Apekkhā

Renderings

• apekkhā: affection

• apekkhā: longing

• apekkhā: concern

• apekkha (adj): looking for

• apekkha (adj): longing for

• anapekkha (adj): unconcerned

• anapekkha (adj): indifferent

Introduction

Apekkhā & Apekhā

The spelling is either -kkh- or -kh-, which are used indiscriminately, says PED. There is inconsistency between editions, and even within editions. For example, both BJT and VRI versions read:

So taṃ namassaṃ acari mutyapekkho Sn.v.346

So taṃ namassaṃ acari mutyapekho Th.v.1264

We have normalised our spellings to –pekkh–

Illustrations

Illustration: apekkhassa, looking for

For he is the (unsurpassed) field for one looking for merit.
☸ khettaṃ hi taṃ puññapekkhassa hoti (Sn.v.481).

Illustration: apekkhā, affection

Passionate attachment to jewellery and earrings, and affection for children and wives, are the strong bonds, say the wise.
☸ Sārattarattā maṇikuṇḍalesu puttesu dāresu ca yā apekkhā.
Etaṃ daḷhaṃ bandhanamāhu dhīrā (S.1.77).

Illustration: apekkha, affection

A man might think thus: ‘I am attached and emotionally bound to that woman by acute fondness and affection… How about if I got rid of my fondness and attachment regarding that woman?’.
ahaṃ kho amussā itthiyā sāratto paṭibaddhacitto tibbacchando tibbāpekkho… Yannūnāhaṃ so me amussā itthiyā chandarāgo taṃ pajaheyyan ti (M.2.224).

Illustration: apekkhava, full of longing

Filled with lust means: lustful, full of longing, emotionally bound.
☸ Avassutā nāma: sārattā apekkhavatī paṭibaddhacittā (Vin.4.214).

Illustration: apekkha, longing

Do not, sir, die filled with longing. To die filled with longing is unpleasant and blameworthy. Of your eighty-four thousand cities, Kusāvatī is the chief. Abandon fondness for them. Harbour no longing for life.
☸ Mā kho tvaṃ deva sāpekkho kālamakāsi. Dukkhā sāpekkhassa kālakiriyā garahitā ca sāpekkhassa kālakiriyā. Imāni te deva caturāsītinagarasahassāni kusāvatirājadhānippamukhāni. Ettha deva chandaṃ pajaha. Jīvite apekkhaṃ mākāsi (D.2.192).

Illustration: apekkhaṃ, longing

He has abandoned longing for this world and the next.
☸ Vihari apekkhaṃ idha vā huraṃ vā (Th.v.10).

COMMENT

Vihari: ‘he has abandoned.’ Commentary: viharī ti visesato hari apahari apanesi. Apaharati: ‘takes away, removes’ (DOP).

Illustration: anapekkhino, long not

Those of peaceful minds, who are aware, mindful, and meditative, rightly see the nature of reality, and long not for sensuous pleasures.
☸ Ye santacittā nipakā satimanto ca jhāyinoSammā dhammaṃ vipassanti kāmesu anapekkhino (It.39).

Illustration: apekkho, longing

He lived the religious life venerating you, longing for freedom (from individual existence).
☸ So taṃ namassaṃ acari mutyapekkho (Sn.v.344).

Illustration: apekkhamānā, longing

Longing for the future or the past, yearning for present and former pleasures.
☸ Pacchā pure vāpi apekkhamānā ime vā kāme purime vā jappaṃ (Sn.v.773-4).

Illustration: apekkhaṃ, concern

Dwelling in the woods which resound with the cries of peacocks and herons, being accompanied by leopards and tigers, give up concern for the body. Do not fail (to do so)’: so you used to urge me, mind.
☸ Mayūrakoñcābhirutamhi kānane dīpīhi vyagghehi purakkhato vasaṃ
Kāye apekkhaṃ jaha mā virādhaya itissu maṃ citta pure niyuñjasi (Th.v.1113).

Illustration: apekkhavā, full of concern

If that bodily form changes and alters, his mind is preoccupied with the change.
☸ Tassa taṃ rūpaṃ vipariṇamati aññathā hoti. Tassa rūpavipariṇāmaññathābhāvā rūpavipariṇāmānuparivatti viññāṇaṃ hoti.

Agitation and other mental states born of this preoccupation plague his mind.
☸ Tassa rūpavipariṇāmānuparivattijā paritassanā dhammasamuppādā cittaṃ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti.

Thus he is fearful, agitated, and full of concern, and because of grasping he is agitated .
☸ Cetaso pariyādānā uttāsavā ca hoti vighātavā ca apekkhavā ca upādāya ca paritassati (M.3.227).

Illustration: anapekkhā, unconcerned

When the boy has grown up and has enough wisdom, then his nurse is unconcerned about the boy, thinking, ‘The boy can now safeguard himself. He will not be negligent (in looking after himself)
☸ Yato ca kho so bhikkhave kumāro vuddho hoti alaṃpañño anapekkhā pana bhikkhave dhāti tasmiṃ kumāre hoti attaguttodāni kumāro nālaṃ pamādāyā ti (A.3.6).

Illustration: anapekkhinaṃ, indifferent

He is indifferent to sensuous pleasures.
☸ kāmesu anapekkhinaṃ (Sn.v.857).

Illustration: anapekkhamāno, being indifferent

Being unsatisfied with amusement, delight, and sensuous pleasure, being indifferent (to them).
☸ Khiḍḍaṃ ratiṃ kāmasukhañca loke analaṅkaritvā anapekkhamāno (Sn.v.59).

Illustration: anapekkhā, indifferent

But when in the charnel ground it lies discarded, dead, bloated, and discoloured, (even) relatives are indifferent to it.
☸ Yadā ca so mato seti uddhumāto vinīlako
Apaviddho susānasmiṃ anapekkhā honti ñātayo (Sn.v.200).