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Benefits of being indifferent
Wisdom23
Veteran
Thank you to anyone who has responded to my past two questions i know there was quite a few responses. Today I was thinking about being indifferent and whether there were any benefits and or pitfalls to being so. I thought i would post it on here to get your views, i alays get some thought provoking answers here.
Many Thanks Peeps
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Comments
Is there such a thing as being indifferent? We all react differently to different stimuli. You might think someone is indifferent because hunger in Africa leaves them seemingly cold, but then you'll find them weeping over a dear lost love behind closed doors.
I suppose being indifferent is much healthier than going about the world with an open heart because you are less exposed to suffering. But then you live half a life.
I think it depends on exactly what you mean by indifferent and what you are using indifferent towards. It can mean unsympathetic or lack of concern, and IMO that's not really a good thing for a Buddhist practitioner to develop (again, "concern" can be defined multiple ways, too.)
Maybe i used the wrong term i meant not having preferences. Hsin Hsin Ming the zen dude talk about it a bit.
Another view is what is the benefit of engagement? it may shed light or cast a shadow depending on your perspective? Dispassionate indifference is inhuman, and you may as well be a golden buddha statue - we dwell in the realm of humanity, and that is from where I am trying to shine my torch-light, but the batteries are only half charged.
Let me take as a simile a little dinner party.
You may be having a little get together with a few acquaintances and want to impress the guests, but have never baked a lasagne before and are forced to follow detailed recipe instructions to the letter. The experienced cook who wrote the recipe and who has described the method of cooking the main course might have assumed you had some prior experience, and at least had a little insight into the hazards of using a cooker safely (but that's not the case because you drive trains for a living), and had all the right equipment (as they did) at your disposal, but sadly, they have assumed too much.
Therefore you are likely to get your fingers burned in the process if you are so engrossed in following the recipe and making do with what is to hand in your poorly-equipped kitchen (like a wet tea-cloth instead of an oven glove) - ouch!
The outcome will probably be a very nice meal, and everyone will be happy, but you have to suffer a few blisters on your fingers for a few days. Was it worth it? Yes, that was a nice meal and the social company made me happy as an invited guest, and I'll have something to talk about tomorrow.
But if you had not made the effort, and suffered a little pain - I'll leave that to you to decide. You may be indifferent, but I guess I'm not coming to any dinner party you might be hosting.
Just a thought.
Mettha
A meditation practice is largely an exercise program to stop feeding our endless wants & dislikes.
When not being controlled by these developed responses to anything, the freedom to respond with selflessness instead of selfishness, emerges.
Not having preferences as far as what? As far has how anything in life turns out? As far as who you spend time with/how you spend your life? I think there is a wide interpretation there. I can see being possibly indifferent to an outcome of something, but to me, indifferent still means being closed off in a way. One can let go of attachment to outcome and remain aware and open to whatever happens.
Taking an immediate situation at hand, my eldest son and I are talking about college stuff this afternoon. It's one area I have to work really hard to not hope for certain outcomes. I have to be open to all possibilities without hoping one in particular will work out. To me that is not nearly the same as being indifferent.
I would say equanimity is facing all of what life is dishing out and reacting with the sensitivity of heart.
Indifferences is when you 'dull out' because of the tenderness/pain of the heart. By closing off there is suffering as a result. I'm not sure why.
Some people "dull out" as a way to protect themselves from getting too involved in the world and feeling pain in consequence. "Closing off" or indifference are rather buffers they create against suffering.
There is a huge difference between indifference and equanimity.
Indifference is a form of ignorance. For example being indifferent to our own or others suffering.
Equanimity is the arising of patience, awareness, forbearance, skilful compassion etc.
The Buddha did not develop indifference or end all the suffering in existence. He became compassionate and was able to help others through equanimity in the realm of samsara.
IMO, it depends on what you are being indifferent to. It's quite good up to a point but it can go too far if it's not "grounded". For example, being indifferent to the fact that someone broke into your car and stole your stuff, this is good thing! With indifference to that comes no anger, no agitation, no problem that someone broke into your car and stole your stuff.
However, being indifferent to some old lady that fell down on the street in front of you and you just walk around and don't help her, because you have indifference, this is not so good.
' Indifference ' is an appallingly misleading translation of any term found in Buddhist teachings, whether from the Pali or Sanskrit.
What is probably being translated is the word 'upekkha' ( Pali ) or ' upeksha ' ( Sanskrit ) which does not mean indifference.
It means 'equanimity '.
A very different proposition.
' indifference ' denotes a mindset that says ' I don't care '.
' Equanimity by contrast means , ' I live with what arises without aversion or the kind of attraction that disturbs my mind '.
Long ago when the Bamiyan Buddha in Afghanistan got bombed by the Talibans, some people I know, thought the Buddhists are rather indifferent. Probably, it does not matter when just some lifeless statues are destroyed but when people are constantly patronised, their rights trampled on; and especially when real lives are taken, indifference, probably become worse than cancer.
I think that the practice develops compassion with wisdom.. Bleeding heart people who wear their emotions on their sleeve are not necessarily more compassionate then someone who appears cold or indifferent, and their insight is just as questionable.
Someone who understands dukkha is going to see it as the condition that all beings are mired in.. there is no use to cry over it because it will get you nowhere.. The way out and the way to help others is to practice.