The teaching of the Buddha is the teaching of correcting oneself, of freeing oneself from suffering. Looking at ourself all day, we notice different types of faults, and unskilful actions which should be avoided. All day, the self is critically viewed. The more we can spot our negativities, the more we will improve because we can see that we still lack wisdom.
Observing oneself becomes the way of self correction at all times. This will get rid of our erroneous opinions and pride and the idea of self. It is similar to the Buddha’s teaching about awareness of suffering as a form of mental exercise. So why do we concentrate on suffering? Why not happiness instead? We do not realize that the person who may see happiness within himself is, in fact, constantly full of suffering because his mind is not calm.
The Buddha’s teaching concerns the observation of suffering for the whole day’s activities – sitting, lying down, eating and walking. It is the contemplation of Suffering in the five aggregates. Alas! There is only Suffering. In the same way that a doctor diagnoses the disease in order to cure the patient, to look at the Buddha’s Dhamma is to look at oneself and diagnose one’s own negativities.