Similie of the fraying rope

Q & A
1

I have been told the Buddha used the image a rope on a raft or barge fraying very slowly through long use, and then finally snapping when it becomes too thin to hold to construct a simile for progress on the path.

Searching the forum I only find discussion of the tangled rope/thread image in SN7.6, which isn’t visually the same thing.

Can anyone help me with the reference I’m searching for?
Thanks.

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2

Maybe this one:

Suppose there was a sea-faring ship bound together with ropes. For six months they deteriorated in the water. Then in the cold season it was hauled up on dry land, where the ropes were weathered by wind and sun. When the clouds soaked it with rain, the ropes would readily collapse and rot away.

In the same way, when a mendicant is committed to development their fetters readily collapse and rot away.

SN 22.101

https://suttacentral.net/sn22.101/en/sujato?layout=linebyline&reference=none&notes=sidenotes&highlight=false&script=latin

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3

The same simile is also in SN 45.158 and AN 7.71.

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4

Thank you both for you help @Danny and @sabbamitta. :pray:

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