6/15/2010

Personality, Individuality and Character of a Human Being

Personality is one of two kinds. One is the natural or God-given personality which the Western thinkers call individuality. Individuality is the inner aspect of man which is not subject to change. The second is personality. Personality is the acquired virtues and perfections, with which man is adorned.
When the individuality of man, i.e., his God-given natural virtues, is adorned with acquired virtues and perfections then we have character. When the infinite effulgences of God are revealed in the individual, then divine perfections which are invisible in all creation will become manifest in him. (‘Abdu’l-Baha, excerpt from an address given on Feb. 14, 1913 at 30 rue St. Didier, Paris; Star of the West, Vol. IV, No. 2)