以前有个老修行，是在家人不是出家人。他受了五戒，另外又受了一个「食不语」的戒。可是他把五戒都犯了，就剩这个「食不语」的戒未犯。护这条戒的戒神就希望他快点犯这条戒，祂也好走了，不保护他。但是这个人始终也不犯这条戒，吃饭的时候，他总不讲话。以后这个戒神就给他托梦﹕「你什么戒都犯了，为什么吃饭这个戒你不犯呢？你快点犯，我好离开你了。」
Once an old lay cultivator had received the five precepts and an additional rule of “keeping silent while eating.” However, later he broke all five precepts and only kept the rule of "keeping silent while eating." The precept-protecting spirit that protected this rule hoped that the lay person would violate it so that he could also leave. This person, nonetheless, never broke that rule. He always ate in silence. Later, that precept spirit appeared in a dream, “You have transgressed all the precepts. Why haven’t you broken this rule of "keeping silent while eating"? Please break it quickly so I can leave.”

这个老修行心想﹕「噢！我就持一个食不语的戒，果然有戒神保护着我。」于是他后来又找了一个有道德的法师，又重受过，结果他也修行成道了！这每一个人有每一个人的因缘。
The old cultivator thought to himself, “I only hold this one rule of eating in silence and still I have that precept spirit protecting me.” Thereafter, he found a virtuous Dharma Master and received the five precepts again. Consequently, he cultivated and realized the Way. Each person has his own set of causes and conditions.

所以受戒在佛教里是很重要的事。
Therefore, receiving precepts is a very important matter in Buddhism.