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The five aggregates are mind blowing. It was the first thing I got to really understand when in meditation. The experience of knowing this secret is life changing.
@@DougsDharma what you are talking is psychology. I have done Bsc in psychology. This is not true Buddha cannot come with this in ancient times. You have copied this from psychology
@rohitsawant4452 you might think that, but all of this is really is what the Buddha taught. I also have a bachelors in Psychology & Neuroscience, and when I first started reading into buddhism I was stunned by how well some of these concepts map on to our modern understanding of psychology. Everything from the shift between habitual & volitional behaviour to the way emotional memories influence behaviour comes up in his teachings
Your videos (and Buddhism in general) has genuinely changed my life. I've been able to kick addictions, develop a healthy relationship with things and people, build discipline and a healthy work ethic, etc. For the longest time I couldn't control my actions and was a slave to my attachments. It has changed the way I think about my decisions (in the sense that I ACTUALLY think about them now). It keeps me stay present and thoughtful. Thank you so much Doug for better helping me understand this philosophy/religion and also for helping me better understand myself.
Wow , whish i could show up to the institute there . I think you may have accidentally open a window for me to get a better understanding of the " middle way" doctrine. Thank you good sir
I’m only coming to this video two years on as it pre-dates my subscribing to Doug’s Dharma but I’m sad that I didn’t find it sooner because it is right up there with those ‘lightbulb’ moments when you profoundly understand a teaching. So thanks so much for this one Doug, from someone who has struggled for a very long time, to properly understand the five aggregates. 🙏
Once I look at Buddhism as a philosophy, rather than a religion, I actually get it and like it. I’ve been confused about Buddhism most of my life. It’s a true gem to have Buddhism presented this way. However, it’s not like a lot of philosophies, in that it requires one to practice, train and condition oneself to understand the insights it espouses. Calling Buddhism a philosophy seems like an understatement. I guess I really don’t know what category to put it in. But I appreciate that it’s here.
Yes, it's a philosophy in the sense that Pierre Hadot has discussed: something that is lived and practiced. In antiquity philosophy was understood in that sense. It's only in the modern world that we've come to think of philosophy as something completely abstract and separate from life.
I agreed calling Buddhism a philosophy is an understatement. However there is an increadible ammount of phillosophy and science in buddhism which makes alot of sense to apply in everyday life.
I was born in Buddhist family and country but I was be able to understand the concept and meaning of five aggregates in this few years ago, now I am 34. Your explanation is brilliant. Anumodana with your dhamma dana 🙏
The feeling tones part of the video reminds me of something I noticed about Right Speech. Speech, done poorly, can hinder our progress in the Dharma. One of the ways of talking which has hindered me the most in the path has always been when talking about likes and dislikes, preferences and hates, etc. We hold lots (crazy amounts) of attachment and sense of self to our likes and dislikes, and talking about them is greatly reinforces those delusions. For beginners I would love to tell them that the first way to go about Right Speech is to avoid discussing preferences at all. May we all attain enlightenment
Doug, didactic is the word. The five aggregates are a model of how we process and sustain our experience conditionally, but with the main intention of helping us along the Buddhist path to the ending of suffering. In some ways they are like a map of navigational aids. The map is a representation of reality to help us navigate reality as accurately as possible, so that we can traverse it to the end goal(The end of suffering)in the most efficacious and expedient manner. In other words, ASAP as soon as possible.
This is wonderful. 5 aggregates was what motivated me to align my early interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) back in college (esp. re: emergent property) w/ the Buddhist account of the self illusion (which in turn anihilated my earlier infatuation w/ the 'cogito ergo sum' premise). If I could be so bold, however, may I kindly propose "Cognition" as the rubric under which the 3rd aggregate of "Sunya" is referenced? If I may, in Thai "Sunya" is explained as "Jumdai + Hmairoo". "๋Jumdai" means recognition, as in "I can tell from memory that this is a cat"; whereas, "Hmairoo" entails assigning concept, as in "I don't recognise this animal, which looks like a cat, only much bigger. Now, a cat can easily kill mouse, so this 'Big Cat' could probabily maul me. Better run!". In essence, Cognition additionally covers "Recognition minus the Re part". On the other hand, in AI research, "Jumdai" is akin to Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) in recall mode, mostly interpolating vis-a-vis in-sample data; "Mairoo" is akin to ANN in predictive mode, essentially extrapolating vis-a-vis out-sample cases. Kind Regarss, Poomjai Nacaskul, Ph.D. PS. Congrats on your channel. Indeed, yours is the second channel ever that fot me to click "Bell-Notification"; the first one to do so was Ajahn Jayasaro's (e.g. ruclips.net/video/JQ4IXw6K1eA/видео.html, ruclips.net/video/ywN_WmtbDQ0/видео.html).
I learned alot from this video..some things like the further divisions of feeling i had already been contemplating with mindfulness in my own practice...deep things. Your videos are much appreciated.
🌹🙏1.Rupa:Form ,example- Computer/2.Vedana:Suffering,example -Input information,user enter name to search../3.Sanna:Perception,example-Storage information,keep remembering…/4.Sankhara:Volition,example-Output information,update or alert user…/5.Vnnana:Consciousness or Sensors-example-Volume,Photos,Temperature…
Hi, just wanted to say you made a big help to me by explaining about what I was stressing about. So, thank you very much. And this was extremely clear to me.
Thank you for explaining these Doug. In my studying i noticed that Bhikku Bodhi and Ajahn Sona used different words for the fourth aggregate (Sankhara). Bhikku Bodhi uses the translation "mental formations" and Ajahn Sona uses "volitions". I wondered if there were a difference between them and you fantastically used "mental volitions" to unify them both.
