The Yoga of Meditation

Krishna describes the ultimate quality of a true yogi: equal vision (sama-buddhi) toward all beings. 'Suhṛn-mitrāry-udāsīna-madhyastha-dveṣya-bandhuṣu'—toward friends (suhṛt), allies (mitra), enemies (ari), the indifferent (udāsīna), neutral mediators (madhyastha), the hateful (dveṣya), and relatives (bandhuṣu)—'sādhuṣv api ca pāpeṣu'—also toward the righteous (sādhuṣu) and the sinful (pāpeṣu)—'sama-buddhir viśiṣyate'—one who has equal vision (sama-buddhi) excels (viśiṣyate). This means: the yogi doesn't see people differently based on their relationship to them or their moral qualities. A friend and an enemy are the same. A relative and a stranger are the same. A righteous person and a sinful person are the same. This doesn't mean they don't recognize differences—they do—but they maintain equal vision, equal love, equal compassion toward all. They see the same Self in everyone. This is the culmination of yoga—transcending all distinctions and seeing unity in diversity. This completes the description of the true yogi's qualities that began in verse 6.1.