Lzh Dg Bi Pm Pc 133Kiṁ punaḥ

Kiṁ Punaḥ Sutta - Exposition of the Vinaya

Background

The Kiṁ punaḥ Sutta, provisionally translated as "What Further?", belongs to the Pātimokkha, the Basic Code, in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. This is an important part of the Pāli Canon, compiled to regulate the moral rules (sīla) for monks and nuns (bhikkhu and bhikkhunī).

The Vinaya Piṭaka is propagated as the firm foundation of the Dharma, because the Buddha Śākyamuni emphasized that purity in bodily, verbal, and mental conduct is a prerequisite for cultivating concentration (samādhi) and wisdom (paññā). The Kiṁ punaḥ Sutta is presented in dialogic form, often appearing in explanatory or commentarial sections on the Vinaya, in order to clarify issues concerning offenses and complex situations in monastic community life.

Main Content

The phrase "Kiṁ punaḥ" (what further / what else) is a literary device for raising further questions and exploring deeper aspects of the Dharma and law. This section often concerns boundary cases, where the distinction between offense and non-offense becomes subtle.

In the context of the Vinaya, this sutta refers to additional clauses or exceptional cases that had not previously been clearly addressed. For example, it may inquire into actions that could lead to a Pātimokkha offense but require consideration of factors such as intention (cetanā), knowledge (ñāṇa), or specific circumstances. This is how Theravāda Buddhism expresses its legal wisdom: not merely rigid rules, but discerning guidelines requiring wise judgment.

The sutta emphasizes that the practice of the Vinaya is not bondage, but liberation. When monks and nuns practice purity according to the Pātimokkha, they create the conditions for the mind to be peaceful, undisturbed by guilt or remorse over transgressive acts.