Understanding the Five Aggregates

Understanding the Five Aggregates

From Listen to Dharma Talks – Orlando Insight Meditation Group by Peter Carlson

April 30, 2026 · 57 min

About this episode

Peter Carlson discusses the Five Aggregates of Clinging and their role in mindfulness practice and understanding the self.

During this talk, Peter reviews another way mindfulness practice supports Awakening, contemplating the Five Aggregates of Clinging, part of the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness. The Five Aggregates represent a conceptual structure that helps understanding of Anatta, the absence of an enduring, autonomous self. Concrete, a crucial structural component in almost any building or road, is composed of cement, gravel, sand and water, which aggregate and solidify into a form–the human personality is also aggregated from file elements, and they can be investigated with sufficient training in mindfulness. When we are mindful of these elements as aggregates, the ability to “deconstruct” the self is nurtured. Here are the notes prepared for this talk: REVIEWING THE FIVE AGGREGATES OF CLINGING

People in this episode

Host: Peter Carlson

Topics covered

  • mindfulness
  • Five Aggregates
  • Awakening
  • Anatta
  • Buddhism
  • self-deconstruction

Keywords

  • mindfulness
  • Five Aggregates
  • Anatta
  • Buddhism
  • self
  • Awakening
  • Clinging

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Understanding the Five Aggregates

More episodes of Listen to Dharma Talks – Orlando Insight Meditation Group

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Listen to Dharma Talks – Orlando Insight Meditation Group podcast page.