@DougsDharma Thanks as usual for all you do. One concept you noted in the video was sankhara. I notice several different translations and takes on this. I wonder if a video would be possible to explain in further detail. -Jeff
for reference only (collected from other sources): the origin of how the knowledge of The Five Aggregates of Buddhism came about is : during the meditation the mindfullness practioners were able to peal back different layers of the body and the mind to search for it's core. The layers are The Five Aggregates and at the centre of it there is no core: 1st Aggregates: Body or more so appearance 2nd Feelings: Happy, Neutral, and Sad 3rd Perspective: Thoughts in words or thoughts in images that you experience in your brain. This is layer can be understood as a mornitor where the information from the CPU projected the contents. 4th Action: This is the origin of all thoughts and action that projected onto your minds. 'A man is as good as his the quality of his thoughts'. This 4th Aggregate is like a CPU that generate content in your mind. From these thoughts you may or may not perform these actions. This part of the mind is largely influence by good and bad Karma one have collected through many lives. This part of the mind is vital for one to be a good, bad, driven or lack of motivation. We can cultivate this part by living with kindness create good Karma and practice meditation. 5th Consciousness/intuation : This part of the mind could be understood as a field of mindfullness. Remember teleraphy? sometime you have a feeling of knowing something is about to happen? Or suddenly you feel like your love one needs you? That is the 5th Aggregates signal. We all have this powerfull field of mindfullness in us but it was clouded by thoughts and stimulus from the outside world. Practice meditation is a way to calm down your thought and let your intuation become clearer. Five Aggregates is a part of Bhuddism essence.
you know what you are saying, that is true!! you'll see the world in full when you see in both internally, and externally. But just to achieve nirvana, need not. just one side of it is fine. Most people will see it only internally, and it is fine! it is enough, but to know the world in full, you have to also see the 5 aggregates externally in everything you see here test smell touch or think of.
The five aggragates that other collections of five aggregates refer to as "me" became suddenly aware of their impermanence and began to disaggregate. I wish that more collections of five aggregates could become aware of this, as clinging to ideas of a permanent identity and unchanging self causes great suffering,
Hello, Doug ! I have a historical question. Why ? Coz for the past few months, I have been reading about the Greek influence on Buddhism, particularly the Pali Canon. Many years back, Greek Indologist Demetrios Vassiliades wrote 'Greeks and Buddhism : Historical Contacts in the Development of a Universal Religion'. In it, he talked about many things. One of them is the Greek influence on Buddhism. In one paragraph, he talks about the striking similarities between the Atomism of Anaxagoras (Seeds) and the Post Canonical (Post Pali) Atomism in Buddhism. He then says that both the Buddhists and Anaxagoras believed that there are 4 Basic Elements (Earth Fire Water Air). Now, the 4 Elements are a Part of the Form Aggregate. They are described or mentioned in MN 28, MN 62, MN 140, DN 11, DN 22, MN 10, MN 112, MN 115 etc etc. So, my question is this : Did Buddha know and teach the 4 Elements ? If they were learnt by the Buddhists from the Greeks, then that would mean that Buddha didn't know the meaning of Form in terms of the 4 Elements. That would imply that all the above mentioned Suttas are later additions. You see, the Taittiriya Upanishad mentions 5 elements (Space being the 5th one) and according to scholars, it is Pre Buddhist. I don't know about it's date but if we assume that they were known to some/many Indians during Buddha's early years, he must have learnt them and modified them. So, the question is, did he know them ? The 4 Elements ? I think he did. What do you think ? Please let me know. I am super annoyed by these historical comparisons. It's only because no one wrote anything down during Buddha's lifetime 😔
The four "classical elements" are the heritage of many ancient cultures, they were certainly pre-Buddhist and most likely didn't originate in Greece. They MAY have come from Babylon but even that is a guess. They may also simply have been co-invented in many places during pre-history, since it's a relatively straightforward way to understand the material world. For some more on this see the wiki: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_element
Hello Doug, Thank you for this video. At 15:13 you say : "And yet, WE cling to them...". But who or what cling to them if there's no self ? Is it the aggregates clinging to the aggregates ?
Well strictly speaking it would be the arising of the saṅkhāra (volitional formation) of clinging from within that aggregate. So yes in a sense it is the aggregates expressing clinging for other aggregates.
As a layman, I often try to simplify the fact that our body is made of 70% water and when I develop perception and feeling towards someone - whether it be greed, anger, lust, etc - I remind myself that I am just reacting to water. It's easier to recall.
So I am just another bag of water in need that when say something you are responding to water 8 gallons of water I am hence 70% . I actually like and can appreciate that good, sir .!
Hello Mr.Doug . I am an indian and I want to have academic understanding of budhhism with all pros and cons. Kindly guide me to how to proceed from zero. Thank you.🙏
Thanks for the question but that's kind of a tall order! I'd start with the books mentioned in my playlist and go from there: ruclips.net/p/PL0akoU_OszRjBKHxKj98qtSmcLpBmDWkL . Or watch more of my videos and follow the links in the show notes! 😀
Nice video as usual, Doug. ❤️🙏 I know you're quite knowledgeable in Tipitaka Pali. Can you make a video about how early Buddhism and it's early texts view lgbtq and same sex marriage? I think this is an important topic that needs to be addressed. I heard a story about Soreyya and how he achieved enlightenment by going through gender change twice. I believe Buddhism is/has been the most tolerant towards lgbtq people, it's brahmavihara concept is a gold for humanity including highly persecuted lgbtq, it's just sad that Buddhist communities has been doing a little or even nothing to reach out to lgbtq people, well at least here in my country. Some monks and dhammadutas have rather homophobic views, some buddhists even goes as far as to advise people to undergo conversion therapy like by having hypnotherapy or past life regression sessions. It's kind of frustrating when lay people don't have enough kowledge about this and we don't live in Buddhist majority country, then conservaties/hardline groups from other religions started to force their own anti-lgbtq hate/agenda on us by cherry picking our texts and quoting homophobic Buddhist monks. I hope you can make a video about this in the near future. May you live happily, sending metta 🙏🙏🙏
Hi Akasa and thanks for the question! Yes this is a very sad state of affairs nowadays in many countries. I don't think that same-sex marriage or LGBTQ was ever really discussed in the early Canon. So far as I can tell the story of Soreyya stems from a commentary to the Dhammapada. As such it would postdate the Buddha's lifetime most likely by centuries. It's hard to say. But at any rate when we look at the earliest material there is no issue with homosexuality, or at least no more issue than that with sexuality of any kind. It is all fine for laypeople but considered a potential root of suffering by the Buddha.
