# Buddhist Personality Types



## Selene (Aug 2, 2009)

Which Buddhist Personality Type Are You? | Tricycle

_The Visuddhimagga offers descriptions of six personality temperaments: three unwholesome types and three wholesome types. The text suggests that the unwholesome and wholesome types “parallel” each other. The modern-day application of the personality-type system focuses primarily on the three unwholesome types and pairs them with their positive attributes. The three types of Buddhist personalities, paired with their positive tendencies, are Greed/Faith, Aversive/Discerning Wisdom, and Deluded/Speculative. The Greed/Faith personality type is characterized by craving and optimism, the Aversive/Discerning type by criticism and clarity, and the Deluded/Speculative type by doubt and equanimity. Each type has its neurotic tendencies and its awakened tendencies, and the spiritual task is to learn how to strengthen the awakened aspects.

Buddhaghosa suggests that you can know your type by observing such basic things as your posture, eating habits, actions, and moods. For example, the posture of the greedy temperament is confident and graceful, the aversive temperament is rigid, and the deluded temperament is slipshod. If all three were on a dance floor, the greedy type would float with ease, the aversive temperament would hold his partner stiffly, and a deluded personality type would have two left feet. The greedy temperament likes rich sweet food, eats unhurriedly savoring the various tastes, and enjoys gourmet treats. The aversive temperament likes sour tastes, eats hurriedly, and is critical of their food. The deluded temperament has no settled choice of foods. The Visuddhimagga continues with numerous references to the temperaments in examples of how a monk wears his robes, sweeps the floor, and makes his bed. In addition to these examples from the text, more contemporary questions can be asked to uncover your personality type._

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_Each type has a spiritual task to accomplish. The spiritual task of the greedy type is to transform the desire for sense objects into a desire to know the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. Greedy types need to balance their optimism with an awareness of suffering. Practices that can help the greedy type include: contemplation of old age, sickness, death, and impermanence, meditation on the 32 parts of the body; generosity; renunciation; noticing the ending of experiences; putting oneself in uncomfortable, unpleasant situations (in order to become disenchanted with sense pleasures); slowing down; and taking the Three Refuges._

_The spiritual task of the aversive type is to transform the critical mind through wisdom and insight. Aversive types need to learn to relax, question their beliefs about being “right,” and notice joy in addition to suffering. Practices for the aversive type are: lovingkindness, compassion, mindfulness of mind, humor, faith, patience, open awareness, and putting oneself in pleasant surroundings in order to soften the heart and connect with life._

_The spiritual task of the deluded type is to transform spaciousness into a state of rooted equanimity. Deluded types need to learn how to reel in their minds. Practices useful for a deluded type include: noting (labeling); mindfulness of the hindrance of doubt; body awareness; somatic experiencing; qigong or yoga; precision; mindfulness of the earth element, and putting oneself in safe and pleasant surroundings to prevent dissociation._


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## lifeisanillusion (Feb 21, 2011)

I scored highest int the greed type, with a secondary type of deluded. I got 7 As, 5 Cs and 1 B. Interesting quiz.


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## DouglasMl (Nov 3, 2009)

My scores were mainly "deluded mind." I suspect this result would jive with the idea of "doubting mind" associated with Enneagram Point Six.


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## Consistently Inconsistent (Feb 22, 2011)

I scored 6 in Greed/Faith & 7 in Deluded/Speculative, so I'm greedy AND don't know what I want. :crazy:


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## unico (Feb 3, 2011)

I scored 5 for greed, 3 for aversive, and 4 for deluded. One type didn't really stand out as more correct for me...


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## nevermore (Oct 1, 2010)

Deluded/ Speculative, by a long shot. Very INxx.


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## Waveshine (Mar 18, 2011)

I got Deluded/Speculative.


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## dizzygirl (Dec 19, 2009)

greedy/faith and deluded/speculative. 7 and 5.


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## snail (Oct 13, 2008)

Deluded/ Speculative

The spiritual task of the deluded type is to transform spaciousness into a state of rooted equanimity. Deluded types need to learn how to reel in their minds. Practices useful for a deluded type include: noting (labeling); mindfulness of the hindrance of doubt; body awareness; somatic experiencing; qigong or yoga; precision; mindfulness of the earth element, and putting oneself in safe and pleasant surroundings to prevent dissociation.


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