What is the Buddhist interpretation on personality?

Buddhist explanation on scientific analysis of character Traits and personality types is the
denial to both eternalism and annihilationism. It elaborates non-self (Anatta) that forms key
to conditional relations. Practically, Buddhist concept of psychophysical personality (nāma-
rūpa) is not mere single thing but the combination of plural phenomena that function at
once.

The identity of soul views is diṭṭhiṭhana – tenet of speculative philosophy, diṭṭhinissaya –

the foundation of speculation, sakkāyadiṭṭhi – personality belief and upādāna – clinging.
Indeed, it is Vibhavatanhā – thirst for non-existence that leads to annihilationism. But, in
the Puggalapaññatti of Abhidhamma Pitaka, it describes classification of individuals.
Moreover, the Visuddhimagga explains six types of person respectively with their
characters (cārita) namely greedy (rāga), hateful (dosa), delusion (moha), faithful (saddhā),
intellectual (buddhi) and speculative (vitakka). The Nānattakāyā nānatta sañña of A.N
mentions that the bodies of individuals are different; so are their perceptions. Thus, just as
there is diversity of individuals there will be diversity of mental power (Iti kho bhikkhave
indriya vemattatā phalavemattatā, hoti, balavemattatā puggalavemattatā hoti)

Any being is composed of form and mental constituents (nāma-rūpa). The physical form
refers to four primary elements of earth, water, heat and air whereas the mentality includes
sensation, perception, volition and consciousness. These psychophysical combinations are
also called the five aggregates. They are in a flux of momentary arising and disappearing.
Therefore, There is no everlasting substance. Systematically, the paticca-samuppada
elaborates how life arises, exists and continues with mechanism of conditional relations.
“When this presents that comes to be. From the arising of this, that arises. When this is
absent, that does not come to be. On the cessation of this, that ceases”. The factors are
ignorance, volitional actions, consciousness, form and mental, six faculties, contact,
sensation, craving, attachment, re-becoming, birth and decay, death, lamentation. Others
reciprocally condition each of these factors.

To make a summary, above discussion highlights Buddhist explanation on individuality and

analysis of personal designation. The contribution is to develop right view and see things
objectively as they really are, and then to cultivate confidence (Saddhā) concentration
(Buddhi) and wisdom (Paññā) in order to alleviate illusion, aversion, and delusion. (350)