AEN:
You also cannot eliminate defilements without 'knowledge and vision of things' (aka insight), which is what leads to disenchantment and dispassion which brings about release.
Imagine a holder of Self-view, trying to eliminate craving. What will he do? Surely, he will dissociate himself from the craving, but by doing so simply strengthens his hold onto 'self'. Without insight that his view is false, no matter how he tries to let go, he is in fact increasing his holding in disguise.
When insight arises however, no such contrived effort (which never leads to resolution) is necessary at all. With the seeing of the nature of dharma - being anicca, dukkha, anatta, there is no way one can fasten in a sense of self.
Without seeing through the false view of self by insight, one can never release the false of view of self, in the same way as a child who doesn't realize santa claus as false will never end craving for santa claus. Even if he is convinced not to crave santa claus in a gross way, that very belief in santa claus leads to clinging. And the way to end the belief of santa claus is not to beat the hell out of the child, to take the child's gift away, etc etc... it's just to tell him that there's no santa claus.
Sabbasava sutta:
And what are the fermentations to be abandoned by destroying? There is the case where a monk, reflecting appropriately, does not tolerate an arisen thought of sensuality. He abandons it, destroys it, dispels it, & wipes it out of existence.
Reflecting appropriately, he does not tolerate an arisen thought of ill will...
Reflecting appropriately, he does not tolerate an arisen thought of cruelty...
Reflecting appropriately, he does not tolerate arisen evil, unskillful mental qualities. He abandons them, destroys them, dispels them, & wipes them out of existence. The fermentations, vexation, or fever that would arise if he were not to destroy these things do not arise for him when he destroys them. These are called the fermentations to be abandoned by destroying.
The suttas' advice seems to be at odds with both AEN's view as well as common sense with respect to psychological health. (There are other suttas that give similar advice to this one; it is not unique.)
Is "destroying" defilements by rejecting (or suppressing) them psychologically healthy? Is it not? Is there a healthy way to go about it and an unhealthy way to go about it?
Food for thought. I have my opinion (and it does not need to be stated) but would like to hear other people's opinions, and
especially other people's experiences.
One thing I like to keep in mind is that there are different traditions and approaches because (among other things) not everyone's mind works in the same way, and so what benefits one person might harm another.