In the text I am still working on reading, the five skhanda are related to the pancamahabuta or five elements, in a difficult to understand way. When I went to try to get a clear explanation of them in this context after listening to your video, it turns out it isn't just me who thinks it's complicated, Robert Kritzer has written extensively on it. It has to do with how the various parts that go to make up a person come together in the womb, and the skhanda of the antarabhava getting transformed to the skhanda of the embryo.
@@DougsDharma The underlying parts of it come from texts as ancient as the Atharva Veda, but Buddhist theorizing started with Nagarjuna. It parallels non-Buddhist work, so is perhaps societal.
Hey Doug - thanks for addressing this. Very helpful and something I have pondered for a while. I have been taught that consciousness is “self-as-context” or the “observer self” even the self or true self. This is the “self” that I tap into during meditation. The part of my mind that can observe experience. Is this “consciousness” as you describe here? Or is the observing mind used to meditate something different? Thanks!
In early Buddhism consciousness -- which is the consciousness you are talking about -- is not the self, nor the true self. It is a changing aggregate that observes. Sometimes it's eye-consciousness that observes visible things, then it's ear-consciousness that observes auditory things, and so on.
Hello Doug, great video! Thank you. I have been quite interested in the idea of non-self. May I ask which texts talk about consciousness?There's of course Anatta-lakhana sutta, then I know of Aditta-pariyaya sutta discussing the six sense bases. Thanks
Thank you for uploading this video. Really interesting. I had a question concerning this topic and how it relates to Karma/rebirth etc.( maybe you find the time to answer): In Buddhist view even consciousness is bound to the body (brain), right? As the brain dies when the person dies all this dies, what then gets reborn? All the doctrines of Karma etc. make little sense without some sort of robust self getting reborn, right? Although I know that Buddha rejected annihilism, I often find explanations etc. about the Buddha's world view coming still close to annihilation.
Well, traditionally it's understood that the last moment of consciousness in one being has a causal influence across space that influences the first moment of consciousness in another being. (Or: the moments of consciousness are supported in an in-between state by some sort of "subtle matter" or something). As a secular practitioner I leave such speculative explanations aside; they don't really convince me of anything. But that's the story anyway.
@@DougsDharma Thank you very much for the quick answer. I looked for it for quiet some time but couldn't find anything concrete. I find your stuff really interesting. For someone that has been keenly interested in Buddhism for 15 years now the topics and contents are not completely new, but I really like your charisma/aura and the way you present the topics. You come across very authentic, genuine and despite your vast knowledge very humble and kind. Not like many that just fake that outward humbleness but push agendas left and right---but your stuff seems really honest, as objective as someone can possibly present a topic and be done with it. I really am not someone that subscribes to youtube channels as I am looking to drastically decrease my time surfing the web, but I would still like to make a small donation because I really appreciate your stuff. I visited your page but couldn't find the option for making donations---is there such a possibility?
Hey, Doug I wanted to ask what practice I should do for getting over needing the validation of others. I feel sometimes the need to be the center of attention or praise to feel better about myself. What can I do to overcome this?
Hi Richard, that's absolutely normal, it's part of the "worldly winds" I discussed in a recent video. I think it can help to build up a sense of personal happiness and contentment through meditation and exercise, giving you a sense of accomplishment without needing the praise of others. It's a great start though just to notice the problem!
As far as my concerned, The self (ego), you and I, Men and women ....ect It is correct for habitual truth. Therefore, we correctly use names or noun in our daily life for good realitionship. Five aggregrates are also correct for Ultimate truth to understand four noble truth. The more we understand the nature of five aggregrates, the less we clinging of five aggregrates.
@@DougsDharma this one: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81y%C4%81na_Mah%C4%81parinirv%C4%81%E1%B9%87a_S%C5%ABtra from the 2nd paragraph here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#China
@@rohanofelvenpower5566 Ah that's a later work from around the 2nd c. CE. My general focus is on the early texts, and to my knowledge he never says anything like that in the early texts. (Indeed, he says the opposite).
Its very pleasent to me that buddhism reaches to the west and appreciate by them. On the other hand its very unpleasant to sea that its not appreciated by all the peoples where it originated and its my land India.
@@DougsDharma Understood - Perhaps it’s semantics here. Self vs True Self. The confusion for many (including me) is often steeped in what are we if not the aggregates (soul, awareness, nothing, life itself). What do the texts affirm? In addition, the notion that if something arises, changes, dies or is impermanent it is not real or a distinct entity during its existence is a seemingly flawed syllogism. Could you help address both? Thank you, Doug.
@@DougsDharma the skandas are impermanent and yet such things exist in the memory. For example there would be a period in childhood where one could recall deciding to do something, as I understand it, the volitional skanda. This would be a memory of a self ,if one was now an adult. Im only a newbie to this. Is this a correct picture?
I will be discussing a related concept in an upcoming video, but yes that would be another thing I could discuss. I'll put it on the list! Thanks hal nine.
If what you say about consciousness is true then how is it possible to have a meditative state that is not conscious of either the senses or the mind? Surely this aggregate is of a different kind and not an aggregate at all but the state of being itself?
Are liking and disliking (i.e. clinging) part of sankhara? Or are they outside of the five aggregates? I don't think they are of vedana since that is raw pleasantness, raw unpleasantness, and neutralness, rather than clinging. If the five aggregates constitute the world then clinging must be in them. Clinging seems volitional, so I would guess clinging is a member of sankhara
Does this mean Buddha doesn't accept there is a unchangeable true self awareness. ?? As Ramana Maharshi accepts there is a unchangeable true self awareness? Many thanks
Sorry my stupid question... I do understand idea of the five aggregates. Now, my question is, what is the real me? I mean, that would be the self or non-self idea, right? But I'd feel much better if there were this eternal and immutable me that would rise above the clouds and storm of our mundane life and represent who I really am...
Yes, we think we would feel much better in such a case, so we keep striving after such a "real me" and it keeps escaping our grasp, and we suffer. I think the Buddha's point here is that it's best to give up the striving and settle down with the way things really seem to be.
