Buddhist Concept of Personality

Buddhist Concept of Personality Abstract Personality which is a person’s unique pattern of thinking, emotions and behavior is a very important topic in psychology. It refers to the consistency in who you are. Buddhism as a profound doctrine that concerns about one’s personality, contributes to the field of psychology. In the Pali Canon and commentaries, there are a lot of Buddhist teachings regarding personality. The following discussion focuses on the Buddhist concept on personality and its important contributions to the field of psychology. Introduction Personality has been a topic of interest for scholars all over the world, mainly due the uniqueness of individual personality and its ability to impact human behaviour under various circumstances. Personality is a complex hypothetical construct that has been defined in a number of ways. The American Psychological Association demarcates Personality as “individual differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving” (2012). Personality is seen as a construct that develops with age and experience, from birth to death. It is also stated that a number of factors determine the contents of our personality. For example the cultures in which individuals are brought up in has a great impact in shaping one’s personality; children from western countries tend to have an independent view of life, whereas children of Asian culture tend to grow up with the value system that allows them to perceive themselves as a part of the larger social units. Many theories attempt to explain the concept of personality; psychodynamic, behavioural, humanistic and biological perspectives of personality. Although they adopt numerous perspectives none of them succeed in presenting a single and absolute explanation of personality. This accounts for the complexity of personality. This assignment is a collective effort to understand the Buddhist perspective on personality. Buddhism sees personality from a different angle and sometimes it agrees with psychological theories and sometimes not. The discourses of the Buddha focus attention on psychological qualities which are of ethical and spiritual concern. (Silva,1991). The Buddhist concept on personality can be clearly seen in the explanation of five aggregates (Pancaskhanda). Though Buddhism has taken the outside appearance of a person into consideration when explaining personality, it does not limit to outside appearance and it does not say that there is a certain matter that decides the nature of the personality. Buddhism considers the inner mental conditions and also outside behaviors when talking about personality. Thus, Buddhist concept on personality covers a whole picture of the personality. Panņcaskhanda (Five aggregates) and Personality As Buddhism explains in five aggregates, “Pancaskhandas” are five personality types of a person. Though those five aggregates are common to all the humans, the characteristics included in those five aggregates are subjective to person to person. For an instance, the two aggregates sańńã and sankhãra are common to all human beings.The memories, feelings, perceptions that come undersańńã and variouspreferences andhabitsthat come under sańkhãraare subjective to personto person. Though, Buddhism accepts that there are inherited inner qualities of a person, it stressesthey are not permanent, not everlasting and not unchangeable. Those characteristics can be changed or could be changed by special training, various experiences and through environmental conditions. As Buddhism accepts personality is a constant stream that flows based on various factors. Though it thoroughly rejects the “Ătma” (self) concept, it does not reject one’s identity. The main aim of Buddhism is to transform a bad personality to a good personality through gradual and systematic training. In the five aggregates, Rũpa (form), Vedanã (feeling), sańńã, sanhkhãra, Vińńãņa, the inner mental qualities and outside appearance of a personality are clearly explained. These five aggregates make a person. Rũpaskhanda (form) Most importantly, the outside appearance is considered as the personality in some psychological theories and in conventional usage. But, according to Buddhism, Rũpa or form is just one side of the personality.Rũpa meansvarious bodily and natural bases like rough or soft, low or high, far or near that includespast, present and future. Basically, bodily structure and organic system are discussed in Rũpaskhanda. Theoutside appearance of the personality is this Rũpaskhanda. It includes, eye, ear, nose, tongue and body. This Rũpakshnada helps to generate Vedanã, sńńã and Sankhhãra working with Vńńãnaskhanda. The other skhnadas or aggregates are activated according to the objectives taken by the Rũpaskhanda. So, according to the abilities and inabilities of the organs, the objectives can be misinterpreted. Thus, we can see how Buddhism talks about Rũpaskhanda undera psychological base. Vedanãskhanda A person’s feeling ability is discussed here. A person takes the feelings of Dukkha (suffering), Sukha (happiness) and Adukkhamasukha (neutral) according to the objectives received by five organs. As Buddhism describes the feelings that arise before the perceiving what the object is the “Vedanãskhanda.” After the connection between outside objectives and bodily organs and after the arising of organicconsciousness (IndriyaVińńãņa) then there arise Sukha, dukkha