Buddhism + Personality

[CuriousGeorge77]

I'm taking a class on personality, and we have an upcoming chapter of Buddhist perspectives on personality. As part of the class, I'm reading a Hindu swami's book on personality, which I'm finding quite interesting (although dated - its about 80 years old) Howver, it is Hindu, and so far as I understand, there are some pretty big departures from buddhism on this issue.

Also, I've already spoken to the professor, and he "suggested" that I shoulder a large part of the upcoming presentation regarding Buddhism+personality in a couple of weeks, as he doesn't know the first thing about Buddhism, and I at least know something about it.

My understanding of it currently is that Hindu/Buddhist persective of personality peg it primarily as the effects of one's philosophy/values. (i.e. do you value efficiency over completeness, do you prefer a few deep friendships or many shallower ones? those kinds of philosophical choices) The idea is explicit in the Hindu book I'm reading - when you "fix" your philosophy, you find happiness. This makes great sense, although seems to me to be incomplete as a model of personality.

So, it looks like I have some studying to do. Can anyone help me out a little, either with some descriptions, suggestions of what to say in class, resources for me to look in to, etc etc? Thanks!

[Brucenkhamen]

The idea is explicit in the Hindu book I'm reading - when you "fix" your philosophy, you find happiness. This makes great sense, although seems to me to be incomplete as a model of personality.

I don't think I can help you much with your scholarly needs. Perhaps if you look into the Abhidamma you'll find the Buddhist perspective on personality, so I'd google Abhidamma or Abhidarma and see if you find something useful.

I'd disagree with the above though. When you "fix" your personality you find security through predictability, this can produce a kind of happiness I suppose.

From the Buddhist perspective the aim is to go beyond the "fixed" personality into something more free, less defined, more able to respond to the moment rather than retreat into establihed patterns.

[CuriousGeorge77]

Oh - I mean "fix" as in repair, not "fix" as in glue. Now that I think about it, I think this that an Americanism, so you are probably European, huh? sorry about that.

The idea is that if you have an accurate philosophy then you will be happy.

My current view of personality is that it is based in both biological and cultural factors. Biological/genetic propensities toward anger, obsequiousness, gregariousness etc affect personality, as well as the ideas one has about how they are supposed to act, and what they value. The biological factors directly influence the latter as people have a tendency to rationalize their behavior into philosophy.

[CuriousGeorge77]

BRW - I found this....

The structure of the mind

Buddhists describe the person as composed of five skandhas ("aggregates"):

1. The body (rupa), including the sense organs.

2. Sensations and feelings (vedana), coming out of contact between sense organs and objects.

3. Perceptions and ideas (samjña), especially manifest in our ability to recognize things and ideas.

4. Mental acts (samskara), especially will power and attention.

5. Basic consciousness (vijñana).

The last four are called naman, name, meaning the psyche. Namarupa (name-form) is therefore the Buddhist term for the person, mental and physical, which is nevertheless anatman, without soul or essence.

Buddhism also differentiates among six "fields" (ayatana) for the five skandhas: sight, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, and mind, as well as the objects of these six senses.

Mahayana Buddhism adds alaya-vijñana, “storehouse” consciousness, to the skandhas. This is similar to Jung’s idea of the collective unconscious. What is stored there are called bijas or seeds, which are inborn tendencies to perceive the world in a certain way and result from our karmic history. They combine with manas or ego to form the illusion that is ordinary existence. By quieting this ego and becoming less self-centered, your mind realizes the "emptiness" (sunyata) of all things. Then you have peace.<<<<

Buddhists have an expression: "nirvana is samsara." It means that the perfected life is this life. While there is much talk about great insights and amazing enlightenments and even paranormal events, what Buddhism is really all about is returning to this life, your very own little life, with a "new attitude." By being more calm, more aware, a nicer person morally, someone who has given up envy and greed and hatred and such, who understands that nothing is forever, that grief is the price we willingly pay for love.... this life becomes at very least bearable. We stop torturing ourselves and allow ourselves to enjoy what there is to enjoy. And there is a good deal to enjoy!

[Brucenkhamen]

Oh - I mean "fix" as in repair, not "fix" as in glue. Now that I think about it, I think this that an Americanism, so you are probably European, huh? sorry about that. The idea is that if you have an accurate philosophy then you will be happy.

My current view of personality is that it is based in both biological and cultural factors. Biological/genetic propensities toward anger, obsequiousness, gregariousness etc affect personality, as well as the ideas one has about how they are supposed to act, and what they value. The biological factors directly influence the latter as people have a tendency to rationalize their behavior into philosophy.

