The typology system is presented in generalities here, so you’ll have to tailor it to your personal experience. If you bring awareness playfully to your particular temperament, you will strengthen your mindfulness practice. When applied with wisdom and compassion, the discovery of your type provides a useful way to see through the illusion of self and find freedom.

Buddhist Personality Quiz

01 When you go to a friend’s house for the first time, what is the first thing you notice? (A) The handsome Sub-Zero fridge you’d love to have in your own kitchen; (B) The cluttered living room that would be much more welcoming if she got rid of a few chairs and rearranged the rest; (C) You don’t notice much, and when you go home you can’t remember a single piece of furniture.

02 When you go to the beach, what is the first thing you say? (A) “The water looks perfect”; (B) “Look at all the seaweed. There’s no way I’m going in the water”; (C) “I can’t believe I forgot my towel again.”

03 In the morning: (A) You like getting up early because it’s a great time to get things done; (B) You get up grumbling, with reluctance (another day already!?) and a sense of obligation; (C) You have a Ph.D. in sleeping late, and when you do get up, you must contend with brain fog for several hours.

04 After watching a movie with your partner, you are mostly likely to comment: (A) “I love seeing movies by that director. Let’s get another one when we return this”; (B) “I can’t believe how badly they butchered the story from the book. From now on it’s only foreign films for me”; (C) ”Why were they shooting at that one guy?”

05 You consider shopping: (A) A sport, and you’re in the major leagues; (B) A necessary evil. You go in, get what you need, and get out again before someone pisses you off and you have to kill them; (C) A nightmare. With twenty brands of cereal on the shelves, how are you supposed to pick one? And let’s not even talk about clothes shopping…

06 What do you have in your home? (A) Imported chocolate, an extensive DVD collection, and some fine art; (B) Extra blankets (the heat is so low sometimes guests complain), closet and office organizers, emergency flashlights; (C) A hodgepodge of furniture and small piles of papers and projects that you’re going to get to one of these days.

07 In school, you were usually: (A) Chatting with your friends; (B) Correcting the teacher; (C) Doodling or daydreaming.

08 At dinnertime, you think: (A) “Wow, this looks great! I’ll have one of everything.” (B) “Uh, is it dairy-free, wheatfree, soy-free, and organic?” (C) “Dinner, already? Nice.”

09 As a kid, your nickname could have been: (A) Sparky; (B) Eeyore; (C) Space Cadet.

10 When you’re being honest with yourself, you’ll admit that you’re: (A) Grandiose; (B) Obsessive compulsive; (C) Clueless.

11 When things aren’t going your way, your first thought is: (A) “No worries, it will improve soon”; (B) “It’s someone else’s fault, and I should help them see the error of their ways”; (C) “Hmm, I wonder if I did something wrong?”

12 When you are collaborating on a project, you mainly: (A) Have faith everything will work out; (B) Get concerned about the details being overlooked by your team members; (C) Act in a supportive role, letting others lead.

13 Your opinion of this Buddhist personality quiz is: (A) It was fun. I wish it had more questions; (B) Totally unscientific. Tricycle is turning into a Buddhist Cosmopolitan; (C) Seemed okay, but I wasn’t sure about my answers to some of the questions.

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