'cleansing', may refer either to (1) morality (sīla), or (2) concentration (samādhi), or (3) wisdom (paññā).

(1) "Cleansing of morality takes place in 2 ways: by understanding the misery of moral deviation (sīla-vipatti; s. vipatti) and by understanding the blessing of moral perfection (sīla-sampatti)" (s. Vis.M. I).

(2) Cleansing of concentration is concentration connected with progress (visesa-bhāgiya-samādhi; s. hāna-bhāgiya). If, for example, one has entered the 1st absorption, and sensuous perceptions and reflections arise, in that case there is concentration connected with decline ... If, however, perceptions and reflections free from thought-conception and discursive thinking (2nd jhāna; q.v.) arise, in that case there is concentration connected with progress.

(3) Cleansing, with reference to wisdom, is identical with the 'insight leading to the (path) ascent' (vutthāna-gāminī-vipassanā, q.v.), which arises at the stage of 'purification by knowledge and vision of the path-progress' (s. visuddhi VI), and is followed immediately by the maturity moment and the entrance into the supermundane paths.