Theories of personality in Ancient Indian Psychology
The
ancient Indian psychology studied and comprehended personality in two ways. One
is biological and the other is psychological. The biological approach is
explained in the ancient medical scripture' of Ayurveda, which specifically
explains health, diseases, and the treatment for the diseases. The
psychological approach is primarily focused on the concept of "the
Self" Purusha, its two levels, the Atman or the real self and the Brahmn
of the Ideal self, the changes that occur due to the self's interaction with
nature the Prakirthi. It also describes the Systematic ways of developing
personality by undergoing studentship, learning, and acquiring knowledge and
skills consistently at various ages and also working towards attaining the ideal
self by adopting various customized methods means. These means include the
consistent practice of any of the four yogas, karma yoga, Jnana yoga,
Bhakti yoga, and Raja yoga which can help the person to develop
self-discipline, retract from his attachment to sensory pleasures and overcome his ego (ahamkara)
According
to Upanishads, the essence of human personality is 'Atman (real self), which is
equivalent to or the same as the ideal self ('Brahman'). Atman's real self in
conjunction with gross and subtle bodies (Prakriti) becomes subject to the
experience of pleasure and pain. Its true nature gets covered by the sensory
needs pleasures and ego. The atman or the real self becomes engrossed in five
types of sheaths (Kosha) and the total personality which gets constituted out
of it is called 'Jiva'.
The Koshas: The sheaths of personality
According
to the Taittiriya Upanishads, the personality is made up of 5 sheaths each made
of increasingly finer grades of energy. These five progressively developing
sheaths that compose our personality are
The
Annamaya kosha: It refers to the material body built from the food we eat. It's
called annamaya kosha (Maya means "made of" and anna means
"food" or "physical matter.") Those who care for this body
are nourished by the universe itself.
Pranamaya
kosha: This is the life energy that is the source of biological processes,
which involves breathing, digestion, and circulation of blood. The energy body
is called the pranamaya kosha of life sheath because when it ceases to function
the physical body can no longer operate. Exercises like diaphragmatic breathing
and various methods used in pranayama help to enhance the proper functioning of
this sheath
Manomaya
kosha is the energy sheath made of thought processes. This sheath is
responsible for our sensory and motor activities and our day-to-day awareness
when we're functioning "on automatic." It processes input from our
sense organs and elicits responses reflexively. Our awareness starts getting
stagnant at this level when we move through life passively, reacting to our
environment rather than trying to actively shape it. The health of the manomaya
kosha is tremendously enhanced through the meditation which involves sensory
withdrawal helps in creating a balanced fully aware approach to sensory inputs
by releasing the "knots" of energy tied up in conditioned reactions,
mental fixations, and obsessive thoughts. This can also help in creating a
harmonious environment within oneself, take up interesting professional challenges,
experience fun, and develop supportive relationships which can lead to the
development of a healthy mind.
vijnanamaya
kosha: vijnana means the power of judgment or reasonableness. It is a sheath of
intellectual functioning which involves all higher mental processes. This is
the sheath is what distinguishes human beings from animals as humans only have
the ability to direct their own lives, can remain free from succumbing to
instinctual drives, and make moral choices. People who have developed this
sheath are in control of her life, not constantly reacting to circumstances,
making decisions, and responding proactively. They have strong willpower and
have the ability to make their own judgment by analyzing all the available
information. They are content, pure, self-disciplined, studious, devoted, and
able to experience the events in your life, even the painful ones, in a calm
and objective manner
Anandamaya
kosha: is the sheath which is the experiencing of spiritual bliss have aided by
all-embracing wisdom and unconditional love. The bliss sheath can be developed
through three practices, Seva, selfless service, bhakti yoga, devotion to God
and samadhi, intensely focused meditation, which opens our heart to our own
divine being.
Buddhism
in its approach to defining personality does not deal with complex intangible
vague entities such as mind, ego, or unconsciousness. Buddhism believes in the coming together five
skandhas (series of events or groups). These are 'rupa'(the physical) 'vedana'(sensations feelings and emotions),
'samjna' (conceptual knowledge), 'samskara' (coordination), and
'vijnana'(scientific knowledge and reasoning ability) which constitutes a
temporary human identity. Buddhism believes that these five Skandhas are
consistently transferred every time rebirth happens.
In
the same period in the region of south India, a parallel medical school
developed. This was the
"Siddha" school which also speaks of three constituents of
personality similar to Ayurveda. These physical constituents which have a role
in determining the personality are "Vali' (wind), 'azhal' (bile), and
'iyain' (phlegm). These three
constituents together were termed as 'mukkutram' or three perpetrators which
should be present in a balanced proportion within an individual. Six personality types based on Somatotyping
('thegaillakkanam ) or personality type based on the physical constitution
involving the balance between the three perpetrators were also described in the
Siddha system. The six personality types thus arrived at are
"'vali—azhal", vali—iyam", "azhal-iyam",
"azhal-vali", "iyam-vali" and, "iyam-azhal".
According
to Sankhya Human personality, the experiential self (jiva) is the product of
combination and interaction of universal self (Purusha) and external matter
both tangent and subtle (Prakriti). These Purusha and Prakriti are
interdependent. The Purusha's mental and physical aspects which can be observed
are a manifestation of 'Prakriti and without Prakriti the 'Purusha' is
inactive. Sankhya emphasized that personality is made up of two mutually
interdependent constituent — the spirit ('Purusha') and the psychophysical
apparatus. The psychophysical apparatus described is the organ and functions
which is called 'Karana'. So, the Sankhya school describes personality as a
resultant of the interaction between Prakriti (matter) and Purusha (self).
The first manifestation of the interaction that occurs between Purusha and Prakriti, occurs in the form of consciousness (mahat). This manifestation confines one to individualism which can result in the development of ego (ahamkara). This ego or ahamkara further manifests in mind'(manas'). These interactions result in the development of Trigunas, the Sattwa 'Rajas, and 'Tamas' which reflect the temperamental aspect of an individual.
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