What is the real me? What do you mean when you use the word 'me/I'? If you don't have a definition, its taken as an axiom. If you have an answer, it will have "My" in it. eg. Me is 'my' body and 'my' soul and 'my' values.. But again, What do you mean when you use the word "My/Mine"? If you don't have a definition, its taken as an axiom. If you have an answer, it will have "Me/I" in it. eg. My body is this skin-bag belong to 'me'. My values are the ones "I" hold dear. So, as you can see, the definition of me and mine are circularly dependent. Its just a trap to keep us going.. So better get-out of the illusion, which will dismantle the entire ontology.
Ah, well yes we can't avoid them, they are everything we experience in a sense. We practice along the Eightfold Path to learn to relax our clinging to them.
Yeah it's a bit subtle. Perceptions are what conceptualizes the world through the senses. Consciousness doesn't include conceptualization, it's just the awareness itself through the senses. (Or at least that's how I take it; consciousness as such isn't well described in the early texts).
The Sanskrit/Pali terms are a little more revealing than the English translations. I can try to give terms which are more in-line with the original etymologies: Vedanā (sensation) means knowing or being aware of something, literally. An English cognate would be something like visibility or evidence Saṃjñā/saññā (perception) is the accumulation of the sensations into one perception, which you can see in the prefix sam- to the word jñā which means knowledge also. An English cognate would be something like cognition or cognizance. Essentially knowledge has moved from your senses to your brain. Vijñāna/viññāṇa (consciousness) is made up of the prefix vi- (apart, division, separation) connected to jñā again. So it is a type of knowing involving separation of sub-concepts rather than simply knowing it as a whole. Interestingly the cognate for vi- is "with" in English which means the opposite now, so I'll give an alternate but still closely related "discern" for you here: consciousness is discernment. To apply it to an example, when you step on a rock, you first get a sensation of a prick on your foot, then you put together the context and any other sharp feelings in your foot or the fact that you trip into a perception of pain and alarm, then you discern the situation and become conscious of the actual situation: that you stepped on a rock. The process has aggregated from mere contact of your foot and rock to you in a mental state where you think to yourself "I am clumsy" and either laugh it off, become miserable about it, etc. Basically, it all can escalate into a sense of self and rumination about your samsara. That's how I see it and the importance of the 5 aggregates, anyhow.
There is nothing corresponding to the illusion of the self. There is what is seen but not who sees it. Form are just convenient patterns that we find repeating and predictable. "We" are the contributing factors to seeing. These are circumscribed and that limit seems to determine how much we are. It's just a convenient attitude. There are not so many aggregates. It seems. But those distinctions are practical conveniences. Oddly enough, there is no one to see. There are only seen things.
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✅ Check out this video next on five ways we construct ourselves - ruclips.net/video/taz55McTJ8E/видео.html
🧡 If you find benefit in my videos, consider supporting the channel by joining us on Patreon and get fun extras like exclusive behind-the-scenes videos, audio-only versions, and extensive show notes: www.patreon.com/dougsseculardharma 🙂
The five aggregates are mind blowing. It was the first thing I got to really understand when in meditation. The experience of knowing this secret is life changing.
Yes I think it really can be Austin, thanks!
But it's not really a secret and once embraced it's unforgettable. The funky conglomerate that bags our experience of conditioned existence, 😉AKA life
@@DougsDharma what you are talking is psychology. I have done Bsc in psychology. This is not true Buddha cannot come with this in ancient times. You have copied this from psychology
@rohitsawant4452 you might think that, but all of this is really is what the Buddha taught. I also have a bachelors in Psychology & Neuroscience, and when I first started reading into buddhism I was stunned by how well some of these concepts map on to our modern understanding of psychology. Everything from the shift between habitual & volitional behaviour to the way emotional memories influence behaviour comes up in his teachings
Your videos (and Buddhism in general) has genuinely changed my life. I've been able to kick addictions, develop a healthy relationship with things and people, build discipline and a healthy work ethic, etc. For the longest time I couldn't control my actions and was a slave to my attachments. It has changed the way I think about my decisions (in the sense that I ACTUALLY think about them now). It keeps me stay present and thoughtful. Thank you so much Doug for better helping me understand this philosophy/religion and also for helping me better understand myself.
That's great to hear, Jrahmah. I wish you continued success in your practice, and thanks for the comment! 🙏😊
He’s wonderful it takes deep understanding to present these teachings so clearly
I'm glad you found it useful Skip! 🙏
Wow! It's enlightening to walk the Buddhist path via the secular way. Five stars 🌟 out of 5 for Doug's sharing of the 5 Aggregates!
Thanks Andrew, nice to hear you found it worthwhile!
Yes ,yes 5 stars
Such a wonderful explanation of the Dharma. Thank you.
You're most welcome Oradein! 🙏
Wow , whish i could show up to the institute there . I think you may have accidentally open a window for me to get a better understanding of the " middle way" doctrine. Thank you good sir
I have read quite a few explanations of the aggregates, but this is the clearest that I have come across. Very helpful. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful photistyx! 😀
Far from crazy videos Doug! Some of the most sane content on the internet IMO. Thank you so much for the wonderful work you do - loving your channel 🙏
Thanks so much Mandy! 🙏🙂
I’m only coming to this video two years on as it pre-dates my subscribing to Doug’s Dharma but I’m sad that I didn’t find it sooner because it is right up there with those ‘lightbulb’ moments when you profoundly understand a teaching. So thanks so much for this one Doug, from someone who has struggled for a very long time, to properly understand the five aggregates. 🙏
Oh that's so cool to hear, thanks for letting me know! 😄
Once I look at Buddhism as a philosophy, rather than a religion, I actually get it and like it. I’ve been confused about Buddhism most of my life. It’s a true gem to have Buddhism presented this way.
However, it’s not like a lot of philosophies, in that it requires one to practice, train and condition oneself to understand the insights it espouses. Calling Buddhism a philosophy seems like an understatement. I guess I really don’t know what category to put it in. But I appreciate that it’s here.
