Classical Theory of Personality M.A. Sem - I, Paper III: Unit- IV (Eastern Personality Theory)

1. Classical Theory of Personality M.A. Sem- I, Paper III: Unit- IV (Eastern Personality Theory) E- Addressed By Dr. S. Upadhyay Professor and Head Department of Psychology Mahatma Gandhi KashiVidyapith, Varanasi

2. Concept Of Personality In Eastern Perspective Eastern influence on Western thought goes back at least to the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Alexander the Great (4th century BCE) made it as far as northern India, and the Roman philosopher Plotinus made a trip to study the philosophies of the region in 242 CE. Theosophical movement in the 19th century that a real interest in Eastern thought (including Buddhism) emerged. The Indian authors have always realized that the Supreme is the Infinite and perceived that to the soul in Nature the Infinite must always present itself in an infinite variety of aspects. The insights in understanding human nature as per Indian thoughts is derived from various Indian philosophical traditions like Vedanta, Samkhya, Yoga, Jainism, Buddhism, and other Researchers and Scholars in India have attempted to explain these concepts.

3. Personality In Upnishads Integrative concept of person, based on Taittirya Upanishad states that the person consists of five dimensions or sheaths -the annamaya - closer to physical, pranamaya - breathing related to body - psychophysical, manomaya - related to mind or mental mechanisms / feelings/emotions vijnanamaya - related to knowledge, higher cognitive functions and akasmaya - transcendence, or the spiritual dimension.

4. Annamayakosha-related to anatomy and physiology, physical body. The uniqueness in structure of the person, including all the physiological systems in the body and their functions are attributed to this kosha (Taittirya Upanishads II). Pranamayakosha - related to breath, essence of maintenance of life, psychophysical. The prana activates the experience of sensation and the presence of sensation can only be felt. This kosha does not include the sense organs but are related to the primary functions of sense organs (Taittirya Upanishads II.ii.1). Manomayakosha - related to mind, psyche, and mental mechanisms. This is the psychical constituent of the person and is an instrument of the senses. For prana to function this psychical component has to be active. Manas is active during the wakeful state and dream state, but not during deep sleep. Manas is not involved in the physiological functions of the sense organs. But unless manas is active, the sensation cannot be perceived (Taittirya Upanishads II.iii.1).

5. Vijnanamayakosha- related to knowledge, intellect, and consciousness. This kosha is the storehouse of sanskaras or past experiences, and is full of vasanas or predisposition and it is related to the cognitive processes. While processing the cognition, vijnana undergoes transformation. The perceiver is not vijnana, but the whole person, which includes all the koshas (Taittirya Upanishads II.iv.1) Anandamayakosha - related to beyond, transcendence or ‘spiritual’. The word ananda is related to something which is beyond explanation or unexplainable. The other elements of the person in different sheaths get dissolved at its functional level. All the functions including the physical sensations, perceptions, and cognition and vijnana all become non-existent. Neither ideation nor intellect functions at this level (Taittirya Upanishads II.v.1).

7. The Four Avasthas Upnishad thinker describe that the mind has got four Avasthas, viz., Jagrat (waking state), Svapna (dreaming state), Sushupti (deep sleep state) and Turiya. JagratAvastha (waking State) : The individual soul (Jiva) is called awake as long as it is connected with the various external objects by means of the modifications of the mind-which thus constitute limiting adjuncts of the soul-apprehends those external objects and identifies itself with the gross body which is one of those external objects. During waking state, the mind occupies the brain. SvapnaAvastha (dreaming State) : When the mind enters the HitaNadi, which proceeds from the heart and surrounds the great membrane round the heart, which is as thin as a hair divided into thousand parts and is filled with the minute essence of various colours of white, black, yellow and red, the individual soul or Jiva (ego) experiences the state of dream (SvapnaAvastha).

8. SushuptiAvastha (deep Sleep State) : When the mind enters the PuritatNadi, the state of deep sleep sets in. In DridhaSushupti (dreamless sleep), you have a cessation of empirical consciousness. There is no play of the mind in this Avastha (state). There is neither Raga nor Dvesha (attraction or repulsion, like or dislike). The mind gets Laya into its cause. Manolaya (involution of the mind) takes place. There is no play of the Indriyas (organs, senses) too. Turiya : The Supreme Self which has four forms, is inside the bodies of all living beings and is known by the names Visva, Taijasa, Prajna and Turiya. The seat of the Visva is the right eye; within the Manas dwells Taijasa, (ManasyantastuTaijasah -Gaudapada'sKarika on the Mandukya Upanishad), while Prajna resides in the ether of the heart. The objects of enjoyment are of three kinds-gross, subtle and bliss itself. Satisfaction is also threefold.

