point that the lower, supporting faculties are not solid until the highest faculty—discernment—is in place, just as the rafters in the roof of a ridge-roofed building are not stable or firm until the ridge-beam is in place. 3. In this and the remaining three considerations, the words of the consideration follow the syntax of a declarative sentence, but the context seems to require a question. There are other instances in the Canon where this happens, suggesting that—as in, say, English or French—a native speaker of Pali could phrase a question in the declarative, indicating the question by the tone of voice. See also: DN 16; SN 48:53; AN 3:74; AN 5:179; AN 6:12; AN 10:92 - --> - - - -