The Perfection of Energy - Self examination

In the past, countless people listened to the Dhamma, developed panna with right effort and realized the four noble Truths. They were wise people who knew how to remind themselves of the truth. We should consider whether we, at the present time, are like those wise people in the past.
The “Anumanasutta”, “Discourse on Measuring in Accordance with”, (MI, 15), deals with the admonishing of monks and with self-examination. We read at the end of the Commentary to this Sutta, the “Papancasudani” :

“The teachers of old said that

the monk should scrutinize himself three times daily.

Thus, in the morning he should consider

to what extent he still has defilements.

If he sees that he still has defilements

he should strive to get rid of them.

If he sees that he has no defilements

he knows that he has been leading the monk’s life in the right way.

 

During the day time and also in the evening he should examine himself again.

If he cannot do this three times a day,

he should do it twice a day ,

and if he cannot do that,

he should examine himself only once a day.

But it is improper not to examine oneself at all.”
By this passage we can be reminded to examine ourselves so that we know whether our actions were proper or improper. We can understand that we need viriya, effort, so that we are able to investigate our akusala and kusala three times a day, or else twice a day, or if that is not possible, only once a day. Then we are reminded by the teachers of old to examine ourselves as to the defilements we still have and to reflect on these.
We read in the “Anumanasutta”, “Discourse on Measuring in Accordance with” that Maha-Moggallana taught the Dhamma and explained to the monks which person is someone who is “easy to speak to” (susceptible to instruction), and exhorted them to examine themselves as to this. He said:

“Therein, your reverences, a monk should examine himself thus:

‘Now, am I of evil desires, in the thrall of evil desires?’

If, your reverences, while the monk is reflecting,

he knows thus: ‘I am of evil desires, in the thrall of evil desires,’

then, your reverences, that monk should strive to get rid of those evil, unskilled states.

But if, your reverences, that monk, while reflecting,

knows thus: ‘I am not of evil desires, not in the thrall of evil desires’,

then he should abide with rapture and delight,

training himself diligently day and night in skilled states.”
The words, “a monk should examine himself”, make it clear to us that someone else cannot examine in detail our akusala to the same extent as we ourselves. We can examine ourselves and know whether we have evil desires and are in the thrall of evil desires, and moreover, we should be sincere, truthful to ourselves. If we have evil desires, we should strive to abandon those evil, unskilled dhammas. Some people do not like to consider their own akusala, but if a person sees the benefit of the development of endeavour for kusala, he should also notice his own akusala.
If someone has viriya and makes an effort to examine himself he should be sincere and he should not spare himself. If he examines himself in this way and strives to give up akusala, he is a person who is “easy to speak to”, susceptible to instruction.
A person who is difficult to speak to is the opposite, he does not strive to give up akusala. All this pertains to viriya cetasika.