The Human Personality

The Three Marks of Existence

Anicca - The belief in impermanence.

This is the concept that everything changes and nothing is permanent.
This includes emotions, thoughts, people, and the entire universe.
It contrasts with the is idea of a fixed, static personality or self.

Dukkha - The existence of suffering.

This is often translated as “suffering” or “unsatisfactoriness” and it’s an important concept in Buddhism.
Buddhism teaches that there is suffering in life, but it can be overcome.
Understanding dukkha is critical to understand human existence and move towards enlightenment.

Anatta - The belief in non-self.

This is the notion that there is no fixed self, soul, or personality.
Understanding this concept helps to break the cycle of desire and attachment, leading to a reduction in suffering.
Human personality, in this perspective, is seen as a collection of changing characteristics and traits.

The Five Aggregates

The human personality is also described through the Five Aggregates or Skandhas.

Rupa - Form or Matter.

This represents the physical aspects of a being including the body and sense organs.
It’s the physicality through which human experiences the world.

Vedana - Sensation or Feeling.

These are the sensations experienced through contact of the six faculties (sight, taste, smell, hearing, touch, and cognition) with the external world.
This could be pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral.

Sanna - Perception or Cognition.

This is the ability to recognise and label experiences, objects, or ideas.
It helps in understanding and interpreting the world around us.

Sankhara - Mental Formation.

These are the volitional actions or karmic activities that result from ignorance and desire.
They represent the conditioning factors of life and are the roots of future actions.

Vinnana - Consciousness or Awareness.

It refers to the awareness of an object and the accompanying emotional response.
The stream of consciousness continues from one life to the next, carrying karmic actions and their results.

Through understanding these concepts, Buddhists believe one can reduce attachment, desire and ultimately suffering, leading to a realisation of enlightenment or nirvana.