One of the eleven virtuous mental factors (Tib. sems byung dge ba; Skt. kuśalacaitta), a subgroup of the mental states or factors associated with the mind (Skt. caitasika, caitta), according to the Abhidharma. According to Vasubandhu (in his Pañcaskandhaka) , ngo tsha (“scruples,” “conscience”) is different from khrel (“embarrassment”) in that it is independent from others’ judgment of one’s behavior and solely internal in that it comprises one’s internalized values and one’s inner moral compass or sense of integrity.

One of the eleven virtuous mental factors (Tib. sems byung dge ba; Skt. kuśalacaitta), a subgroup of the mental states or factors associated with the mind (Skt. caitasika, caitta), according to the Abhidharma. According to Vasubandhu (in his Pañcaskandhaka), ngo tsha (“scruples, conscience”) is different from khrel or khrel yod (“embarrassment” or “shame”; here “decorum”) in that it is independent of others’ judgment of one’s behavior, and solely internal in that it contradicts one’s internalized values and one’s inner moral compass. See “decorum.”

One of a common list of eleven positive mental states (kuśalacaittya) found in Buddhist abhidharma lists. Shame is what one feels after having realized that one has done something wrong, and it serves as a mental state that hinders one from engaging in such wrong actions again. Often paired with apatrāpya (khrel yod pa).

One of the eleven virtuous mental factors (Tib. sems byung dge ba; Skt. kuśalacaitta), a subgroup of the mental states or factors associated with the mind (Skt. caitasika; caitta), according to the Abhidharma. According to Vasubandhu (in his Pañcaskandhaka), ngo tsha (“scruples,” “conscience”) is different from khrel (“embarrassment” or “shame”) in that it is independent from others’ judgment of one’s behavior, and solely internal, in that it contradicts one’s internalized values and one’s inner moral compass. See “embarrassment.”

A sense of shame that prevents one from carrying out immoral actions.

According to the definition given in Vasubandhu’s Pañcaskandhaka, the term hrī differs from apatrāpya (see “sense of decency”) in that it predominantly relates to one’s own internal sense of shame or inner conscience rather than in relation to others. See Deleanu 2006, pp. 484–85.The Abhidharma categorizes it as one of the eleven virtuous mental factors (Tib. sems byung dge ba; Skt. kuśalacaitta), a subgroup of the mental states or factors associated with the mind (Skt. caitasika, caitta).