newbie trying understand sys.path

[MARK LEEDS]

I  was trying to understand the concept of python looking for modules in sys.path.

So, as it said in "Beginning Python", I went into my .bashrc file and did

export PYTHONPATH=$PYTHONPATH:~/mytemp

then, i typed pprint.pprint(sys.path) and it worked.
it was in there !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

but, now I want to take it out.

i deleted the command from the .bashrc file and resourced it but it was still in there.

So, then I tried ( inside a python program )

sys.path = sys.path[1:]

and it works inside the program so that sys.path changed while the program was running.
 but, then i checked it again, by taking out the above command
and typing pprint.pprint(sys.path) and it was still there ?

Basically, my question is : Is there a permanent way of taking things out of sys.path that
you put in sort of by accident or for experimentation ?

Thanks.
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