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Different temperaments

From Tibetan Buddhist Encyclopedia
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Some texts in the suttas show that the Buddha assigned specific meditations for particular problems or hindrances, the obstacles to meditation: the practice of loving-kindness (31) is given for ill-will, meditation on the foul (11–20) for desire and the perception of light for sloth and torpor.18Various hindrances are described as occurring to people on separate occasions: the different practises given to the apparently luckless Tissa at different stages, also discussed in the section on hindrances, are examples of this.19


There is an underlying understanding of character however, found to a certain extent within the canon and developed more systematically by the time of the meditation manuals, that people are divided into different temperaments, or basic human types, and that some meditation practices suitable for some may not be for others. Some suit most temperaments. The earliest account of these types may be found in the canonical Mahaniddesa (see Nidd 1 360). The text says that the Buddha can discern the potential of different individuals as if looking at a lotus pond, where some lotuses remain submerged in the mud, some emerge a little and some manage to rise right above the water. He discerns six character types (carita): desire (raga), hatred (dosa), delusion (moha), the one who applies the

mind (vitakka), faith (saddha) and wisdom (ñaka). To the one disposed to desire he teaches the foul meditations (11–20) and to the one disposed to hatred, lovingkindness (31). For the ignorant or deluded person he recommends asking questions at the right moment, listening to dhamma talks at the right moment and conversation about dhamma, as well as living near a teacher. To the one who applies his mind he teaches breathing mindfulness (29), to the one who has faith he teaches the sign that inspires confidence (pasadaniyaÅ nimittaÅ): the Buddha, the dhamma and the sakgha (21–3) and one’s own sila or good conduct. For the one with wisdom, he teaches the three signs of existence: impermanence (anicca), unsatisfactoriness or suffering (dukkha) and not-self (anatta).


This method is developed and elaborated by Upatissa and Buddhaghosa (see PF 54–62 and Vism III 74–103). Buddhaghosa says that the first three types are less developed than the second three but have affinities with their counterpart – desire seeks out the good and so is like faith, but the objects it grasps are of the sense sphere, while faith grasps the ‘good’, that is, objects likely to lessen desire. Hate sees faults and so is like wisdom, but it is directed in the former to beings, in the latter to formations. The speculative temperament has affinities with the deluded as vitakka, or thinking about things, may be unnecessary; although the former is of a higher type it shares some characteristics with the deluded type. Both Buddhaghosa and Upatissa give descriptions of

ways in which the types may be recognized from the way they sleep, sweep the floor, walk and perform other activities.20 Buddhaghosa says that for those with desire the foul objects (11–20) or mindfulness of body (28) are suitable; for those of hating disposition the colour kasija (5–8) or the divine abidings (31–4); for the deluded and the intelligence type mindfulness of breathing (29) can be given while the perception of loathsomeness in food (39), the determining of the four elements (40), mindfulness of death (27) and mindfulness of peace (30) are, for their profundity, suitable for the intelligence type (see Vism III 121–2). Upatissa gives fourteen types – by varying combinations of the three and giving two or three characteristics to each (see PF 55). He also matches meditation subject to type, noting the ones each should not practise: the divine abidings may be unsuitable for someone with strong desire, for instance, and the foul meditations may be unsuitable for someone with strong hatred (see PF 68–70).


It is notoriously difficult to tell what type one is oneself, or what meditations are suitable; the sutta given later on Meghiya is a famous illustration of this problem in the canon (see Ud 34–7). In practice, many people are given a selection, which might change in different circumstances. For this reason, meditation subjects in the Theravada tradition are often given to the meditator by someone called the good friend, or the friend in what is good.




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