Explain this to me NOW!!

TheFound

What are we made of? I remember in my studies something about 5 or so aggregates* (what are those?)

can someone re-tell me this

Vangelis

These are the 5 skhandhas. You can read more about them here:

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/intro_bud.htm

or here:

http://buddhism.about.com/od/abuddhistglossary/g/skandhadef.htm

DhammaDhatu

Sure.

Each human life comprises solely of the five aggregates, namely, form, feeling, perception, mental fabricating & consciousness.

The tough aggregate to crack is the mental fabricating aggregate because it is this aggregate that fogs up our mind or itself with emotions & delusions of 'self'.

Try to develop the view "the mind thinks" or "the mind fabricates" (rather than the view "I" think or "I" fabricate).

Of this aggregate, the Buddha said: "Why is it called the mental fabricator? Because it fabricates mental fabrications. This is why it is called the mental fabricator."

Kind regards

DD

[DeletedUser]

The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, also known as the Twelve Links of Interdependence, the Wheel of Life (or Existence). You may recite on Buddha Amitabha and ponder over pureland to reverse that order in a pure manner.

http://www.langritangpa.org.au/pages_html/12links/12_links.html

PietroPumokin

Of this aggregate, the Buddha said: "Why is it called the mental fabricator? Because it fabricates mental fabrications. This is why it is called the mental fabricator.")

i don't get it, was the Buddha he just being lazy? "why is it called that, you ask, Ananda? cause that's what it's called. hey could you take my alms bowl with you on alms round and get an extra serving for me by the way?"

DhammaDhatu

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.079.than.html

"And why do you call it 'form'? Because it is afflicted, thus it is called 'form.' Afflicted with what? With cold & heat & hunger & thirst, with the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, & reptiles. Because it is afflicted, it is called form.

"And why do you call it 'feeling'? Because it feels, thus it is called 'feeling.' What does it feel? It feels pleasure, it feels pain, it feels neither-pleasure-nor-pain. Because it feels, it is called feeling.

"And why do you call it 'perception'? Because it perceives, thus it is called 'perception.' What does it perceive? It perceives blue, it perceives yellow, it perceives red, it perceives white. Because it perceives, it is called perception.

"And why do you call them 'fabrications'? Because they fabricate fabricated things, thus they are called 'fabrications.' What do they fabricate as a fabricated thing? For the sake of form-ness, they fabricate form as a fabricated thing. For the sake of feeling-ness, they fabricate feeling as a fabricated thing. For the sake of perception-hood... For the sake of fabrication-hood... For the sake of consciousness-hood, they fabricate consciousness as a fabricated thing. Because they fabricate fabricated things, they are called fabrications.

"And why do you call it 'consciousness'? Because it cognizes, thus it is called consciousness. What does it cognize? It cognizes what is sour, bitter, pungent, sweet, alkaline, non-alkaline, salty, & unsalty. Because it cognizes, it is called consciousness.

bodhipunk

Sorry I couldn't explain it to you right then because of time constraints, but I am at least trying to explain this NOW (at least, right now to me..lol).

The five aggregates are also called the five skandhas. Briefly, they are:
1. Form/matter (rupa)
This is anything physical, both external (e.g. the physical world) and internal (e.g. sense organs).

2.Sensation/feeling (vedana)
Sensing an object as either pleasant or unpleasant or neutral.

3.Perception/conception/discrimination/cognition/sensibility (sanna/samjna)
This is the recognition of an object through the five senses (i.e. seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, smelling) such as the color of the sky or the sound of an electric guitar.

4. Mental formations/impulse/will/volition (sankhara/samskara)
This includes all types (both virtuous and not virtuous) of mental activity, habits, thoughts, ideas, opinions, prejudices, compulsions, and decisions which are triggered by an object.

5. Consciousness/discernment (vinnana/vijnana)
This is cognizance, or that which discerns.

Hope this helps.

Vincenzi

what's the relationship between the skandhas and triLaksana? does triLaksana make the skandhas "stay" in samsåra?

DhammaDhatu

each skandha has the characteristics or qualities of triLaksana

eg. the body is impermanent (always changing), unsatisfactory (imperfect, cannot be an object of permanent happiness) & not-self (cannot be possessed, is empty of a 'self')

samsara is the mind spinning due to being fettered (chained) & hindered by ignorance & craving

samsara is the cycle of craving (intention), action (karma) & result (vipaka)

ignorance & craving make the sankhara khanda stay in samsara

the other four khandas do not stay in samsara. only the thought formation skandha is subject to samsara

this is my psychological interpretation

kind regards

DD

thickpaper

What are we made of? I remember in my studies something about 5 or so aggregates* (what are those?)

can someone re-tell me this

I think the five aggregates need a bit or more modern rewriting, taking into account modern understandings of what experience depends on. I 100% think the buddha got it right with the skandhas, I just don't think the translations and definitions are as clear as they could be.

Jason

What are we made of? I remember in my studies something about 5 or so aggregates* (what are those?)

can someone re-tell me this

If you're interested, you can find some of my thoughts about the five aggregates here.

DharmaField

There is no easy answer that can satisfy here, as this is a question for deep meditation. When you have found yourself, you will have found what you are made of.