and AdukkhamasukhaVedanãs. The perception takes place after that. So, accordingly, Vedanãskhanda belongs to both mental and bodily base. In modern psychology, it is taught that when an object is received by our bodily organs, the neuronal systemfirst activates. The neurons send the message to the brain and then brain decides what to do. The Buddhist explanation of Vedanãskhanda is similar to this modern neuronal explanation. Sańńãskhanda It is the perceiving or the understanding of objectives that gain through five faculties eye, ear etc. When a person understands the objects his or her prior experiences, memories and perceptions are helpful to understand those objects. So, according to this Sańńãskhanda, a person’s memories, experiences and perceptions gained through primary stages are highly affected to build one’s personality. One is able to understand a color separated from other colors and a noise separated from other noises using the perceptions of prior memories and experiences. So, human mind is a collection of perceptions. “Normally people deal with the world based on the Sańńãskhanda.” One is unable to understand a stimulus if he or she has not experienced it earlier. So, this Sańńãskhanda represents a very important side of the personality. Sankhãraskhanda This means practices, inherits that a person has created through the shaping and building ability of the mind. There are three characteristics of Sankhãra; arising, ceasing and changing. Each and every experience and event that a person faces is made according to the perceptions and those experiences and events ultimately become habits and preferences. There are three Saņkhãras; Kãya (bodily), Vaci (verbally) and Mana (mentally). Thus, the Sankhãraskhanda describes the ability to create aggregates through body, words and mind that ultimately depicts the behavior. Vińńãnaskhanda This means comprehending knowledge of the objectives taken from the eye, ear, nose, tongue and body. According to the object the Vińńãna or consciousness changes. So, there arise Cakkhuvińńãna (eye consciousness), Sotavińńãna (ear consciousness) Ghãnavińńãna(nose consciousness), Jivhãvińńã (tongue consciousness) and Kãyavińńãna (body consciousness). Thus it is clear that theVińńãnaskhanda represents the basic consciousness of a personality. In the Buddhist analysis, these five qualities are described as a collective organization. So, these things can be further dividedand analyzed. Though these things are discussed separately, these things work as a group and each and every aspect is interconnected. According to the Buddhism, all the Skhandas or aggregates are impermanent, suffering and selfless. Those are common to five aggregates also. To explain the impermanence of Skhandas the Buddha points out five similes in “Pena PindũpamaSutta.” Rũpaskhanda Vedanãskhanda-Similar to a water bubble Sańńãskhanda-Similar to a miracle Sankhãraskhanda- Similar to a trunk of a banana tree Vińńãnaskhanda-Similar to a mystery When considering the psychological theories of personality, mainly three aspects of the personality are discussed. Cognitive aspect Affective aspect Conative aspect The Buddhist explanation of the personality also talks about these three sides. The Sańńãskhanda represents the cognitive aspect of the personality while the Vedanãskhanda represents the affective aspect of the personality. The Sankhraskhanda represents the conative aspect. In the same way, considering the physical or bodily aspect Rũpaskghnada has been included and Vińńãnaskhandahas been included considering the mental aspect. Thus, we can see very good representation of personify is discussed in five aggregates. These Skhandas become Upãdãnskhanda when they are connected with defilements as Rũpadanskhanda. The Both Vimukkta (free from defilements) and Avimukhta (not yet free from defilements) persons consist of five aggregates. But the Vimukta or the person who is free from defilements do not accumulate Upadanaskhanda. That is why because the personality of the Vimukkta person is not disturbed by defilements. As the amount and the gravity of defilements of beings are different, the personality of human beings is also different. Therefore there arises human difference. It is represented as Indriya and PhalaVemattatã. The Arahant who is free from defilements is considered as having a perfect and full personality. There are ten “Sanyojans” (kind of defilements) in human personality and to get a perfect personality those things should be eradicated. The ten sanyoajans are eradicated when one goes through the arahantship. The people who are in Sotãpatti, Skadãgami, Anãgami and Arahant have different personality qualities accordingly. In the same way, Dr. Dharmasena Hettiarchi points out that the Dhãtu analysis in Buddhism (Pathavi, ãpo ,tejo, Vãyo, Ăkara, Vińńãņa) and Analysis of Ăyatana (Cakkhu, sota, Ghãna, Jivhã, Kãya, Mana ), eighteen Dhãtu Analysis and analysis of dependent Co-arisen are also talk about various personality types. Buddhist Personality Categorization. A personality categorization is highly needed to get a prior knowledge of people and to lead a good social relationship. As in the psychology, in Buddhism also there is a categorization of people according to their personality. Specially, in the Buddhist discourses, we can find different types of people who have different personalities. The “AriyaPariryesanaSutta” is a good example. Just like the