Tibetan Buddhist Lamrim: Developing Equanimity

Learning to devalue yourself and value others equally.

The three types of emotional reactions

Whenever we encounter any phenomenon, we judge it as either positive, negative, or neutral. Buddhist psychology recognizes three types of reactions to our judgments.

If we encounter something we judge to be pleasant or positive, we tend to want more of it, grasp at it, and form attachment. When we react to people this way, we try to form relationships with them as friends or lovers.

If we encounter something we judge to be unpleasant or negative, we tend to want less of it, push it away, and form aversion. When we encounter people like this, we try to avoid them as enemies.

If we encounter something we judge to be neutral or uninteresting, we tend to ignore it as unimportant, often failing to even acknowledge its existence. When we encounter people in this way, we fail to acknowledge them, perceive them as strangers, and remain unconcerned about their happiness or well-being.