Transcript The 5 Skhandas

The 5 Skhandas
In Buddhist teaching everyone is made up of 5
‘skhandas’ which means bundles. These are what
make up our physical and non-physical being.
1.The physical body: Rupa
2.Sensations and feelings: Vedana
3.Character traits – likes and dislikes: Sankhara
4.Cognitions (mental processes): Sanna
5.Consciousness: Vinnana
What is the human condition?
The 5 Skhandas
The physical body: Rupa
What is happening to your body right
now? Think about photos of you in the
past. The last thing you ate is slowly
becoming part of you! Your hair and
nails are growing right now. Rub your
nose: it has changed forever and part
of your nose is on the table!
What is the human condition?
The 5 Skhandas
Sensations and feelings: Vedana
All the time you are taking in sensations
and feelings from your senses. Think
about all the things you have seen,
smelled, touched, heard and felt today…
and your experiences are constantly
changing. How you understand the
world affects the way you are and so it
changes what you are.
What is the human condition?
The 5 Skhandas
Likes and dislikes: Sankhara
What kinds of things did you like when
you were in S1? Have you changed in
this respect over the past few years?
Think about food, clothes, music, people
etc.
We are all very changeable and will
continue to change throughout our life.
What is the human condition?
The 5 Skhandas
Cognitions (mental processes): Sanna
What do you know? Do things you
know change?
Did you know what it was like to be in
a pram? Do you know now?
Are your thought processes the same
as they were when you were a child?
What is the human condition?
The 5 Skhandas
Consciousness: Vinnana
Awareness of being you.
When you’re asleep are you
conscious of you?
Is the sleeping you actually still you?
What is the human condition?
The 5 Skhandas
At no point did the Buddha
mention the existence of a
permanent soul or spirit.
To Buddhists we are
constantly changing
entities. Nothing remains
the same or is permanent.
What is the human condition?
The 5 Skhandas
A good analogy is a flip book:
the static images follow on from
each other so quickly that our
eyes perceive one moving
image.
In the same way, we change so
quickly that there is an illusion of
a continuum and permanence.
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What is the human condition?
The 5 Skhandas
‘Skhanda’ means bundle, and refers to the five
things that Buddhists believe makes up ‘you’.
1.The physical body: Rupa
2.Sensations and feelings: Vedana
3.Character traits – likes and dislikes: Sankhara
4.Cognitions (mental processes): Sanna
5.Consciousness: Vinnana
What is the human condition?
The 5 Skhandas
At no point did the Buddha mention the
existence of a permanent soul or spirit.
Like ‘wheel’, ‘seat’ and ‘brakes’ of ‘bike’,
the 5 skhandas make up ‘you’.
What is the human condition?
The 5 Skhandas
Our physical bodies change, our moods and
thoughts and even our ideas about life
change a great deal as time goes on. But
are we still the same person? Is the essence
of me still there?
A Buddhist would say that it is not. There is
no such thing as our essence. In reality, we
do not exist. There is no you, or me.
What is the human condition?
Rebirth as a flow of ever
changing consciousness
Buddhists believe that following the death
of body (Rupa) your ever-changing
consciousness (Vinnana) is reborn.
The kind of rebirth your consciousness will
receive is dependant on your karma.
What is the human condition?
Anatta
SAME EVER-CHANGING FLAME?
Reflection
• Which best describes the character of some people you
know? Which best describes your character?
– Rage, torment, despair. “I’m in pain and suffering.“
– Greed, craving and addiction. “I want this, I need this, I have
to have this.”
– Instinct. “I want food, sex, territory and sleep.”
– Pride, complacency, intoxication. “I've got everything that I
want; there's nothing more I need.“
– Jealousy, resentment, ambition. “I’ll do anything to get what I
want."
What is the human condition?