The Buddha said, “Whoever destroys living beings, speaks false words, who in the world takes that which is not given to him, or goes too with another’s wife, or takes distilled, fermented drinks — whatever man indulges thus extirpates the roots of himself even here in this very world.”

Refraining from these actions, we have, of course, the five precepts, also called “manussa-dhamma” or “the Dharma for human beings”;

1. Panatipata veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami

I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures.

2. Adinnadana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami

I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.

3. Kamesu micchacara veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami

I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct.

4. Musavada veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami

I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech.

5. Suramerayamajja pamadatthana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami

I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.

Let’s start with the fifth and work our way up…

A friend of mine, who knows these things, once told me the fifth precept arose from complaints to the Buddha that certain members of the Sangha appeared to be drunks and the Buddha responded accordingly.

Superficially, breaking the fifth precept doesn’t seem as serious or harmful as the others, but it could sort of be seen as the key stone which holds the others in place. The final word, carelessness, is the complete opposite of mindfulness, what most of us are trying so hard to cultivate. Without mindfulness, practice becomes little more than a house of cards.

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