equipoise

 

न प्रहृष्यति सम्माने नापमाने च कुप्यति।

न क्रुद्धः परुषं ब्रूयात् स वै साधूत्तमः स्मृतः॥

जैन आचार्यात् हेमचन्द्रात्

na prahṛṣyati sammāne nāpamāne ca kupyati|

na kruddhaḥ paruṣaṁ brūyāt sa vai sādhūttamaḥ smṛtaḥ||

jaina ācāryāt hemacandrāt

The greatest virtue anyone can aspire to possess is equanimity and balance.. Of course, we are all unbalanced normally and only the degree of lack of equilibrium varies.. Even for one who is in a sort of equilibrium, such state is unstable or dynamic and the slightest provocation turns everything topsy turvy..

However, the scholars, sadhakas and teachers always tried to practice equanimity and tried to impart that virtue on others.. The more learned, the more mature a person is, he should be more balanced..

The Jain Acharya Hemachandra defines the best of a noble and sainly personage in this couplet

Its meaning is

One who does not get carried away to ecstacy when he is honoured and at the same time he is not overcome by anger when he is neglected ridiculed or insulted and even when he is provoked to rage he would not utter cruel words, is considered as the best among the noble persons..

यः who

संमाने when honoured or propitiated with gifts

न प्रहृष्यति does not get overjoyed

अपमाने when ignored, insulted,

न कुप्यति च does not get angry too

यः who

क्रुद्धः अपि even when angry

परुषं harsh words

न ब्रूयात् would not spead

सःhe

वै indeed

साधूत्तमः the most noble soul most noble saint

इति स्मृतः is considered, is remembered as

Note

Of course the idea of equanimity and balance has been put forth with great force by the blessed lord Krishna in Bagavat Gita.. where in Chapter 2 slokas 54 to 72 the Stitaprajna is defined.

the sloka from Gita given below is worth comparison

दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः |

वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते || 56 ||Bagavat Gita Chapter 2

when in grief, not getting overly pulled down, and when in comfort, not getting overly carried away, devoid of attachment, fear or rage.. a person of balanced mind should remain unruffled. Such person is called Muni or noble saint..