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Significance of Aggregate

The term "Aggregate" holds different meanings across various philosophical traditions. In Jainism and Vedanta, it refers to collections of elements or properties that constitute existence. Tibetan Buddhism emphasizes aggregates as collective experiences or perceptions, leading to an understanding of reality. Vaishnavism identifies aggregates as the collective essence relevant to jivas. In both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism, aggregates, known as skandhas or khandha, represent the five components of human experience critical for understanding suffering and the pursuit of enlightenment.1
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Synonyms: Assemble, Sum, Total, Merge

In Dutch: Totaal; In Finnish: Aggregaatti; In Spanish: Agregar; In German: Aggregat

The below excerpts are indicatory and do represent direct quotations or translations. It is your responsibility to fact check each reference.

Buddhist concept of 'Aggregate'

Buddhism Books

In Buddhism, the term "Aggregate" (khandha or skandha) represents the five components—form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness—that shape individual existence, crucial for understanding suffering, non-self, and the path to enlightenment.

Significance in Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism):
Tibetan Buddhism Books

From: Tattvasangraha [with commentary]

(1) Aggregates are the collective appearances of the thought-phases when referred to collectively; they provide a framework for understanding the interplay of experiences.[1] (2) The sum of items or concepts that are collectively denoted, as referred to in the text.[2] (3) The collection of attributes or perceptions related to the cloth that leads to an illusory understanding of its existence.[3]

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayana) are collected indepently.

Significance in Theravada (major branch of Buddhism):
Theravada Books

From: Dhammapada (Illustrated)

(1) The components of existence, which a monk must understand to grasp the nature of suffering and the path to enlightenment.[4]

From: A Manual of Abhidhamma

(1) Refers to khandha, which denotes the components that constitute a being.[5]

Theravada is a major branch of Buddhism having the the Pali canon (tipitaka) as their canonical literature, which includes the vinaya-pitaka (monastic rules), the sutta-pitaka (Buddhist sermons) and the abhidhamma-pitaka (philosophy and psychology).

Significance in Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism):
Mahayana Books

From: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

(1) Known as skandha, these are five components (form, sensation, perception, mental formations, consciousness) that constitute an individual's experience and are essential in Buddhist analysis to illustrate the concept of non-self.[6]

Mahayana is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sutras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajnaparamita sutras.

Hindu concept of 'Aggregate'

Hinduism Books

In Hinduism, "Aggregate" refers to the collective essence (Samuhasya) from which jivas originate, encompassing collections of elements, influences from Jaina atomism (pudgalas), and the dissection of aggregates versus their causes in philosophical discourse.

Significance in Vedanta (school of philosophy):
Vedanta Books

From: Brahma Sutras (Shankaracharya)

(1) This term refers to the collection of all individual existences, and it is discussed in the context of the Self, and its relationship to knowledge and the elements.[7] (2) These are entities, encompassing both bodies and minds, whose existence is considered essential, and are assumed to exist because of the presence of Nescience and other related components. Their formation is a central topic of debate within the context of the provided text.[8] (3) This is a collection of things, and in the Jaina doctrine, they are formed from atoms, which are called pudgalas, as mentioned in the text.[9] (4) The two different classes of things, and having two different causes which the Bauddhas assume, viz. the aggregate of the elements and elementary things whose cause the atoms are, and the aggregate of the five skandhas whose cause the skandhas are, cannot be established.[10]

From: Brahma Sutras (Ramanuja)

(1) The collection of elements or properties discussed in the context of the adhikarana.[11]

Vedanta refers to a school of orthodox Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. There are a number of sub-schools of Vedanta, however all of them expound on the basic teaching of the ultimate reality (brahman) and liberation (moksha) of the individual soul (atman).

Significance in Arthashastra (politics and welfare):
Arthashastra Books

From: Kautilya Arthashastra

(1) A formation consisting of two lines of units within a staff-like array.[12]

Arthashastra literature concerns itself with the teachings (shastra) of economic prosperity (artha) statecraft, politics and military tactics. The term arthashastra refers to both the name of these scientific teachings, as well as the name of a Sanskrit work included in such literature. This book was written (3rd century BCE) by by Kautilya, who flourished in the 4th century BCE.

Significance in Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma):
Vaishnavism Books

From: Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)

(1) Samuhasya implies the aggregate or collective essence from which jivas derive their existence.[13]

Vaishnava or vaishnavism (vaishnavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu�).

Jain concept of 'Aggregate'

Jainism Books

In Jainism, the term "Aggregate" refers to the skandha, which encompasses the fundamental elements that constitute existence, highlighting the interconnectedness and composition of all beings and phenomena.

Significance in Jainism (general):

From: Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra

(1) Refers to the skandha, a collection of elements that make up existence.[14]

Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance�) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.

Plural form: Aggregates.