Abstract
This theoretical paper offers a fundamental critique of the Western trait-based model of personality and self-concept through the lens of the Indian philosophical framework of Triguna theory. We argue that dominant Western models, particularly the Big Five Factor model, reify personality characteristics as static, substantive “traits,” thereby overlooking their dynamic, processual, and contextual nature. In contrast, the Triguna theory from Samkhya-Yoga philosophy conceptualizes personality as the dynamic interplay of three fundamental psycho-physical energies or qualities [gunas]: Sattva [clarity, harmony, intelligence], Rajas [activity, passion, attachment], and Tamas [inertia, stability, ignorance]. This paper systematically deconstructs the ontological foundations of trait theory and constructs a novel, process-oriented model of the self-concept based on the gunas. This guna-based model not only accounts for the situational fluidity and malleability of the self that trait theories struggle to explain but also provides a prescriptive framework for personal development aimed at cultivating Sattva. The implications of this paradigm shift for personality assessment, clinical practice, and the very goals of psychological well-being are thoroughly explored.
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