Hi Steve, Sorry for my delayed reply.. life stuff. Perhaps thats an indicator of my "type"? As a health behavioral scientist, I want to thank you for these postings. Sure beats the DSM. Its so interesting how traditions, beliefs, science and the rest evolve over time. My perspective is that all of these are attempts to understand the world around us, and each other. Security often thrives on predictable explanations. If we can understand our world and each other, our fear can dissolve. Thus, our cortisol "fight or flight" instincts can dis-engage, and we can use time in productive tasks, rathen defensive postures. While I can completely accept your explanation here, I can also explain these traits based in biology and physiology. Or in neuro-anatomy or western psychology. Or in ayurveda doshas. In yogic sutras. In tantric sexuality. Maybe I'll settle for (e) --all of the above. I did smile about the opposites--attract relationship you have with your partner. While this seems common, it is the shared values both have that makes the relationship functional. I am the least-tech-savvy person on the planet. Its embarrassing. My husband is the best I've ever witnessed. Thanks again.. ~ k
--- On Fri, 2/4/11, SteveW <[email protected]> wrote: From: SteveW <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Zen] Buddhist Personality Types To: [email protected] Date: Friday, February 4, 2011, 10:12 AM --- In [email protected], Kristy McClain <healthyplay1@...> wrote: > > *bows* >  > I can't offer anything useful. But beware behavioral scientists. They > skew the results. Steve.. you are so wise in so many ways..  As you > point out at times.. is it, - or not, illusory? >  >  What others think isn't that important. >  >  What you think--- is.. ~ k >  > p.s.  Bill may feel differently. >  > > Hi Kristy. Oh, this has nothing to do with modern psychology. This goes back to early Buddhism. It is based on the idea that people have karmic dispositions toward certain reactive mental states. This can be verified by simply watching how one reacts to people, places and things. The ancient literature went so far as to describe these predispositions in terms of how a person dressed, worked, ate their food, slept, and walked. For example, I have noticed that I am what is called a "hate type". It would be more accurate to say "aversion type" in English, as it is characterized by a karmic tendancy for a knee-jerk reaction of aversion to phenomena. I perfectly fit the ancient description: I walk quickly, with my feet seeming to tear-up the ground. I tend to stuff food into my mouth without savoring it. I work quickly, but roughly. I wear my clothes a little too tight. I throw myself onto the bed at night to sleep, and if awakened, feel annoyed. I jump right up in the morning. I do not ever look for long at anything, and have the subtle feeling that I want to look away. I have a subtle reaction of weariness to phenomena. I tend to have a negative assesment of phenomena as a first reaction. Of course, we are not static entities. This refers to a process of evolution. I am slowly evolving into what is called a wisdom type. According to the old suttas, hate types evolve into wisdom types. Hate is like wisdom in that neither clings to phenomena. Greed types are almost the exact opposite, but this isn't really a good thing. Whereas hate types are characterized by a subtle feeling of pushing-away phenomena, greed types are characterized by a subtle feeling of pulling-in phenomena and trying to cling to them. My girlfriend is a classic greed-type: She walks gracefully and carefully. She carefully eats her food, savoring each small bite. She works carefully, attending to details. She wears her clothes with an eye to careful fashion. She snuggles into her covers at night and is slow to awaken, preferring to stay in the comfort of the bed. She looks at things she regards as pretty for a long time, and seems to be reluctant to look away. She seems to have a desire for phenomena, and seems to want to pull everything in. She is always very taken with The Next New Thing. Whereas I tend to be unreasonably negative, she tends to be unreasonably positive. According to the old suttas, greed types evolve into Faith Types who have a serene trust in life. Greed is like Faith in that both look for the positive in phenomena. But Faith, unlike Greed, is not under any illusions about the supposed permanence of things. In the old literature, hate types are advised to meditate on compassion. Greed types are advised to meditate on death and impermanence. If hate types do not learn compassion, it is said that they go to the Hell of Fighting Devils. If greed types do not learn that everything comes and goes on the phenomenal plane, then they become Hungry Ghosts. This, of course, is just metaphor. Everyone, of course, must learn the 3 Signs of Being: Everything comes and goes. Nothing has inherent, separate, independant self- existence. Not understanding the first two leads to suffering, but seeing deeply into this leads to Nirvana, The Unborn. IMO. Steve >
