The Second Treatise on the Perfections – 2868 

 

degree.” He went into the cemetery and slept there using a skull as a pillow. 
Getting an opportunity to indulge in devilry, the foolish children went where the 
Bodhisatta was sleeping and insulted him in various ways, spitting phlegm and 
saliva on him and doing other evil things and went away. In this way, they ill-
treated the Bodhisatta every day. 

Seeing these wrong acts done by the wicked children, some wise people stopped 
them. With the knowledge that: “This indeed is a holy ascetic of great power,” 
they all paid respects to him with utmost reverence. 

The Bodhisatta kept the same attitude towards both the foolish kids and the wise 
people. He showed no affection to the latter who honoured him, nor aversion to 
the former who insulted him. Instead, he took a neutral stance between affection 
and aversion with regard to both parties. In this way, he fulfilled the perfection 
of equanimity. 

Though this story is called the Long Story about Bristling Hair (

Mahā-

lomahaṁsa-cariyā

), the name Mahā Lomahaṁsa was not that of the 

Bodhisatta. It just refers to the effect on those who come to know of how 
the Bodhisatta had practised; this horrible story could make their hair 
stand on end, hence, the story’s name Mahā Lomahaṁsa. 

Fulfilment of Equanimity 

The extinction of hate and love is the fulfilment of equanimity (

upekkhā

). The 

perfection of equanimity signifies stilling of these two mental states. There is no 
perfection of equanimity unless both are calmed. 

In special affairs, staying in a negligent mood, without taking interest in 
anything, leads to the impairment of equanimity. Such an attitude cannot be 
called equanimity. It is only unawareness, which is wrongly thought to be 
equanimity. 

Real equanimity is not indifference or unawareness. It sees both good and evil, 
which lead to happiness and suffering respectively. But he who observes 
equanimity reflects clearly: “I am not concerned with these matters of happiness 
and suffering; they are the results of their own good and evil deeds.” 

In the commentary to the Book about the Guides (

Nettippakaraṇa

) it is stated: 

“Extreme absent-mindedness appearing as indifference with regard to various 
sense objects, either good or bad, is deceptive. Delusion (

moha

) disguised as 

equanimity is deceptive. Reluctance to perform deeds of merit also tends to