anything impure, stain (lit. & fig.), dirt. In the Canon mostly fig. of impurities. On mala in similes see J.P.T.S., 1907, 122
■ SN.i.38 (itthi malaṃ brahmacariyassa), SN.i.43 (id.); AN.i.105 (issā˚); Snp.378 Snp.469, Snp.962, Snp.1132 (= rāgo malaṃ etc. Cnd.500); Mnd.15 Mnd.478 sq.; Dhp.239 sq.; Vb.368 (tīṇi malāni), Vb.389 (nava purisa-malāni); Pv.ii.3#34 (macchera˚); Pv-a.45 (id.), Pv-a.80 (id.), Pv-a.17 (citta˚); Sdhp.220
■ Compar. malatara a greater stain AN.iv.195 = Dhp.243
■ See also māla.

• -ābhibhū overcoming one’s sordidness SN.i.18; Ja.iv.64.
• -majjana “dirt wiper,” a barber Vin.iv.308 (kasāvaṭa m. nihīnajacca); Ja.iii.452; Ja.iv.365.

Vedic mala, see etym. under malina. The Dhtm (395) only knows of one root mal or mall in meaning “dhāraṇa” supporting, thus thinking of māḷaka