Taints To Be Abandoned By Removing

What taints, Monks, should be abandoned by removing?

Here a Monk, reflecting wisely, does not tolerate an arisen thought of sensual desire; he abandons it, removes it, does away with it, and obliterates it.

He does not tolerate an arisen thought of ill will… thought of cruelty... evil unwholesome states: he abandons them, removes them, does away with them, and obliterates them.

While taints, frustration, and unrest (anxiety) might arise in one who does not remove these thoughts, there are no taints, frustration, and unrest (anxiety) in one who removes them.

These are called the taints that should be abandoned by removing.

(Reference: MN 2)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how a Practitioner should apply effort and energy to actively eliminate thoughts of sensual desire, ill will, and cruelty in order to train the mind to remove the taints (i.e. The Ten Fetters).

Through not allowing arisen unwholesome thoughts to exist or persist, the Practitioner can be described as being diligent to actively apply effort and energy towards the elimination of unwholesome qualities of mind on The Path to Enlightenment.

The longer a Practitioner allows unwholesome qualities of mind to exist in the mind, the more effect they will have on the condition of the mind and forming mental objects. Through actively working to eliminate the unwholesome thoughts that arise in the mind, a Practitioner is saving themselves from a significant amount of discontentedness and future effects of discontent feelings arising in the mind.

By not tolerating unwholesomeness in the mind, the Practitioner can remain watchful over the mind with determination, dedication, and diligence moving the mind closer to Enlightenment.

As a Practitioner removes The Ten Fetters from the mind, they will experience increased benefits such as focus, concentration, memory, and clarity of mind.