成人快手

Human life

The Five Khandas

are taught that the human personality is made up of five parts, called the Five Khandas or the Five Aggregates. This idea appears in the , a Buddhist scripture, in which the Buddha teaches monks about the Five Khandas.

The Five Khandas are the different parts that come together to make a human. The taught that all people are made up of these five elements.

The Five KhandasBuddhist wordWhat does this mean?An example
1. Form (the body)RupaThis is matter that is tangible (ie can be touched). This Khanda is linked to our five senses (smell, touch, taste, sight and hearing).Seeing a physical object, such as a chair.
2. Sensation (feelings)VedanaThese are feelings experienced from using the five senses. They can be physical or emotional.Seeing a comfortable chair after a long, tiring day may lead to a sense of happiness.
3. Perception (the process of recognising what things are)SamjnaThis allows people to recognise things in the world because they have seen or experienced those things before.Recognising the chair through experience of using them before.
4. Mental formations (thoughts)SamskaraThis is about the different opinions and feelings that people may have.Creating an opinion about the chair in relation to other chairs experienced previously.
5. Consciousness (an awareness of things)VijnanaThis is the awareness a person has of the things around them in the world.Being aware of things in the world.
The Five Khandas1. Form (the body)
Buddhist wordRupa
What does this mean?This is matter that is tangible (ie can be touched). This Khanda is linked to our five senses (smell, touch, taste, sight and hearing).
An exampleSeeing a physical object, such as a chair.
The Five Khandas2. Sensation (feelings)
Buddhist wordVedana
What does this mean?These are feelings experienced from using the five senses. They can be physical or emotional.
An exampleSeeing a comfortable chair after a long, tiring day may lead to a sense of happiness.
The Five Khandas3. Perception (the process of recognising what things are)
Buddhist wordSamjna
What does this mean?This allows people to recognise things in the world because they have seen or experienced those things before.
An exampleRecognising the chair through experience of using them before.
The Five Khandas4. Mental formations (thoughts)
Buddhist wordSamskara
What does this mean?This is about the different opinions and feelings that people may have.
An exampleCreating an opinion about the chair in relation to other chairs experienced previously.
The Five Khandas5. Consciousness (an awareness of things)
Buddhist wordVijnana
What does this mean?This is the awareness a person has of the things around them in the world.
An exampleBeing aware of things in the world.

The Buddha believed that these different parts are fluid, which means they are changing all the time. Therefore, the 鈥self鈥 is also changing all the time. The belief that everything is in a state of change and there is no permanent self is called anatta

Theravada Buddhists believe that these different parts relate to each other and that they make a person who they are. The Khandas give people their personalities.

Infographic depicting the Five Skandas