The Buddha uses a simile of a building with a peaked roof to illustrate how all unwholesome qualities have ignorance as their root, converge upon ignorance, and are eradicated with the eradication of ignorance.

SN 20.1  Kūṭa sutta - Peak

Evaṁ me sutaṁekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Thus have I heard—At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “bhikkhavo”ti.

There, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Bhikkhus.”

“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṁ. Bhagavā etadavoca:

“Venerable sir,” those bhikkhus replied to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this:

“seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, kūṭāgārassa kāci gopānasiyo sabbā kūṭaṅgamā kūṭasamosaraṇā kūṭasamugghātā sabbā samugghātaṁ gacchanti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, ye keci akusalā dhammā sabbe te avijjāmūlakā avijjāsamosaraṇā avijjāsamugghātā, sabbe te samugghātaṁ gacchanti.

“Bhikkhus, just as whatever |rafters::support beams, wooden framework of a thatched roof [gopānasī]| there are in a building with a peaked roof, all of them point towards the peak, |converge upon::unite, meet, connect [samosaraṇa]| at the peak, and are removed together with the removal of the peak — so too, bhikkhus, whatever unwholesome qualities there are, all of them have ignorance as their root, converge upon ignorance, and are eradicated with the |eradication::extermination, destruction [samugghāta]| of ignorance.

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ: ‘appamattā viharissāmā’ti. Evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

Therefore, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves thus: ‘We will dwell |diligently::doing one’s work or duty well, with alertness, carefulness and care [appamatta]|.’ Thus, bhikkhus, you should train yourselves.”

Last updated on April 12, 2026