lotuses born in water are different, so as the personalities of human beings in the society are different. The wisdom “IndriyaParoPariyattai” helped the Buddha to understand the personality of people. Various stories and discourses prove that the Buddha using His wisdom preached the doctrine according to the personalities of people. The Buddha has identified several personality types. In the “AriyaPariyesanaSutta,” The Buddha describes eight different personality types. People whohave less defilements. (Apparajakkhe) People who have more defilements ( MahãRajkkhe) People who have sharp organs as Saddhã (confidence) (Tikkhindriye) People who do not have sharp organs (Mudindriye) People who have organized type (Svãkare) People who have not organized type(Dvãkare) People who are easily understandable (Suvipańńaye) People who are difficult to understand something ( Duvipańńaye) Any personality is categorized considering the personal differences. In “DighaNikaya”, the Buddha presents such a personal difference or categorization of personality. Nãnattakãyãnãnattasańńino Nãnattakãyãekattasańńino Ekattakãyãnãnattasńńino Ekattakãyãekattasańńino Here, personality difference has been calculated according the perceptions of mind and body. Many discourses in the Pali Canon present various types of personality differences like this. The Buddhism presents a personality categorization considering human mind. This categorization is done considering defilements lobha, Dosa and Moha. Sarãgo- people who have much lustful thoughts Sadoso-people who are easily tempered Samoho-People who are lost in their way because of their ignorance and wrong views. In the “AnguttaraNikaya,” the Buddha presents another categorization of personality considering the “Indriyadharma” or five forces Saddha, Sati, Viriya, Samadhi, Panna that affect the human personality. Here, people have been categorized according to the development of those Indriyas or organs. KãyaSakkhi-People whose Samadhi indriya (concentration) is powerful SaddhãVimutta- People whoseSaddhindriya (confidence) is powerful Diţţippatta- People whose Paņņindriya (wisdom) is powerful In various situations and conditions, people react differently according to their personality type. The Anguttara Nikaya presents another threefold categorization of personality considering how a person face to outside situations, conditions and events and how he or she gathered the experiences. ArukũpamaCittoPuggalo- This person likes a patient who has an old wound. He or she is easily tempered, has many tricks,thoroughly thinks what is said,expresses hatred and unhappiness, just like wound which is re…, this person takes anger. VijjũpamaCittoPuggalo-This person sees the suffering, the cause of suffering and the way how the suffering is eradicatedjust likes a person who sees the lightning in the dark. VajirũpamaCittoPuggalo- This person eradicates defilements just like cutting a rock using a diamond. There is another categorization of personality considering how a person behaves when he or she is angry. PãsãnaLekũpamaPuggalo- This person gets anger frequently and the anger exists a long time. PthaviLekũpamaPuggalo- This person also gets anger frequently, but the anger does not exist a long time. UdakaLekũpamaPuggalo- This person gets anger in unbearable situations and anger disappears quickly. There is another personality category in AnguttaraNikaya categorized according to the wisdom of a person. Here, a person’s ability to understand a doctrinal fact or any other fact has been considered. AvakujjaPanhã- This person does not listen attentively to doctrinal facts andalso does not memorize. He quickly forgets. UcchangaPanhã- This person listens attentively to doctrinal facts. But, he or she does not memorize it. So, that knowledge is deleted from memory. PuthuPanhã- This person listen attentively to start, middle and end of the doctrine and also memorizes again and again. He or she becomes wise. The “NeyyaPuggalaSutta”of the AnguttaraNikaya presents a personality categorization according to the ability of understanding something. UggatitaVinnũPugglo- This person understands something quickly when said. VipacitaVinnũPuggalo-This person can understand something after saying something and guiding through it. NeyyaPuggalo- This one understands something questioning and discussing again and again. PadaParama-This person is unable to understand something though he or she was taught in any way. We can see these types of personality categorizations in the Pali Canon. The “VisuddhiMagga” also presents six types of personality. RãgaCarita- One who has much lust. DvesaCarita-One who has much hatred. MohaCarita- One who has much ignorance. SaddhãCatita- One who has much confidence BuddhiCarita- One who has much wisdom. VitakkaCarita- One who has much capability of logical reasoning. The special characteristic of the Buddhist categorization of personality is that it has system of ascending and descending order. By that the person is directed to improve his or her personality from lower state to higher state. Development of Personality In the modern field of Psychology, the development of personality is considered as the development of bodily, cognitive and emotional characteristics from the baby-stage. But, the Buddhist perspective on development of personality is different. Buddhism gives a priority to the mental maturity which takes place with the physical maturity and thinks