在南傳「增支部」記載了佛陀為第子們所說的一部Paṃsudhovaka-suttaṃ[1]《塵垢洗滌者經》[2]，英譯作“The Soil Remover”[3]/ “The Dirt-washer”。 佛陀以金匠（goldsmith）提煉黃金的過程作比喻，說明比丘需除去心中的煩惱雜質，就像提煉純淨黃金般，先除去粗砂，及中形的雜質，再除去細砂，反覆地清洗，然後進一步除去極細微的雜質。因為含有雜質的金砂，並未能夠隨意地被打造，亦即是含有煩惱的心識，並不能夠隨意地被運用，因此去除煩惱雜質是證悟必需的過程。經中說明三個次序的清除，首先要去除的是粗顯的煩惱（oḷārikā upakkilesā/gross defilements/impurities）: 身、語、意的不當行為（bodily, verbal, and mental misconduct），其次要去除的是中等的煩惱（majjhimasahagatā upakkilesā/middling defilements）: 欲尋、惡意尋、加害尋（sensual thoughts, thoughts of ill will , and thoughts of harming），然後除去細微煩惱（sukhumasahagatā upakkilesā/subtle defilements）：親族尋、地方尋、不被輕蔑關聯的尋之微細俱行的隨雜染（thoughts about relations, country, reputation）。最後還有的是（athāparaṃ）: 法尋（dhammavitakkāvasissati/thoughts connected with the Dhamma）， 因為還有法尋的專注（定）是不寂靜、不勝妙、未安息、未達統一的，是被有行折伏妨礙的，只有去除法尋，安靜下來，才能使心轉向以證智作證，才能達到有能力見證的狀態。
“But, bhikkhus, there comes a time when his mind becomes internally steady, composed, unified, and concentrated. That concentration is peaceful and sublime, gained by full tranquilization, and attained to unification; it is not reined in and checked by forcefully suppressing [the defilements]. Then, there being a suitable basis, he is capable of realizing any state realizable by direct knowledge toward which he might incline his mind.＂（Bhikku Bodhi Trans., 2012）。
[1] AN 3.101, 102, PTS. An.N. Tika-nipāta, Lonaphalavagga.
[2] 增支部3集102經/塵垢洗滌者經(莊春江譯)。
[3] A translation of the Anguttara Nikaya , Translation Edited and revised by Bhikku Bodhi (2012). PP. 335-339./ Trabslation by Thanissaro Bhikkhu 1998.