Yes, it's a philosophy in the sense that Pierre Hadot has discussed: something that is lived and practiced. In antiquity philosophy was understood in that sense. It's only in the modern world that we've come to think of philosophy as something completely abstract and separate from life.
I agreed calling Buddhism a philosophy is an understatement. However there is an increadible ammount of phillosophy and science in buddhism which makes alot of sense to apply in everyday life.
I was born in Buddhist family and country but I was be able to understand the concept and meaning of five aggregates in this few years ago, now I am 34. Your explanation is brilliant. Anumodana with your dhamma dana 🙏
Thanks so much for your kind comment Pichamon Tira. 🙂🙏
Thank you Doug. I identify with this comment!
😄 Well don't cling to it too much now! 😄
The feeling tones part of the video reminds me of something I noticed about Right Speech. Speech, done poorly, can hinder our progress in the Dharma. One of the ways of talking which has hindered me the most in the path has always been when talking about likes and dislikes, preferences and hates, etc. We hold lots (crazy amounts) of attachment and sense of self to our likes and dislikes, and talking about them is greatly reinforces those delusions. For beginners I would love to tell them that the first way to go about Right Speech is to avoid discussing preferences at all.
May we all attain enlightenment
Yes, this is an important point of practice! 😊
Incredible explanation, thank you Doug 🙏
Glad it was helpful!
i appreciate you. i am on this path as well! may we ALL be lifted!!!
🙏😊
Doug, didactic is the word. The five aggregates are a model of how we process and sustain our experience conditionally, but with the main intention of helping us along the Buddhist path to the ending of suffering. In some ways they are like a map of navigational aids. The map is a representation of reality to help us navigate reality as accurately as possible, so that we can traverse it to the end goal(The end of suffering)in the most efficacious and expedient manner. In other words, ASAP as soon as possible.
🙏🙂
This is wonderful. 5 aggregates was what motivated me to align my early interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) back in college (esp. re: emergent property) w/ the Buddhist account of the self illusion (which in turn anihilated my earlier infatuation w/ the 'cogito ergo sum' premise).
If I could be so bold, however, may I kindly propose "Cognition" as the rubric under which the 3rd aggregate of "Sunya" is referenced? If I may, in Thai "Sunya" is explained as "Jumdai + Hmairoo". "๋Jumdai" means recognition, as in "I can tell from memory that this is a cat"; whereas, "Hmairoo" entails assigning concept, as in "I don't recognise this animal, which looks like a cat, only much bigger. Now, a cat can easily kill mouse, so this 'Big Cat' could probabily maul me. Better run!". In essence, Cognition additionally covers "Recognition minus the Re part".
On the other hand, in AI research, "Jumdai" is akin to Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) in recall mode, mostly interpolating vis-a-vis in-sample data; "Mairoo" is akin to ANN in predictive mode, essentially extrapolating vis-a-vis out-sample cases.
Kind Regarss,
Poomjai Nacaskul, Ph.D.
PS. Congrats on your channel. Indeed, yours is the second channel ever that fot me to click "Bell-Notification"; the first one to do so was Ajahn Jayasaro's (e.g. ruclips.net/video/JQ4IXw6K1eA/видео.html, ruclips.net/video/ywN_WmtbDQ0/видео.html).
🙏😊
I have heard thai versions and now English version. Truly , true.
🙏😊
You’re a great resource for Buddhism
Thanks SeaCashew!
A remarkable explanation.
Thanks Suresh! Glad you found it useful.
@@DougsDharma, Thank you too Sir.
I watched many videos about the 5 aggregates and i have to say this is the best explanation that i have watched
Glad you found it useful Don Goronjo, thanks for letting us know!
I learned alot from this video..some things like the further divisions of feeling i had already been contemplating with mindfulness in my own practice...deep things. Your videos are much appreciated.
Glad to hear it and happy to help!
🌹🙏1.Rupa:Form ,example- Computer/2.Vedana:Suffering,example -Input information,user enter name to search../3.Sanna:Perception,example-Storage information,keep remembering…/4.Sankhara:Volition,example-Output information,update or alert user…/5.Vnnana:Consciousness or Sensors-example-Volume,Photos,Temperature…
Thank you for your explanations🙏😇
You're most welcome!
Hi, just wanted to say you made a big help to me by explaining about what I was stressing about. So, thank you very much. And this was extremely clear to me.
My pleasure, glad it was useful!
I just discovered your channel and wanted to say thank you for putting out these videos! Everything is presented in a a very easy to understand way.
You're very welcome kobold, thanks for the comment!
Thank you for explaining these Doug. In my studying i noticed that Bhikku Bodhi and Ajahn Sona used different words for the fourth aggregate (Sankhara). Bhikku Bodhi uses the translation "mental formations" and Ajahn Sona uses "volitions". I wondered if there were a difference between them and you fantastically used "mental volitions" to unify them both.
Thanks yes the phrase I've heard used is "volitional formations", which I think does cover the bases. 😄
Discovered your videos today. You explain the teachings so beautiful
@DougsDharma Thanks as usual for all you do. One concept you noted in the video was sankhara. I notice several different translations and takes on this. I wonder if a video would be possible to explain in further detail. -Jeff
Thanks for the thought, I've considered it as well but need to figure if there's a way to do it that isn't too pedantic ... 😄
@@DougsDharma Dharma is another word that could merit an overview of meaning
@@jmw5160 Here you go: ruclips.net/video/GYJ_k4pITsM/видео.html
Just want to say thank you for the wonderful work that you do. Always very interesting to listen to your videos.
So nice of you to say Monica, you're very welcome!
I spend my whole life dealing with these 5 things.
for reference only (collected from other sources):
the origin of how the knowledge of The Five Aggregates of Buddhism came about is : during the meditation the mindfullness practioners were able to peal back different layers of the body and the mind to search for it's core. The layers are The Five Aggregates and at the centre of it there is no core:
1st Aggregates: Body or more so appearance
2nd Feelings: Happy, Neutral, and Sad
3rd Perspective: Thoughts in words or thoughts in images that you experience in your brain. This is layer can be understood as a mornitor where the information from the CPU projected the contents.
