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he actual nature of past and future lives； then let us try to bring about this mind of equal view towards all sentient beings。
Neutral person
So in order then to bring this about； we need to have a starting point； or a reference point； and one of the very important pith instructions is to view somebody to whom one has no particular attraction or aversion； an ordinary person which one may have just seen on the street one day； and then view that person in front of oneself with the motivation that 'I am going to develop a mind of equanimity towards that individual'。 One begins the contemplation that this individual is one whom I may have known well in a previous existence。。。 Contemplate the reasons why that person has had previous existences； how we may have had relationships with that individual in the past； be it a good relationship or a bad relationship。 Then after having meditated upon the various reasonings which we have gone through； the mind of equanimity will start to arise within one's mind； or being。
Then we need to view not only those to whom we have no particular affinity but also those friends which bring about desire； and those enemies which bring about self…grasping； anger and the rest of the destructive emotions。 So when we engage in these contemplations； we can do it in either a vast way or an abbreviated way。 If we do it in a vast way then … viewing somebody whom we have no particular attachment or aversion to； on either side of that person we can visualise different kinds of friends and different kinds of enemies。 Let's say we make a division into three … those to whom we are very attached； very close to； then those whom we are quite close to； and then those whom we have some vague feeling of closeness towards。 Then the same with enemies … we can have our very great enemies； then a 'middling' enemy； and then someone who might have said at one time or another something unpleasant to us； a 'slight' enemy。
Slight Enemy
So then viewing first of all the slight enemy； we can contemplate that at the present moment； having engaged in negative actions in the past one is experiencing the negative result of such an action； and that negative result is causing us to have some slight rift between us； to cause some slight unpleasantness between us。 Then contemplate how in the past this individual I am visualising； this slight enemy； has been incredibly kind to me； as kind as my mother of this life。 Then they have also been a harsh enemy； they haven't always been in this slight enemy situation； but owing to the change of circumstances brought about through the ripening effect of previously accrued negative karma； the experience one is having with that individual is one which is slightly unpleasant。 So using the reasonings which we went through earlier； remove that feeling of slight aversion and bring it into a neutral state by contemplating how that individual has been incredibly kind and also quite nasty to one in a previous existence； just like the person to whom one has a neutral feeling。
Slight Friend
And then thirdly； we look to somebody who is quite close to us； someone who may have just said something pleasant to us； somebody whom we feel slightly close to。 In the past we have perhaps developed some kind of positive karma； the ripening result of which is that we have had some kind of slightly pleasant encounter with such an individual。 Then using the lines of reasoning； we can lessen our desirous attachment towards that person to whom we have a slight affinity。
Then we can go back to contemplating the neutral person in the middle and go on to （if we are doing it in an abbreviated way） view one's harsh enemies of this life； those whom one has a really bad relationship with。 And then we can view those to whom we are particularly close； for example our partners or our parents and so forth。 So whether we do that using a threefold division of slightly close； mediocrely close and greatly close； or just an abbreviated one of quite close and very close； it doesn't matter； but we should do this serially； using the lines of reasoning upon each of those individuals； and then through utilising those lines of reasoning； bring about an equal view towards all sentient beings。 Thus we develop and achieve the mind of equanimity。
Dealing with the individuals who are our worst enemies … we might be in such a predicament that even the thought of them； bringing their appearance to mind； causes us to generate great anger； and the moment when we see them； we generate anger； and the moment they see they us； again they generate anger； and you want to engage in some particular action which will bring harm to that enemy and vice versa。 This kind of attitude is one which is quite mistaken because just through seeing such an enemy or them seeing you； through developing anger through seeing that individual's form； what one is doing is continually familiarising oneself with the destructive emotion of anger
…And that this is not something which is beneficial to ourselves。 So then we should make the resolve that 'I am not going to； just as habit would dictate； give rise to this mind of anger towards this sworn enemy which I have； rather； I'm going to engage in the practice of developing equanimity towards that individual'。 So then using the reasonings which we've gone through； contemplate that this is just the ripening effect of previously accrued negative karma through which we are experiencing … both of us … great difficulties。 And this is only a kind of temporary state； in that in the previous existence； this person has been incredibly kind to me； as kind as a mother or a very close friend or a partner； and this is only a kind of temporary state which is just brought about through the interconnectedness of actions and cause and effect。 Then； through this； we lessen our aversion towards that enemy and rather bring them into the fold of those towards whom we have an equal view； a mind of equanimity。 Then lastly； those individuals whom we are very close to； those whom we are very attached to … these individuals are ones which may be our parents or our partners and so forth。 Then we should contemplate in a similar fashion：