Which Buddhist Personality Type Fits You?

Which Buddhist Personality Type Fits You?

Do you grasp? Are you aversive or confused? Take this quiz to find out which of the three main Buddhist personality types best describes you, and learn how to counteract the hindering aspects of your personality with meditative and mindfulness practices.

published on April 21, 2016
1/7

You are driving your car, on your way to a friend’s house. Your driving style would best be described as:

You are driving your car, on your way to a friend’s house. Your driving style would best be described as:
Speedy - you grip the wheel tightly, weaving in and out of traffic, and sometimes experience road rage.
Casual - you are unhurried and move easily in the flow of traffic.
Distracted – you are busy with your phone or music, sometimes drifting into other lanes.
2/7

You park your car and walk to your friend’s door. As you walk, you:

You park your car and walk to your friend’s door. As you walk, you:
Move quickly, with short and precise movements.
Move slowly, with a shuffle or hesitant step.
Move lightly, with a springy step.
3/7

Entering the friend’s new house, what do you notice first?

Entering the friend’s new house, what do you notice first?
Obvious problems: i.e. the unattractive color of the paint on the walls, the stain on the corner of the carpet, and dim lighting.
Things you like: i.e. beautiful art, plush carpet, and warm lighting.
You’re not interested in the house; you’re distracted and not sure what to say to your friend.
4/7

You sit down to dinner with your friend. Which option best describes your dining experience?

You sit down to dinner with your friend. Which option best describes your dining experience?
You are caught up in the conversation – food is secondary. You eat messily, spilling crumbs while you figure out what to say
next.
You savor your food, gravitating toward rich and/or sweet things.
You eat hurriedly without much enjoyment, choosing some rough or sour foods, noticing with displeasure when the
vegetables are undercooked or the soup isn’t...
5/7

The friend tells you about a disrespectful comment that a mutual friend made to them earlier. How do you respond?

The friend tells you about a disrespectful comment that a mutual friend made to them earlier. How do you respond?
Try to side-step the topic completely and move on to the next conversation.
Empathize with how wrong the comment is, and brainstorm ways to tell the mutual friend that their behavior is wrong.
Explain the comment in a more diplomatic way, giving reasons for a more positive interpretation.
6/7

Next, this friend tells you about a spiritual conference they attended. They repeat the inspirational words and perspective to you enthusiastically. As you listen, do you:

Next, this friend tells you about a spiritual conference they attended. They repeat the inspirational words and perspective to you enthusiastically. As you listen, do you:
Feel skeptical of your friend’s enthusiasm, viewing the teachings with a practical eye, perhaps thinking that the words are just
repackaging old concepts, a...
Feel inspired by their enthusiasm, while you enjoy their happiness and the rays of truth in their words?
Feel unsure at how this new perspective fits with your own spiritual life, or how it relates to other things your friend believes?
7/7

You leave your friend’s house and head home to go to sleep. Which of these best describes your sleep habits?

You leave your friend’s house and head home to go to sleep. Which of these best describes your sleep habits?
You sleep comfortably, and you enjoy sleeping in when possible You wake up slowly, stretching and lingering in bed.
You sleep with your limbs outstretched, or even facedown, and awaken dazed and disoriented.
You fall asleep thinking, maybe frowning, and wake up hurriedly, as though annoyed.