About This Teaching
Ajahn Dtun begins with taking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and the noble Sangha, and with confidence in kamma: wrong actions lead to suffering now and later, and good actions lead to happiness. Keeping the five precepts and making merit support human and heavenly happiness, but seeing the dangers of the round of rebirth, one should aim for Nibbāna by perfecting the pāramī, in brief through dāna, sīla, samādhi and paññā.
Sīla, samādhi and paññā are the path that removes greed, anger and delusion. Because of delusion, the mind takes emotions to be itself and swings between happiness and suffering. Mindfulness and wisdom see emotions arise and cease, and let go. He explains why the body must be contemplated: the mind cannot command a sick body to recover, an ageing body to stay young, or a dying body to remain. Seeing impermanence and not-self, attachment to the body gradually loosens and true happiness appears.
He asks those who do not yet meditate to give ten minutes a day to sitting or walking, using "Buddho" if helpful, comparing this to the time people invest in work for its pay. Mindfulness should guard the mind in all activities, since the Buddha called it the foremost path beyond the snares of Māra. He closes by urging each person to fulfil their duties as parents, spouses, children, siblings and friends.