Purifications (Buddhism)

In Hinayana Buddhism, the roots and trunk or body of understanding are said to be the seven purifications or purities. One studies the aggregates, bases (sense-organs), elements, faculties, truths, dependent origination, which are the soil of understanding. One perfects or fulfils the roots which are the purifications of virtue and consciousness, and develops the "trunk" which is the five purifications of view, of overcoming doubt, of knowledge and vision of what is and what is not the path, of knowledge and vision of the way, and of knowledge and vision. The last purification, that of knowledge and vision, is that of the arahant. Having passed through that path he becomes one of the great ones, all cankers destroyed, bearing his last body, his burdens laid down. He has reached his goal and destroyed the fetters of becoming, liberated with right or final knowledge.