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SN 56.44PTS SN 5.4521 min read

A Bungalow

Kūṭāgārasutta

Just as it’s impossible to climb the upper floor without building the lower floors first, it’s impossible to end suffering without penetrating the four noble truths.

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

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 56.44Linked Discourses 56.44
  • 0.25. Papātavagga5. A Cliff

0.3KūṭāgārasuttaA Bungalow

1.1“Yo hi, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadeyya:“Mendicants, suppose someone were to say:1.2‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti—‘Without truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’1.3netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.That is not possible.

2.1Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya:It’s as if someone were to say:2.2‘ahaṁ kūṭāgārassa heṭṭhimaṁ gharaṁ akaritvā uparimaṁ gharaṁ āropessāmī’ti—‘Before the lower story of a bungalow is built, I will hoist up the upper story.’2.3netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati;That is not possible.2.4evameva kho, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya:In the same way, suppose someone were to say:2.5‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ anabhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti—‘Without truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’2.6netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.That is not possible.

3.1Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, evaṁ vadeyya:But suppose someone were to say:3.2‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti—‘After truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’3.3ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.That is possible.

4.1Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya:It’s as if someone were to say:4.2‘ahaṁ kūṭāgārassa heṭṭhimaṁ gharaṁ karitvā uparimaṁ gharaṁ āropessāmī’ti—‘After the lower story of a bungalow is built, I will hoist up the upper story.’4.3ṭhānametaṁ vijjati;That is possible.4.4evameva kho, bhikkhave, yo evaṁ vadeyya:In the same way, suppose someone were to say:4.5‘ahaṁ dukkhaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca …pe… dukkhanirodhagāminiṁ paṭipadaṁ ariyasaccaṁ yathābhūtaṁ abhisamecca sammā dukkhassantaṁ karissāmī’ti—‘After truly comprehending the noble truths of suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path, I will completely make an end of suffering.’4.6ṭhānametaṁ vijjati.That is possible.

5.1PTS 5.453Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yogo karaṇīyo …pe… ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yogo karaṇīyo”ti.That’s why you should practice meditation …”

5.2Catutthaṁ.