The Five Aggregates –

 

1. The Aggregate of Matter (Rupakkhandha)

 

• Four great elements: earth, water, fire, wind.

• Six sense organs and their corresponding physical objects.

  1. eye with visible forms

  2. ear with sounds

  3. nose with odor

  4. tongue with taste

  5. body with tangible objects

  6. mind (the sixth faculty) with mind objects or thoughts or ideas.

 

 

2. The Aggregate of Consciousness (Viññānakkhandha)

 

• An awareness of the presence of an object, to know without differentiating. For example, a sound comes into contact with ear, the ear consciousness notes only the fact that a sound has come. It works the same for other faculties. Therefore, there are six consciousness.

 

 

3. The Aggregate of Perceptions (Saññākkhandha)

 

• To identify objects

• It gives an evaluation of good or bad according to one's past experience.

 

 

4. The Aggregate of Sensations (Vedanakkhandha)

 

• Pleasant, unpleasant, neutral

• The sensation becomes pleasant or unpleasant after the perception identifies the object and gives the object an evaluation.

 

 

5. The Aggregate of Mental Formations (Sankharakkhandha) or Volition

 

• It is a conditioned action with liking or disliking based on the sensation.

• This momentary liking develops into great cravings; this disliking develops into great aversion.

• The mental reaction is the seed that gives fruit.

• Every moment one keeps sowing this seed, keeps reaction with liking or disliking, craving or aversion, and by doing so makes oneself miserable.