Kuta Sutta
Gabled
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
"Monks, if anyone were to say, 'Without having broken through to the noble truth of stress as it actually is present, without having broken through to the noble truth of the origination of stress... the cessation of stress... the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress, as it actually is present, I will bring about the right ending of stress,' that would be an impossibility. Just as if someone were to say, 'Without having built the lower story of a gabled building, I will put up the upper story,' that would be an impossibility; in the same way, if anyone were to say, 'Without having broken through to the noble truth of stress as it actually is present, without having broken through to the noble truth of the origination of stress... the cessation of stress... the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress, as it actually is present, I will bring about the right ending of stress,' that would be an impossibility.
"If anyone were to say, 'Having broken through to the noble truth of stress as it actually is present, having broken through to the noble truth of the origination of stress... the cessation of stress... the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress, as it actually is present, I will bring about the right ending of stress,' that would be a possibility. Just as if someone were to say, 'Having built the lower story of a gabled building, I will put up the upper story,' that would be a possibility; in the same way, if anyone were to say, 'Having broken through to the noble truth of stress as it actually is present, having broken through to the noble truth of the origination of stress... the cessation of stress... the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress, as it actually is present, I will bring about the right ending of stress,' that would be a possibility.
"Therefore, monks, your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress.' Your duty is the contemplation, 'This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.'"
