"The problem is in people naturally assuming that "getting rid" means "deny this". But you can also get rid of things by not feeding them further. After a while those things would go away, and you can still say you "got rid" of them. (For example, you get rid of crows from coming to your place if you stop leaving left over food lying around.)" - a comment by HH under a video called "Right way of striving".

I also have a similar doubt, the verbs used are quite proactive and incisive. It might indeed be a matter of level of development. Even at my level, in some moments of higher composure and confidence I can push aside some thoughts without the intention of denying their presence. It's more of a "I see you, but no thanks".

One should certainly "obliterate" unwholesome thoughts (vitakka) because those are _actions_ , just as you'd "obliterate" your present bodily action of breaking a precept in a fingersnap. But one shouldn't overstep the mark and try to get rid of the perceptions and feelings that are the _basis_ for the unwholesome thoughts (those are what need to be "endured", especially feeling). "Obliterating" those implies a wrong view that they're the problem, like thinking that in order to not steal something you need to prevent yourself from seeing it. People typically don't see that suble distinction, and that's how concentration practices (replacing what you perceive and feel) come into play.

Hi. I had the same question as you. For me I think it will just happen naturally. You will know and it will pull you towards it.

Yes, that sounds right. Once your mind is able to see precursors to all of the five hindrances, then it becomes simply a matter of rightly attending to them (the precursors), in order for hindrances to not hinder you any more.

@@HillsideHermitage I think I understand. It's uprooting because the state of them arising prior to form already generates a response that doesn't allow it to take shape. Thank you.

​@HillsideHermitage Bhante, could you specify what you mean by precursors to the hindrances? Is it when there is no specific sensual/aversive OBJECT that the mind is preoccupied with yet, but there still seems to be a sort of vague sense of the mind heading in the direction of sensuality/distraction/aversion - even tho that direction isn't exemplified by some object? For example: there may be no particular thing I am irritated with at the moment, but there is a general unpleasant mood that I still don't want to be there (even if I have no arisen intentions/ideas of the ways I would like to prevent the mood from being there ...like indulging the senses, etc) ?

The root defilements of greed, hated and delusion are the precursors 🙏​@@sahassaransi_mw

@@sahassaransi_mw I could try explaining it if you want.

What clarifies the mind and helps one see better is virtue and sense restraint. The mind is dirty not because you don't look hard enough at something but because of the dirt one keeps putting into it, and you already know to a large extent what dirt is and how it gets in. Concentrate on not acting out of defilements, that is an intention that purifies the mind and helps you see better. You cannot see or understand defilements by staring at sense objects. You need to just stop acting out of them and their roots will become very apparent. If you are very distracted and cannot control yourself, then stop acting out of lust and aversion. Stop engaging in sensuality. This will lead to wakefulness. If you try concentrate, as you suggest, while not giving up the things that make you unconcentrated in the first place, you will only reap disappointment and more stress. Non-virtue and non-restraint is the problem. Remove that and you will be undistracted and composed, at the very least.

Thank you

Thero said it way better than me but there's something that helped me conceptualize it so I wanna share. Basically, it doesn't matter whether you drink a 6oz glass of chocolate milk or not. What matters is whether or not you crave it and do it out of craving, because if so then your mind is running the show, not you and because of that it's gonna pull you every which way. In a lot of ways it's like a dog and if you let up on the strictness, the dog will constantly tug you along instead of walking calmly beside you. So.. as ridiculous as it sounds, you can't have that chocolate milk if you really want it. Not because there's anything wrong with chocolate milk but because the consequences of the mind being in control underpin all the reasons why you can't deal with the causes and formations of attachments and the unwholesome states that follow in the first place.

Based on my experience: - when you start to change your behaviour, you'll inevitably start making different decisions which will change your environment and these conflicts with your surroundings will be less and less - the "clown" is mostly in our mind, other people don't care that much. And if anything, they are the ones who feel threatened and are afraid of being clowns. Or they may even end up reflecting and being inspired. Reminds me eg. of situations when I was the only sober person at a wedding. "Real world" is a mix of wholesome and unwholesome qualities - worth being sensitive to the former.