9. The Sankhya Theory o Personality The central teaching of Sankhya, one of the oldest darsanas, is that reality is two-fold, the spirit and matter (Purusa and Prakriti). Purusa is manifold, pure, and changeless. Prakriti is primarily one, but is ever mutable. The world had been gradually and spontaneously evolved from Prakriti with the three gunas, sattva, rajas and lamas. Purusa, the other principle, is in a state of bondage in creation. His bondage is the result of his misconception that he is one with Prakriti. Liberation is attained when Purusarealises that he is different from Prakriti. Man is transformed by the knowledge of "the distinction between soul and matter.

10. Triguna and Personality Psychology The concept of Guna dates back to Atharva Veda, it was discussed in BhagawatGita and later included in SankhyaDarsana. The concept of Triguna has been utilized to explain the concept of personality in modern era as well. Indian researchers have also deliberated on this concept of Triguna in their writings. The development of consciousness is apparently rooted in this concept of Triguna. These are known as (sattva) called as stability; rajas called as activation and tamas called as inertia. Manas has been ascribed the functions which are mental functions and mental processes (Mnaovrittimanopravrtti). They are considered to be manifestations of Triguna

11. THE SATTVA GUNA : Sattvaguna is the “spiritual quality”. When sattvaguna is dominant, a person has inherent desire to be good and caring. There is a resolute constancy of mind and senses. When sattva is prevalent, the light of wisdom shines through the individual. Sattvic intellect clearly understands the difference between desirable and undesirable, undutiful and dutiful action.

12. THE RAJAS GUNA : Rajas guna is the “active quality”. Rajas guna is considered to give rise to passion and desire, it causes greed, activity, undertaking of works, restlessness, and desire. Rajas dominant person is full of attachment, full of longings for fruits of action. Due to dominance of self‑interest, the intellect gives distorted picture of right and wrong. Renunciation and detachment are not fostered by Rajas dominant person. Enthusiasm, interest, and activity are some of the attributes of this guna. THE TAMAS GUNA : Tamasguna is the “material quality”. It arises from hopes and illusions and produces ambiguity, idleness, and persistence. Characteristics of Tamasguna dominant people are cautious, apprehensive, and revengeful. Tamasicguna also suggests disillusionment and cynicism. When Tamasicguna is dominant, a person derives happiness which originates and ends in self‑delusion and miscomprehension. The positive manifestation of Tamasguna is willingness to work very hard. One of these limitations of these attributes are attachment to possessions and self‑centered tendencies.

13. Characteristics of trigunas that are inevitable parts of the entire universe

14. Yoga Theory of Personality Yogais a Sanskrit word meaning "to join" or "to unite” The goal of Yoga is self-realization, which occurs when consciousness is turned inward and united with the Self. Yoga methods concentrate on calming the mind and focusing on the Self. Yoga is an integral part of the Hindu tradition, and dates back to the earliest Veda's , the holy books of the Hindu religion which date back to 2500 BC.

15. Yoga and Buddhism are vast subjects, spanning many thousands of years, and they are amazing philosophies.  But, are they philosophy or religion?  They both certainly have significant religious overtones, and are considered to be religions by many people.  Actually, however, they are styles of life that developed in order to help people be more in tune with their religion and with God.  Yoga, which means unity, was a practice that developed within the Hindu religion to help Hindus achieve unity with God.  So it developed as a practice in one’s daily life that led to religious fulfillment.  The Buddha was a Yogi, and did not consider himself to be different than other people.  His followers, however, have so fervently held to his teachings that the practice of Buddhism is often viewed as a religion, and over time it became mixed with religious stories and myths, as people tried to fit Buddhism into their traditional culture.

16. Eightfold Path of Yoga The Yoga Sutra is considered the fundamental text on the system of yoga, and yet you won’t find the description of a single posture or asana in it. This is a guide for living the right life. Essentially, Patanjali says, you can’t practice asanas in yoga class, feel the stretch, and then go home to play with your kids, cook a meal, yell at your employees, and cheat on your taxes. There is more to yoga than that - yoga can help you cultivate body, mind, and spiritual awareness. The heart of Patanjali’s teachings is the eightfold path of yoga.

