, and is blind to the drawbacks.
Such equanimity does not transcend the sight. That’s why it’s called
lay equanimity. When hearing a sound with the ear … When smelling an
odor with the nose … When tasting a flavor with the tongue … When
feeling a touch with the body … When knowing a thought with the mind,
equanimity arises for the uneducated ordinary person—a foolish
ordinary person who has not overcome their limitations and the results
of deeds, and is blind to the drawbacks. Such equanimity does not
transcend the thought. That’s why it’s called lay equanimity. These
are the six kinds of lay equanimity.<br />
<a href="https://suttacentral.net/mn137/en/sujato" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MN 137</a></p>
</blockquote>

<pali-canon><equanimity><six-senses><lay-person>
How to understand lay equanimity from MN 137?
# How to understand lay equanimity from MN 137?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-05-01)

[MN 137](https://suttacentral.net/mn137/en/sujato) discusses the six sense fields.

How can we understand lay equanimity with respect to the six sense fields?

For sights, lay equanimity arises for an uneducated ordinary layperson but such equanimity does not transcend the sight, and that's why it's called lay equanimity - says the sutta.

What does that mean? What is an example of lay equanimity?

> And in this context what are the six kinds of lay equanimity? When
> seeing a sight with the eye, equanimity arises for the uneducated
> ordinary person—a foolish ordinary person who has not overcome their
> limitations and the results of deeds, and is blind to the drawbacks.
> Such equanimity does not transcend the sight. That’s why it’s called
> lay equanimity. When hearing a sound with the ear … When smelling an
> odor with the nose … When tasting a flavor with the tongue … When
> feeling a touch with the body … When knowing a thought with the mind,
> equanimity arises for the uneducated ordinary person—a foolish
> ordinary person who has not overcome their limitations and the results
> of deeds, and is blind to the drawbacks. Such equanimity does not
> transcend the thought. That’s why it’s called lay equanimity. These
> are the six kinds of lay equanimity.  
> [MN 137](https://suttacentral.net/mn137/en/sujato)

**Tags:** pali-canon, equanimity, six-senses, lay-person


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-05-02. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

> What does that mean? What is an example of lay equanimity?

The outward appearance of equanimity based on household life vs. based on renunciation would probably look the same: calmness, composure, unswayed, etc.. The inner power that drives such behavior is different. In the lay equanimity, it lacks the contemplative insight, hence the wisdom, into the true nature of conditioned phenomena. And that's why it's still limited and has not transcended the sensory objects that come into range. While the renunciated kind possesses the insight element, hence the wisdom to transcend forms as described in the next paragraph:

> “Herein, what are the six kinds of equanimity based on renunciation? When, by knowing the impermanence, change, fading away, and cessation of forms, one sees as it actually is with proper wisdom that forms both formerly and now are all impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, equanimity arises. Such equanimity as this transcends the form; that is why it is called equanimity based on renunciation.


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