英文：
Once there was an ignorant rich man who, one day, went to another rich man's three-storied house. struck with admiration by the imposing, spacious, airy and well - lighted building, he said to himself, "i'm no less rich than he. why don't i have the same house built as this one?"
Thereupon, he sent for a carpenter and said, "can you construct an imposing house exactly like that one?"
That carpenter replied, "it's i who built that one."
He went on, "now you may build a house like that one for me."
The carpenter began first to level the ground, afterward laid the foundation stones and then drove in piles for walls.
The stupid man could not make it out when he saw the worker doing all these. he asked,"what are you doing now?"
The carpenter replied, "i'm building three floors."
The stupid man went on, "i don't want the two floors below. you had better start building from the third floor for me."
The carpenter answered, "it's impossible. if i don't begin with the ground floor, how can i build the second? if i don't build the two below, how can i build the third floor?"
The stupid man persisted saying, "but i don't need the two floors below, only the top."
Hearing those words, his contemporaries sardonically laughed at him. they all said how could one have the top floor done without building the lower floors?
Sakyamuni's four degrees of disciples who are unable to practice earnestly buddhism and respect the three precious ones, wanted to attain the path of deliverance by leading an idle life. they said, "we don't need the first three degrees below, but seek only that of arahant's."
There was no difference between the stupid rich man and those disciples who were also laughed at by their contemporaries.
古文：
往昔之世，有富愚人，痴无所知。到余富家，见三重楼，高广严丽，轩敞疏朗，心生渴仰，即作是念：“我有财钱，不减于彼，云何顷来而不造作如是之楼？”
即唤木匠而问言曰：“解作彼家端正舍不？”
木匠答言：“是我所作。”
即便语言：“今可为我造楼如彼。”
是时木匠即便经地垒墼作楼。
愚人见其垒墼作舍，犹怀疑惑，不能了知，而问之言：“欲作何等？”
木匠答言：“作三重屋。”
愚人复言：“我不欲下二重之屋，先可为我作最上屋。”
木匠答言：“无有是事！何有不作最下重屋，而得造彼第二之屋？不造第二，云何得造第三重屋？”
愚人固言：“我今不用下二重屋，必可为我作最上者。”
时人闻已，便生怪笑，咸作此言：“何有不造第一屋而得最上者！”
譬如世尊四辈弟子，不能精勤修敬三宝，懒惰懈怠，欲求道果，而作是言：“我今不用
余下三果，唯求得彼阿罗汉果。”亦为时人之所嗤笑，如彼愚者，等无有异。
译文：
从前有个富翁，愚蠢无知。有一次，他到另一个富翁的家里，看见一座三层的楼房，楼又高又大，富丽堂皇，宽敞明朗，他十分羡慕，心里想：“我的钱财并不比他少，为什么以前没想到造一座这样的楼呢？”他立刻唤来木匠，问道：“你能不能照着那家的样子造一座漂亮的楼？”木匠回答说：“那座楼就是我造的。”富翁便说：“那你现在就为我造一座像那样的楼。”
于是木匠便开始量地基，叠砖，造楼。富翁看见木匠叠砖，心生疑惑，不晓得是怎么一回事，就问木匠：“你这是打算造什么？”木匠回答道：“造三层的楼呀！”富翁又说：“我不要下面二层，你先给我造最上一层。”
木匠答道：“没这样的事！哪有不造最下一层楼而造第二层楼的？不造第二层楼又怎么谈得上造第三层楼呢？”
这个愚蠢的富翁固执地说：“我就是不要下面二层楼，你一定得给我造最上一层楼！”
其他的人听到了这件事，都笑话他。
偈曰：无基不为楼，事无侥幸成。
欲证如来果，当把根本修。