1"Bhikkhus, suppose there were a seafaring ship bound with rigging that had been worn out in the water for six months. [n.41] As at SN22.101 I read it as in Se and Ee. Spk develops this simile even more minutely than the simile of the chicks. In brief: Like the wearing away of the rigging by the ocean water is the wearing away of the bhikkhu's fetters by his going forth (into homelessness), study, and questioning. Like the time the ship is hauled onto dry land is the time the bhikkhu takes up a meditation subject and dwells in the forest. Like the drying up of the rigging by wind and sun during the day is the drying up of craving by insight knowledge. Like the wetting by snow at night is the wetting of the mind by gladness and joy arisen from meditation. Like the rain cloud pouring down is the knowledge of the path of arahantship. Like the decay of the rigging is the attainment of the fruit of arahantship. Like the persistence of the rigging in a decrepit state is the persistence of the arahant as he lives on benefitting the multitude. Like the collapse of the decrepit rigging is the arahant's attainment of the Nibbāna element without residue. It would be hauled up on dry land during the cold season and its rigging would be further attacked by wind and sun. Inundated by rain from a rain cloud, the rigging would easily collapse and rot away. So too, when a bhikkhu develops and cultivates the Noble Eightfold Path, his fetters easily collapse and rot away.

"And how is this so? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration, which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release. It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu develops and cultivates the Noble Eightfold Path so that his fetters easily collapse and rot away."

1"Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, sāmuddikāya nāvāya vettabandhanabandhāya cha māsāni udake pariyādāya hemantikena thalaṁ ukkhittāya vātātapaparetāni bandhanāni tāni pāvussakena meghena abhippavuṭṭhāni appakasireneva paṭippassambhanti, pūtikāni bhavanti; evameva kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvayato ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaroto appakasireneva saṁyojanāni paṭippassambhanti, pūtikāni bhavanti.

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvayato ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaroto appakasireneva saṁyojanāni paṭippassambhanti, pūtikāni bhavanti? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sammādiṭṭhiṁ bhāveti … pe … sammāsamādhiṁ bhāveti vivekanissitaṁ virāganissitaṁ nirodhanissitaṁ vossaggapariṇāmiṁ … evaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bhāvayato ariyaṁ aṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ bahulīkaroto appakasireneva saṁyojanāni paṭippassambhanti, pūtikāni bhavantī"ti.

Dasamaṁ.