The Buddha's teaching, as the Dhamma, involves a number of doctrines and principles.But these are presented to us not as fixed articles of belief, but as pointers, as aids to bring about an opening of our own eyes of wisdom. These doctrines do not arise out of speculation or belief but from the Buddha's own experience of realization; and these doctrines are presented to us with the aim of leading us to the attainment of enlightenment, so that we can share the Buddha's own insight into the true nature of things.

The Dhamma is called 'opanayaka' because it leads onwards step by step to a deepening realisation of truth. Realization of Dhamma is to take place within ourselves, in our own experience. The Dhamma is the true nature of things. And this truth has to be realized with the same immediacy as that with which we can see an object held in our hands. To realize this truth we have to travel a path, the path of Dhamma all by ourselves. There is no one else who can walk it for us. But the Dhamma taught by the Buddha guides us in our effort to walk the path.