4th Action: This is the origin of all thoughts and action that projected onto your minds. 'A man is as good as his the quality of his thoughts'. This 4th Aggregate is like a CPU that generate content in your mind. From these thoughts you may or may not perform these actions.
This part of the mind is largely influence by good and bad Karma one have collected through many lives. This part of the mind is vital for one to be a good, bad, driven or lack of motivation. We can cultivate this part by living with kindness create good Karma and practice meditation.
5th Consciousness/intuation : This part of the mind could be understood as a field of mindfullness. Remember teleraphy? sometime you have a feeling of knowing something is about to happen? Or suddenly you feel like your love one needs you? That is the 5th Aggregates signal. We all have this powerfull field of mindfullness in us but it was clouded by thoughts and stimulus from the outside world.
Practice meditation is a way to calm down your thought and let your intuation become clearer. Five Aggregates is a part of Bhuddism essence.
Thank you for another great video!
You're very welcome Ricardo, thanks for the comment!
you know what you are saying, that is true!!
you'll see the world in full when you see in both internally, and externally. But just to achieve nirvana, need not. just one side of it is fine. Most people will see it only internally, and it is fine! it is enough, but to know the world in full, you have to also see the 5 aggregates externally in everything you see here test smell touch or think of.
Yes this is true too, one should become aware of the aggregates in all things, both internal and external.
The five aggragates that other collections of five aggregates refer to as "me" became suddenly aware of their impermanence and began to disaggregate. I wish that more collections of five aggregates could become aware of this, as clinging to ideas of a permanent identity and unchanging self causes great suffering,
🙏
Hello, Doug ! I have a historical question. Why ? Coz for the past few months, I have been reading about the Greek influence on Buddhism, particularly the Pali Canon.
Many years back, Greek Indologist Demetrios Vassiliades wrote 'Greeks and Buddhism : Historical Contacts in the Development of a Universal Religion'. In it, he talked about many things. One of them is the Greek influence on Buddhism.
In one paragraph, he talks about the striking similarities between the Atomism of Anaxagoras (Seeds) and the Post Canonical (Post Pali) Atomism in Buddhism. He then says that both the Buddhists and Anaxagoras believed that there are 4 Basic Elements (Earth Fire Water Air).
Now, the 4 Elements are a Part of the Form Aggregate. They are described or mentioned in MN 28, MN 62, MN 140, DN 11, DN 22, MN 10, MN 112, MN 115 etc etc.
So, my question is this : Did Buddha know and teach the 4 Elements ? If they were learnt by the Buddhists from the Greeks, then that would mean that Buddha didn't know the meaning of Form in terms of the 4 Elements. That would imply that all the above mentioned Suttas are later additions.
You see, the Taittiriya Upanishad mentions 5 elements (Space being the 5th one) and according to scholars, it is Pre Buddhist. I don't know about it's date but if we assume that they were known to some/many Indians during Buddha's early years, he must have learnt them and modified them.
So, the question is, did he know them ? The 4 Elements ? I think he did. What do you think ? Please let me know.
I am super annoyed by these historical comparisons. It's only because no one wrote anything down during Buddha's lifetime 😔
The four "classical elements" are the heritage of many ancient cultures, they were certainly pre-Buddhist and most likely didn't originate in Greece. They MAY have come from Babylon but even that is a guess. They may also simply have been co-invented in many places during pre-history, since it's a relatively straightforward way to understand the material world. For some more on this see the wiki: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_element
@@DougsDharma Alright. Thank you very much ! 🙂
Nice explaination sir 👍
Thanks Amish! 🙏
I'm not my body - that's mindblowing!
Yes, the Buddha's whole approach to the self is pretty mindblowing ... 😄
Hello Doug,
Thank you for this video.
At 15:13 you say : "And yet, WE cling to them...".
But who or what cling to them if there's no self ?
Is it the aggregates clinging to the aggregates ?
Well strictly speaking it would be the arising of the saṅkhāra (volitional formation) of clinging from within that aggregate. So yes in a sense it is the aggregates expressing clinging for other aggregates.
@@DougsDharma Thank you very much for answer. Much clearer now. I am just discovering your channel. It's a gold mine. Thank you for doing this.
Another important topic 🙏🏼👍🏼✌🏻
Thanks I Bhardwaj! 🙏
As a layman, I often try to simplify the fact that our body is made of 70% water and when I develop perception and feeling towards someone - whether it be greed, anger, lust, etc - I remind myself that I am just reacting to water. It's easier to recall.
Yes that can be a good practice as well. I have a series on the four elements in Buddhism: ruclips.net/p/PL0akoU_OszRhAhUt9nXmf4wfgkBdHRAfx
So I am just another bag of water in need that when say something you are responding to water 8 gallons of water I am hence 70% . I actually like and can appreciate that good, sir .!
Hello Mr.Doug . I am an indian and I want to have academic understanding of budhhism with all pros and cons.
Kindly guide me to how to proceed from zero.
Thank you.🙏
Thanks for the question but that's kind of a tall order! I'd start with the books mentioned in my playlist and go from there: ruclips.net/p/PL0akoU_OszRjBKHxKj98qtSmcLpBmDWkL . Or watch more of my videos and follow the links in the show notes! 😀
Nice video as usual, Doug. ❤️🙏
I know you're quite knowledgeable in Tipitaka Pali. Can you make a video about how early Buddhism and it's early texts view lgbtq and same sex marriage? I think this is an important topic that needs to be addressed. I heard a story about Soreyya and how he achieved enlightenment by going through gender change twice.
I believe Buddhism is/has been the most tolerant towards lgbtq people, it's brahmavihara concept is a gold for humanity including highly persecuted lgbtq, it's just sad that Buddhist communities has been doing a little or even nothing to reach out to lgbtq people, well at least here in my country. Some monks and dhammadutas have rather homophobic views, some buddhists even goes as far as to advise people to undergo conversion therapy like by having hypnotherapy or past life regression sessions. It's kind of frustrating when lay people don't have enough kowledge about this and we don't live in Buddhist majority country, then conservaties/hardline groups from other religions started to force their own anti-lgbtq hate/agenda on us by cherry picking our texts and quoting homophobic Buddhist monks. I hope you can make a video about this in the near future.