that personality development is the development that the individual gets through his or her insight and individual power. Here, special attention has been given to improve the positive characteristics of the personality by abiding the negative characteristics. Two main characteristics that affect the personality are heredity and environment. In modern psychology, heredity is considered according to the characteristics that the person gets from his or her birth. But, according to Buddhism the personality characteristics of past births are also considered. In the same, way, Buddhism accepts the importance of a good environment and gives priority to choose a good place to live (patirũpadesavãsoca), association of good friends etc. (asevanãcabãlãnam). To develop a personality, Buddhism highlights one’s own effort. Based on it, Buddhism points out four characteristics to develop one’s personality and those are not taught in modern psychology. Association of good people. (sappurisasamseva) Listening to the doctrine (saddhammasawaņa) Memorizing by insight (yonisomanasi Doctrinal livelihood (Dhammanudhammapaţipadã) If we look at this from a scientific point of view we can see that, the social environment, education cognitive and analytical knowledge, gradual training etc. are pointed out here. The first two characteristics of these are helpful to general personality development while other characteristics help to look into one’s personality with insight and to change the personality gradually. Here, for the gradual development of personality one should follow the eightfold path and it should be practiced Sila (morality), Samadhi (concentration) and Pańńã (wisdom). When the individual gets the maturity by wisdom then he or she become a perfect individual. In Buddhism there is a developmental way of personality according to the personality characteristics. “Asubha” meditation is given for the individuals who are very lustful, the “Maitri” meditation for those who have much hatred andmeditationof impermanence is given to ignorant people. This is a very good way of personality development. More about personality in Buddhism AnguttaraNikaya, the SangitiSutta of DigaNikaya and Visuddhimagga are given discussion about personality concept in Buddhism. The primitive desires (asava) are regulated by the strength of one’s own conscience (attadhipateyya), concern what the world says (lokadhipateyya) and respect for the dhamma(dhammadhipateyya) and regulate the individual’s behavior also. Emotions also represent a significant proportion in personality. In Buddhist Psychological point of view Buddha requires man to develop a healthy and productive sense of shame and fear (hiri-ottappa), as distinct from pathological guilt and worry, which can be a hindrance to one’s spiritual development. The suttas problem relating to individuality, uniqueness of personality, self and continuity are given broader picture about personality beyond the surface. The doctrines of egolessness (anatta) and of transcience (anicca), along with that of suffering (dukkha) form are the central base of human person in Buddhism. The continuous flux of material and mental process effects above human central base. Anguttara Nikaya points out four ways of discovering the true nature of people as virtue, integrity, fortitude and wisdom. These are also explained as the kinds of personality traits which are central to the psychology of Buddhism. In Smile of the cloths utta shows sixteen kinds of personality traits as covetousness, ill will, anger, hostility, denigration, overbearingness, envy, jealousy, hypocrisy, fraud, obstinacy, presumption, conceit, arrogance, vanity and negligence. The study of personality cannot be separated from the social values. It is said ‘Protecting others one protects oneself (attanamrakkanamparamrakkhan, paramrakkhantoattanamrakkhati). These can be applied to all three of root of motivation. Thus if each of us begins with himself to eliminate the potential seeds of social discord, the ground clearing for a good society has already been done. When considering above mentioned facts, it is clear that in Buddhism, it highlights the importance of improving positive personality characteristics while abounding negative personality characteristics. Conclusion The Buddhist doctrine of personality focuses mainly on Psychological qualities which are of ethical and spiritual concern. Anguttara Nikaya, the Sangiti Sutta of Diga Nikaya and Visuddhimagga discuss about personality concept in Buddhism. The primitive desires (asava) are regulated by the strength of one’s own conscience (attadhipateyya), concern what the world says (lokadhipateyya) and respect for the dhamma (dhammadhipateyya) and regulate the individual’s behavior as well. Therefore, the Buddhist concept on personality goes beyond the description of the outside appearance of an individual. It does not present that there is exact or inherited matter that decides personality. It includes both the outside appearance and the internal mental characteristics. References American Psychological Association.(2012). Personality.www.apa.org. Retrieved from; http://www.apa.org/topics/personality/index.aspx. Basham, A.l., The Buddha's Philosophy, George Allen and Unwin LTD, 1957. Brazier, C., (2003), Budhist Psychology: liberate your mind, Embrace life, London, Robinson Ltd. Burger, J. M. (2004). Personality. 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