Buddhist teachers describe 14 types of mistaken conduct, including a list of six stains. They encourage us to avoid these mindsets when listening to the Dharma. Historically, one “heard” the Dharma orally from a teacher as texts were rare and very valuable. Most people would not have had the opportunity to read texts on their own.
Thus, as we are fortunate enough to be able to read Dharma books, we might consider our conduct when reading as well as listening. In another wiki, you can read more guidelines for checking our intent, motivation, and conduct.
Here, in an excerpt from Khenpo Gyaltsen’s A Lamp Illuminating the Path to Liberation, we read the list of six attitudes that “stain” our mind:
In the Well-explained Reasoning, it says:
Pride, lack of faith, and lack of effort, Outward distraction, inward tension, and discouragement; These are the six stains.
Avoid these six:
Proudly believing yourself to be superior to the teacher who is explaining the dharma; Not trusting the master and his teachings; Failing to apply yourself to the dharma; Getting distracted by external events; Focusing your five senses too intently inwards; Becoming discouraged if, for example, a teaching is too long.1The Words of My Perfect Teacher, Patrul Rinpoche, translated by the Padmakara Translation Group (Sacred Literature, 1998), 12.
A Lamp Illuminating the Path to Liberation: An Explanation of Essential Topics for Dharma Students by Khenpo Gyaltsen, p. 14.