The Buddha describes the eight stains—not rehearsing is the stain of hymns, neglect is the stain of houses, laziness is the stain of beauty, and negligence is a guard’s stain, and misconduct is a woman’s stain, and stinginess is a giver’s stain, and bad, unskillful qualities are a stain in this world and the next, and worse than any of these is ignorance, the worst stain of all.

AN 8.15 Stains

“Aṭṭhimāni, bhikkhave, malāni. Katamāni aṭṭha? Asajjhāyamalā, bhikkhave, mantā; anuṭṭhānamalā, bhikkhave, gharā; malaṁ, bhikkhave, vaṇṇassa kosajjaṁ; pamādo, bhikkhave, rakkhato malaṁ; malaṁ, bhikkhave, itthiyā duccaritaṁ; maccheraṁ, bhikkhave, dadato malaṁ; malā, bhikkhave, pāpakā akusalā dhammā asmiṁ loke paramhi ca; tato, bhikkhave, malā malataraṁ avijjā paramaṁ malaṁ. Imāni kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha malānīti.

Asajjhāyamalā mantā,
anuṭṭhānamalā gharā;
Malaṁ vaṇṇassa kosajjaṁ,
pamādo rakkhato malaṁ.

Malitthiyā duccaritaṁ,
maccheraṁ dadato malaṁ;
Malā ve pāpakā dhammā,
asmiṁ loke paramhi ca;
Tato malā malataraṁ,
avijjā paramaṁ malan”ti.

Pañcamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Aṭṭhimāni, bhikkhave, malāni.

“Mendicants, there are these eight stains.

Katamāni aṭṭha?

What eight?

Asajjhāyamalā, bhikkhave, mantā;

Not rehearsing is the stain of hymns.

anuṭṭhānamalā, bhikkhave, gharā;

Neglect is the stain of houses.

malaṁ, bhikkhave, vaṇṇassa kosajjaṁ;

Laziness is the stain of beauty.

pamādo, bhikkhave, rakkhato malaṁ;

Negligence is a guard’s stain.

malaṁ, bhikkhave, itthiyā duccaritaṁ;

Misconduct is a woman’s stain.

maccheraṁ, bhikkhave, dadato malaṁ;

Stinginess is a giver’s stain.

malā, bhikkhave, pāpakā akusalā dhammā asmiṁ loke paramhi ca;

Bad, unskillful qualities are a stain in this world and the next.

tato, bhikkhave, malā malataraṁ avijjā paramaṁ malaṁ.

Worse than any of these is ignorance, the worst stain of all.

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha malānīti.

These are the eight stains.

Asajjhāyamalā mantā,

Not rehearsing is the stain of hymns.

anuṭṭhānamalā gharā;

The stain of houses is neglect.

Malaṁ vaṇṇassa kosajjaṁ,

Laziness is the stain of beauty.

pamādo rakkhato malaṁ.

A guard’s stain is negligence.

Malitthiyā duccaritaṁ,

Misconduct is a woman’s stain.

maccheraṁ dadato malaṁ;

A giver’s stain is stinginess.

Malā ve pāpakā dhammā,

Bad qualities are a stain

asmiṁ loke paramhi ca;

in this world and the next.

Tato malā malataraṁ,

But a worse stain than these

avijjā paramaṁ malan”ti.

is ignorance, the worst stain of all.”

Pañcamaṁ.

Topics & Qualities:

Harm

Harm

Intention or action that causes injury or suffering to oneself or others. It arises from aversion and heedlessness and destroys trust and safety. The opposite of non-harm, it obscures compassion and leads to regret.

Also known as: injury causing behavior, destructiveness, bad, evil
Pāli: pāpaka
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Ignorance

Ignorance

A fundamental blindness to the true nature of reality. It is not merely a lack of information, but an active misperception that views the transient as permanent and the unsatisfactory as a source of happiness, thereby fueling the cycle of suffering.

Also known as: illusion of knowing, fundamental unawareness of the true nature of reality, misunderstanding of how things have come to be, not knowing the four noble truths
Pāli: avijjā
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Laziness

Laziness

Unwillingness or lack of energy and motivation to engage in wholesome activities or exert effort, leading to stagnation and missed opportunities for growth.

Also known as: sloth, indolence, sluggishness, idleness, inactivity
Pāli: kosajja, tandī, ālasya, kusīta
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Negligence

Negligence

Dwelling with unrestrained faculties, soiled by sensory attraction. Negligence is the failure to guard the mind and to arouse heedfulness, blocking the arising of wholesome states.

Also known as: carelessness, heedlessness, inattentiveness
Pāli: pamāda
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Stinginess

Stinginess

A contracted, possessive refusal to share what one has—whether material goods, knowledge, or status. It clings tightly to what is “mine,” fearing loss and closing the hand against generosity.

Also known as: miserliness, meanness, tight-fistedness
Pāli: macchariya
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Unwholesome

Unwholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of poor health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameworthy, unhealthy, unskillful, unbeneficial, karmically unprofitable
Pāli: akusala
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Last updated on July 27, 2026