17. Yama(moral conduct):Non injury to others, truthfulness, non stealing, continence, and non covetousness. Niyama(religious observances): Purity of body and mind, contentment in all circumstances, self-discipline, self-study (contemplation), and devotion to God and guru. Asana: Right posture. Pranayama: Control of prana, the subtle life currents in the body

18. Pratyahara:Interiorization through withdrawal of the senses from external objects. Dharana: Focused concentration; holding the mind to one thought or object. Dhyana: Meditation, absorption in the vast perception of God in one of His infinite aspects - Bliss, Peace, Cosmic Light, Cosmic Sound, Love, Wisdom, etc. - all-pervading throughout the whole universe. Samadhi: Super conscious experience of the oneness of the individualized soul with Cosmic Spirit.

19. Abhidhamma : An Eastern Personality Theory The term 'Abhidhamma' (Higher Doctrine of the Buddha) is the f'ulr version of the Sanskrit 'Abhidharma'. It is the thud of the collection. or Pitaka of Buddhist canonical books. Abhidhamma is in fact a profounder treatment of the Teaching of the Buddha, dealing with the ultimate realities, namely, citta (mind), cetasika (mental concomitants), rupa (matter), and Nibbana (A State of Eternal Bliss). The word 'Abhidhamma' explains the Buddhist meaning of an ethical realism, and is a philosophy with an essentially religious basis.

20. Dharma Theory : The "base upon which the entire [Abhidharma] system rests" is the 'dharma theory' and this theory 'penetrated all the early schools‘. For the Abhidharmikas, the ultimate components of existence, the elementary constituents of experience were called dharmas (Pali: dhammas). This concept has been variously translated as "factors" (Collett Cox), "psychic characteristics" (Bronkhorst), "phenomena" (Nyanaponika) and "psycho-physical events" (Ronkin). These dharmas were seen as the ultimate entities or momentary events which make up the fabric of people's experience of reality. The conventional reality of substantial objects and persons is merely a conceptual construct imputed by the mind on a flux of dharmas. However, dharmas are never seen as individually separate entities, but are always dependently conditioned by other dharmas in a stream of momentary constellations of dharmas, constantly coming into being and vanishing, always in flux. Perception and thinking is then seen as a combination of various dharmas.

21. Human experience is thus explained by a series of dynamic processes and their patterns of relationships with each other. Buddhist Abhidharma philosophers then sought to explain all experience by creating lists and matrices (matikas) of these dharmas, which varied by school. The four categories of dharmas in the Theravada Abhidhamma are: Citta :Mind, Consciousness, awareness. Cetasika : (mental factors, mental events, associated mentality), there are 52 types. Rupa: Physical occurrences, material form), 28 types. Nibbana: Extinction, cessation). This dharma is unconditioned it neither arises nor ceases due to causal interaction.

22. Mental Factors and Roots The way in which consciousness arises with certain mental factors (cetasikas) has already been described; with unskilful and skilful consciousness respectively. Abhidhamma also analyses consciousness according to those factors which condition it. Unskilful Mental Factors: All unskilful mental factors are expressions of the three roots of attachment, aversion and wrong knowing. Four of these mental factors, all expressions of wrong knowing, arise in any consciousness that is unprofitable. These are cloudiness, agitation, lack of concern for, and disregard of, consequences arising from present actions. In addition to a lack of understanding there is present an identification with the object, the consciousness and the various unskilful mental factors. The initial step in development is to ‘set the wheel in motion’. This means to break out of the cycle of recurring wrong knowing which operates through the power of the unskilful mental factors

23. Skilful Mental Factors : There are nineteen skilful or ‘beautiful’ mental factors that arise together if conditions allow. However, it is possible to view the first one mentioned as that which sets the wheel in motion. This mental factor is confidence or faith. This faith arises because of an acceptance that the teachings of the Buddha are valuable and to be treasured. It is not a grasping of the teachings, saying: This is truth’, but rather a type of understanding of an intuitive nature. It is like the type of feeling that arises as: ‘Yes! There is a way!’, when wishing to solve a problem.

24. Roots Abhidhamma also analyses consciousness according to those factors which condition it. Roots, or root factors (hetu), are important conditions of this kind. Thus we can say that in all unskilful states of mind, there are three main causative factors, attachment, aversion and deludedness. In abhidhamma, these three factors are called the unskilful ‘roots’. (Often the analogy is drawn between an unskilful state of consciousness and a tree, and here attachment, aversion and deludedness form the roots which sustain and give life support to the rest of the tree, which together with the roots forms the unskilful state of mind.) It is interesting to note that all unskilful consciousnesses have the root of deludedness, and in fact the deludedness consciousnesses only have this single root. Attachment consciousnesses arise with roots of both attachment and deludedness, and aversion consciousnesses arise with the roots of aversion and deludedness, thus these consciousnesses can be called ‘two-rooted’.

