About This Teaching
Ajahn Dtun lists the five precepts simply: do not harm or kill; do not steal; do not deceive or betray a partner, being faithful to the one you have; do not lie; and do not take intoxicating drinks or drugs. Keeping these, one has sīla in the heart.
He dwells on the fifth. We receive our bodies from our parents and earn money with difficulty, yet spend it on drink that harms our health; when drunk we lose mindfulness, argue with our spouse and are prone to break other precepts. Would it not be better to keep the money for the children's food? He asks listeners to consider the harm of breaking precepts, which leads to seeing the benefit of keeping them. Someone breaking only this one precept is still fairly good, but not yet truly good.
The Buddha, who knew all things thoroughly, forbade what is harmful and encouraged what is good. Since he forbade this, it should be avoided. Most people, carried along by sights, sounds and fun, lack the wisdom to see it.