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SN 20.1PTS SN 2.2621 min read

A Roof Peak

Kūṭasutta

As rafters depend on the roof-peak, unwholesome qualities depend on ignorance.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 20.1Linked Discourses 20.1
  • 0.21. Opammavagga1. Similes

0.3KūṭasuttaA Roof Peak

1.1PTS 2.263Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

1.3Tatra kho bhagavā …pe… etadavoca:There the Buddha … said:

1.4“seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kūṭāgārassa yā kāci gopānasiyo sabbā tā kūṭaṅgamā kūṭasamosaraṇā kūṭasamugghātā sabbā tā samugghātaṁ gacchanti;“Mendicants, the rafters of a bungalow all lean to the peak and meet at the peak, and when the peak is demolished they’re all demolished too.11.5evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye keci akusalā dhammā sabbe te avijjāmūlakā avijjāsamosaraṇā avijjāsamugghātā, sabbe te samugghātaṁ gacchanti.In the same way all unskillful qualities are rooted in ignorance and meet in ignorance, and when ignorance is demolished they’re all demolished too.

1.6Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:So you should train like this:1.7‘appamattā viharissāmā’ti.‘We will stay diligent.’1.8Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.That’s how you should train.”

1.9Paṭhamaṁ.

Translator’s notes

  1. While there are several similes elsewhere invoking a roof peak with its rafters, none apply it quite like this.

    ↩ sn20.1:1.4