25. Attachment Eight types of citta rooted in attachment (lobha): Accompanied by pleasant feeling, with wrong view, unprompted Accompanied by pleasant feeling, with wrong view, prompted Accompanied by pleasant feeling, without wrong view, un prompted Accompanied by pleasant feeling, without wrong view, prompted Accompanied by indifferent feeling, with wrong view, un prompted Accompanied by indifferent feeling, with wrong View, prompted Accompanied by indifferent feeling, without wrong view, unprompted Accompanied by indifferent feeling, without wrong view, prompted Lobha, according to abhidhamma, manifests itself in eight different forms as illustrated above. It belongs to the group of unskilfulcittas, which also include dosa (aversion) and moha (deludedness). Attachment, greed, craving, clinging; all these words express the meaning of lobha, and lobha always has dukkha as its end result

26. The Personality Abidhamma provides a list of psychological factors or qualities of consciousness that shape our experience of the world, ourselves, and others. Becoming aware of the states of mind within oneself that are outlined in the Abidhamma is the first step in either enhancing or minimizing their effect in an individual's experience of personal reality. These traits, attitudes, or qualities of mind are divided into two groups: Healthy factors Unhealthy factors.

27. Unhealthy Personality Traits : Those qualities of mind that states that interfered were termed  unhealthy. Delusion and false view: Delusion prevents a clear and accurate perception of reality. One is deluded. Delusion leads to the second unhealthy mental factor termed false view which clouds cognition and causes the person to mistakenly categorize, classify, or label one thing for another and misinterpret what one sees. Shamelessness, remorselessness, egoism, perplexity : Shamelessness and remorselessness are unhealthy personality traits, attitudes, or mental factors which cloud our understanding of good and bad and subsequently permit an individual to view or engage in acts of ill-will, violence, and "evil" without shame or remorse.

28. Agitation, worry, greed, avarice, envy, aversion, contraction, stupor : Agitation and worry characterize any person who suffers from anxiety disorders. Greed, avarice, and envy predominate in the experience and behavior of anyone whose desires, needs, and passions rule them. Aversion is the opposite of liking something or being attached to it. Contraction and stupor reflect a rigid, unyielding state of mind which feels like glue slowing down thought, feeling, and action to the point toward anything and anyone.

29. Healthy Personality Traits : Each of the 14 unhealthy personality factors is opposed or compensated by a set of 14 healthy personality factors that exist in a kind of "reciprocal inhibition" relationship with the unhealthy factors. To overcome the influence of any unhealthy factors, the personality needs to bring into mind the specific healthy mental state that is antagonistic to the specific unhealthy one that the personality wants to inhibit. Insight : Insight is the key mental health factor important for inhibiting and actually suppressing the influence of the unhealthy factor of delusion. In a state of mind characterized by insight, the personality has clear, bright, alert perception of what reality really is. Mindfulness : The second healthy mental factor is mindfulness. Mindfulness is a healthy mental state that permits clear comprehension of all that is and is a key factor for achieving what is called "wisdom." Wisdom is deep understanding and practical skill in the central issues of life, especially existential and spiritual issues.

30. Modesty, discretion, rectitude, confidence: The two-fold traits of modesty and discretion are called upon to inhibit and suppress the emergence of shamelessness and remorselessness or any thought of a shameless act. Nonattachment, non-aversion, impartiality, composure : The four healthy traits of nonattachment, nonaversion, impartiality, and composure counteract the influence of the cluster of unhealthy factors consisting of greed, avarice, envy, and aversion, replacing a grasping, covetous, and rejecting attitude with an even-minded, balanced sense of ease and peace of mind toward whatever ideas, images, sensations, memories, emotions that may rise up and pass away in awareness. Buoyancy, pliancy, efficiency, proficiency : The remaining four healthy traits -- buoyancy, pliancy, efficiency, and proficiency -- are affective in nature and tend to arise together influencing both mind and body to thwart and displace the unhealthy traits of contraction and torpor.

32. Personality - East and West Eastern people are often passive. They tend to be submissive than to be aggressive. They think that being a leader is difficult, and they don’t like to take heavy responsibilities. Also, they are contemplative. They think more and do less; on the contrary, Western people do more and think less. They are diligent and assertive; they love to be leaders and make decisions. Although these differences are not so arbitrary anymore, they are still obvious when we put Eastern and Western people together. Western people often lead the Eastern people, but not the opposite. Eastern and Western people not only live in different lifestyles, but also think in distinctively different ways. Although some of the characteristics are not so arbitrary anymore nowadays, they still exist in our society. Understanding these characteristics would definitely benefit our appreciating and learning from each other’s culture.