We use both meanings of fix, though I wouldn't normally refer to repairing a personality.

My view is that personality is the result of kamma, the result of the process of intention, action, and affect.

Something happens to a person, there is a chemical reaction on the physical level, the person reacts to that or if they are aware enough chooses to respond in another way, based on the results of that the person may or may not learn new behaviours or strengthen old ones.

A person does something, there is a result, based on the result of that and other past Kamma the person continues to act in the same way or modifies their action, based on the results of that the person may or may not learn new behaviours or strengthen old ones.

This I think is how a personality evolves, during childhood our personalities become more and more "fixed" as we develop the habit to react in established ways. Buddhist practice gives us the opportunity to see that objectively and choose and different approach if appropriate.

Just my 2c.

[CuriousGeorge77]

My use of the word "fix" comes from the Hindu book I've been reading, that is why its in quotes.

How would you include shrinking brain size (i.e. brains get smaller and smaller as we age - both naturally and from environmental pollutants?)

[Brucenkhamen]

My use of the word "fix" comes from the Hindu book I've been reading, that is why its in quotes.

How would you include shrinking brain size (i.e. brains get smaller and smaller as we age - both naturally and from environmental pollutants?)

What does that have to do with personality?

I presume it's part of the aging process, you are born, you age, you die, it's a natural kammic result of being born.

[CuriousGeorge77]

You mentiopned people becoming set in their ways as they get older. I was just curious to see if you related that to physiology at all (many people do, although there isn't much research on it one way or the other)

My understanding is that the natural process of personality is that people try on different hats and different styles and eventually come up with something that fits them best, and, primarily as a result of that, tend to stick with it. Also at play is inertia and sticking with old ways because they are comfortable. IMHO, the first would be good and the second would be bad, generally. I understand that this is basically what you are saying is that correct? thanks!

[Brucenkhamen]

My understanding is that the natural process of personality is that people try on different hats and different styles and eventually come up with something that fits them best, and, primarily as a result of that, tend to stick with it. Also at play is inertia and sticking with old ways because they are comfortable. IMHO, the first would be good and the second would be bad, generally. I understand that this is basically what you are saying is that correct? thanks!

Yes, that's pretty much what I said.

I think my use of the word kamma in this context might cause confusion because of of the various meanings of the word that are bandied around these days, but at the end of the day the same law of nature that applies to all conditioned things applies to the evolution of a personality.

[CuriousGeorge77]

Karma is something I understand poorly at best, so could you walk me through how karma would affect eprsonality? thanks!

[Brucenkhamen]

Karma is something I understand poorly at best, so could you walk me through how karma would affect eprsonality? thanks!

Intention leads to Action leads to Result leads to Action and so on.

So it's just as you've described with the hats.

You have an experience (Action), this triggers a feeling (Result), you attempt a coping mechanism (Action, or a hat as per your example), the people around you have a feeling about your coping mechanism (Result), they react to it (Action), you learn from the feedback (Result), you modify your coping mechanism (Action, or try another hat)... and so on, pretty soon you'll learn which hats you like and which hats give the results you want.

[CuriousGeorge77]

I've never heard it put that way.  Sounds like a neural net.  

[IMA_FARANG]

I'm taking a class on personality, and we have an upcoming chapter of Buddhist perspectives on personality. As part of the class, I'm reading a Hindu swami's book on personality, which I'm finding quite interesting (although dated - its about 80 years old) Howver, it is Hindu, and so far as I understand, there are some pretty big departures from buddhism on this issue.

Also, I've already spoken to the professor, and he "suggested" that I shoulder a large part of the upcoming presentation regarding Buddhism+personality in a couple of weeks, as he doesn't know the first thing about Buddhism, and I at least know something about it.

My understanding of it currently is that Hindu/Buddhist persective of personality peg it primarily as the effects of one's philosophy/values. (i.e. do you value efficiency over completeness, do you prefer a few deep friendships or many shallower ones? those kinds of philosophical choices) The idea is explicit in the Hindu book I'm reading - when you "fix" your philosophy, you find happiness. This makes great sense, although seems to me to be incomplete as a model of personality.

So, it looks like I have some studying to do. Can anyone help me out a little, either with some descriptions, suggestions of what to say in class, resources for me to look in to, etc etc? Thanks!

Go to www.e-sangha.com and you should be able to get answers to the questions you ask. There is one topic on Buddhist Philosophy which might be what you want. There are quite a few practicing Buddhists with a lot of experience and many years of practice, so they have a good perspective on such matters.

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