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 factors of enlightenment, his fetters easily collapse and rot away.

"And how is this so?

"Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops the enlightenment factor of mindfulness,
develops the enlightenment factor of discrimination of states,
develops the enlightenment factor of energy,
develops the enlightenment factor of rapture,
develops the enlightenment factor of tranquillity,
develops the enlightenment factor of concentration,
develops the enlightenment factor of equanimity,
- which are based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release;
- which have as their final goal the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion;
- which have the Deathless as their ground, the Deathless as their destination, the Deathless as their final goal;
- which slant, slope, and incline towards Nibbāna.

"It is in this way, bhikkhus, that a bhikkhu develops and cultivates the factors of enlightenment 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; … pe …