The Buddha taught that we are made up of five components that come together to create the perception of a distinct, individual “I” or “me.” These five components are called the five skandhas, a Sanskrit word meaning “aggregates” or “heaps.” The five aggregates (and their original Pali titles) are form (rūpa), sensation (vedanā), perception (saññā), mental formations or thoughts (sankhāra), and consciousness (viññāna).