May you live happily, sending metta 🙏🙏🙏
Hi Akasa and thanks for the question! Yes this is a very sad state of affairs nowadays in many countries. I don't think that same-sex marriage or LGBTQ was ever really discussed in the early Canon. So far as I can tell the story of Soreyya stems from a commentary to the Dhammapada. As such it would postdate the Buddha's lifetime most likely by centuries. It's hard to say. But at any rate when we look at the earliest material there is no issue with homosexuality, or at least no more issue than that with sexuality of any kind. It is all fine for laypeople but considered a potential root of suffering by the Buddha.
@@DougsDharma thank you for replying, Doug. I hope you can address this in a video in the future ❤️🙏
Im trying tô delve deep in the 5 agregates and ITS giving headaches... Specialy about How to practice
In the text I am still working on reading, the five skhanda are related to the pancamahabuta or five elements, in a difficult to understand way. When I went to try to get a clear explanation of them in this context after listening to your video, it turns out it isn't just me who thinks it's complicated, Robert Kritzer has written extensively on it. It has to do with how the various parts that go to make up a person come together in the womb, and the skhanda of the antarabhava getting transformed to the skhanda of the embryo.
Yes, this isn't described at all in the early texts to my knowledge, so any elaboration on it must be from later material or by hypothesis.
@@DougsDharma The underlying parts of it come from texts as ancient as the Atharva Veda, but Buddhist theorizing started with Nagarjuna. It parallels non-Buddhist work, so is perhaps societal.
Hey Doug - thanks for addressing this. Very helpful and something I have pondered for a while. I have been taught that consciousness is “self-as-context” or the “observer self” even the self or true self. This is the “self” that I tap into during meditation. The part of my mind that can observe experience. Is this “consciousness” as you describe here? Or is the observing mind used to meditate something different? Thanks!
In early Buddhism consciousness -- which is the consciousness you are talking about -- is not the self, nor the true self. It is a changing aggregate that observes. Sometimes it's eye-consciousness that observes visible things, then it's ear-consciousness that observes auditory things, and so on.
Hello Doug, great video! Thank you. I have been quite interested in the idea of non-self. May I ask which texts talk about consciousness?There's of course Anatta-lakhana sutta, then I know of Aditta-pariyaya sutta discussing the six sense bases. Thanks
Ooof Martin there are a lot of texts talking about consciousness, it would be quite a chore to find and list them all! 😀
Sankhara - I would think of it as "Mix" things like thoughts
Sankara,= Reaction
1mental reaction
2verbal reaction
3physical reaction
Sourse of making future karma
@@diliniwijesooriya5317 Interesting! interesting 🤔 I might know it wrongly from the beginning!
🙏🏻 thank you 😊 Sadu!
Bless
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Thank you for uploading this video. Really interesting.
I had a question concerning this topic and how it relates to Karma/rebirth etc.( maybe you find the time to answer): In Buddhist view even consciousness is bound to the body (brain), right? As the brain dies when the person dies all this dies, what then gets reborn? All the doctrines of Karma etc. make little sense without some sort of robust self getting reborn, right?
Although I know that Buddha rejected annihilism, I often find explanations etc. about the Buddha's world view coming still close to annihilation.
Well, traditionally it's understood that the last moment of consciousness in one being has a causal influence across space that influences the first moment of consciousness in another being. (Or: the moments of consciousness are supported in an in-between state by some sort of "subtle matter" or something). As a secular practitioner I leave such speculative explanations aside; they don't really convince me of anything. But that's the story anyway.
@@DougsDharma Thank you very much for the quick answer. I looked for it for quiet some time but couldn't find anything concrete.
I find your stuff really interesting. For someone that has been keenly interested in Buddhism for 15 years now the topics and contents are not completely new, but I really like your charisma/aura and the way you present the topics. You come across very authentic, genuine and despite your vast knowledge very humble and kind. Not like many that just fake that outward humbleness but push agendas left and right---but your stuff seems really honest, as objective as someone can possibly present a topic and be done with it.
I really am not someone that subscribes to youtube channels as I am looking to drastically decrease my time surfing the web, but I would still like to make a small donation because I really appreciate your stuff. I visited your page but couldn't find the option for making donations---is there such a possibility?
@@markusbieler5384 For donations, if you look at the info box below the videos you'll find links to Patreon and PayPal. Thanks very much in advance!
ruclips.net/video/FEnb2cFWKBs/видео.html
Hey, Doug I wanted to ask what practice I should do for getting over needing the validation of others. I feel sometimes the need to be the center of attention or praise to feel better about myself. What can I do to overcome this?
Hi Richard, that's absolutely normal, it's part of the "worldly winds" I discussed in a recent video. I think it can help to build up a sense of personal happiness and contentment through meditation and exercise, giving you a sense of accomplishment without needing the praise of others. It's a great start though just to notice the problem!
Thank you for sharing 🙏🏻
My pleasure!
As far as my concerned, The self (ego), you and I, Men and women ....ect It is correct for habitual truth. Therefore, we correctly use names or noun in our daily life for good realitionship.
Five aggregrates are also correct for Ultimate truth to understand four noble truth. The more we understand the nature of five aggregrates, the less we clinging of five aggregrates.
Yes well said Win Thu, thanks!
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It's interesting in one suttra Gautama mentions his skandas are eternal and unchanging. So his disciplies shouldn't be worried about his death :)
Hmmm ... where does he say this?
@@DougsDharma this one: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah%C4%81y%C4%81na_Mah%C4%81parinirv%C4%81%E1%B9%87a_S%C5%ABtra
from the 2nd paragraph here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skandha#China
@@rohanofelvenpower5566 Ah that's a later work from around the 2nd c. CE. My general focus is on the early texts, and to my knowledge he never says anything like that in the early texts. (Indeed, he says the opposite).
Its very pleasent to me that buddhism reaches to the west and appreciate by them.
On the other hand its very unpleasant to sea that its not appreciated by all the peoples where it originated and its my land India.
Yes, though I wouldn't worry too much about other people's likes and dislikes. 🙂
There is only one attachment. Your attachment to your conditioning. It includes all other forms of attachment.
If we are not the 5 aggregates, than what ultimately are “we”? What is the “true self”?
Good question! 😀
@@DougsDharma Bad reply 😏 Seriously though, what do the enlightened/awakened say our true selfs are if not the aggregates?
@@SB-si1cy The whole idea of a "true self" is part of the delusion we're trying to get away from.
@@DougsDharma Understood - Perhaps it’s semantics here. Self vs True Self. The confusion for many (including me) is often steeped in what are we if not the aggregates (soul, awareness, nothing, life itself). What do the texts affirm? In addition, the notion that if something arises, changes, dies or is impermanent it is not real or a distinct entity during its existence is a seemingly flawed syllogism. Could you help address both? Thank you, Doug.
The skanda though is recorded as memory, in the literature?
How do you mean?
@@DougsDharma the skandas are impermanent and yet such things exist in the memory. For example there would be a period in childhood where one could recall deciding to do something, as I understand it, the volitional skanda. This would be a memory of a self
,if one was now an adult.
Im only a newbie to this. Is this a correct picture?
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Could you please talk about samyojana in next video?
I will be discussing a related concept in an upcoming video, but yes that would be another thing I could discuss. I'll put it on the list! Thanks hal nine.
If what you say about consciousness is true then how is it possible to have a meditative state that is not conscious of either the senses or the mind?
Surely this aggregate is of a different kind and not an aggregate at all but the state of being itself?
Are liking and disliking (i.e. clinging) part of sankhara? Or are they outside of the five aggregates? I don't think they are of vedana since that is raw pleasantness, raw unpleasantness, and neutralness, rather than clinging.
If the five aggregates constitute the world then clinging must be in them. Clinging seems volitional, so I would guess clinging is a member of sankhara
Clinging is an aspect of saṅkhāra, yes.
Does this mean Buddha doesn't accept there is a unchangeable true self awareness. ?? As Ramana Maharshi accepts there is a unchangeable true self awareness? Many thanks
That's right, there is no unchangeable aspect to the mind in early Buddhism. Awareness is always changing, and has different aspects.
@@DougsDharma thankyou Doug for getting back to me, this has always puzzled me how there is a different experience of true self.
Sorry my stupid question... I do understand idea of the five aggregates. Now, my question is, what is the real me? I mean, that would be the self or non-self idea, right? But I'd feel much better if there were this eternal and immutable me that would rise above the clouds and storm of our mundane life and represent who I really am...
Yes, we think we would feel much better in such a case, so we keep striving after such a "real me" and it keeps escaping our grasp, and we suffer. I think the Buddha's point here is that it's best to give up the striving and settle down with the way things really seem to be.
What is the real me?
What do you mean when you use the word 'me/I'?
If you don't have a definition, its taken as an axiom.
If you have an answer, it will have "My" in it.
eg. Me is 'my' body and 'my' soul and 'my' values..
But again, What do you mean when you use the word "My/Mine"?
If you don't have a definition, its taken as an axiom.
If you have an answer, it will have "Me/I" in it.
eg. My body is this skin-bag belong to 'me'. My values are the ones "I" hold dear.
So, as you can see, the definition of me and mine are circularly dependent. Its just a trap to keep us going.. So better get-out of the illusion, which will dismantle the entire ontology.
What did the Buddha mean by "the five aggregates of clinging are suffering"? Should we avoid them? Should we avoid sensual pleasures?
Ah, well yes we can't avoid them, they are everything we experience in a sense. We practice along the Eightfold Path to learn to relax our clinging to them.
I don't understand the difference between the perceptions and the consciousnesses
Yeah it's a bit subtle. Perceptions are what conceptualizes the world through the senses. Consciousness doesn't include conceptualization, it's just the awareness itself through the senses. (Or at least that's how I take it; consciousness as such isn't well described in the early texts).
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saṃjñā
The Sanskrit/Pali terms are a little more revealing than the English translations. I can try to give terms which are more in-line with the original etymologies:
Vedanā (sensation) means knowing or being aware of something, literally. An English cognate would be something like visibility or evidence
Saṃjñā/saññā (perception) is the accumulation of the sensations into one perception, which you can see in the prefix sam- to the word jñā which means knowledge also. An English cognate would be something like cognition or cognizance. Essentially knowledge has moved from your senses to your brain.
Vijñāna/viññāṇa (consciousness) is made up of the prefix vi- (apart, division, separation) connected to jñā again. So it is a type of knowing involving separation of sub-concepts rather than simply knowing it as a whole. Interestingly the cognate for vi- is "with" in English which means the opposite now, so I'll give an alternate but still closely related "discern" for you here: consciousness is discernment.
To apply it to an example, when you step on a rock, you first get a sensation of a prick on your foot, then you put together the context and any other sharp feelings in your foot or the fact that you trip into a perception of pain and alarm, then you discern the situation and become conscious of the actual situation: that you stepped on a rock.
The process has aggregated from mere contact of your foot and rock to you in a mental state where you think to yourself "I am clumsy" and either laugh it off, become miserable about it, etc. Basically, it all can escalate into a sense of self and rumination about your samsara. That's how I see it and the importance of the 5 aggregates, anyhow.
@@sskpsp Thank you, this is very helpful
Great content but bombarded by way too many commercials.
Thanks Jim. Commercial placement is up to RUclips, no idea how they decide these things!
There is nothing corresponding to the illusion of the self. There is what is seen but not who sees it.
Form are just convenient patterns that we find repeating and predictable.
"We" are the contributing factors to seeing. These are circumscribed and that limit seems to determine how much we are. It's just a convenient attitude.
There are not so many aggregates. It seems. But those distinctions are practical conveniences.
Oddly enough, there is no one to see. There are only seen things.
Surprisingly enough,according to the Buddha there isn't an immortal soul that most religious people believe in.
That's right, which is what makes his approach so surprising to many!
🙏🏼. Namo Buddhay 🙏🏽.
Please not advertising during informative video.
Too verbose for me. Would be better if you got to the point quicker.
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