Ka Bu Pm Pc 51Obstructing a Legal Procedure
Pāli / Sanskrit:Kammapaṭibāhana
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EXPLANATION OF THE KAMMAPAṬIBĀHANA SUTTA
(Obstructing a Legal Procedure)
Background
The Kammapaṭibāhana Sutta lies in the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon, specifically in the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha, the disciplinary rules for bhikkhunīs. This is the section of law prescribed independently for the female Sangha, reflecting the subtlety of communal governance in early Buddhist monastic life.
The background for the formation of this sutta arose from an event in the monastic community, when certain bhikkhunīs deliberately obstructed the official legal procedures of the Sangha. These procedures include maintaining discipline, judging violations, or organizing formal meetings constituted according to communal rules. This obstruction was not merely disobedience, but also disrupted the integrity of the Sangha, the spiritual basis for the existence and development of the Buddha’s Dharma.
The Buddha set forth this rule to maintain order, ensuring that decisions of the Sangha are carried out openly, fairly, and according to collective principles, rather than being interfered with or undermined by individuals motivated by self-interest.
Main Content
Kammapaṭibāhana (kammaṃ = act, procedure; paṭibāhana = obstruction, blocking) deals with a specific violation: when the Sangha organizes a kamma, an official legal procedure, to judge or decide a disciplinary matter, if a bhikkhunī deliberately obstructs it, refuses to cooperate, or tries to disrupt the process, this is considered an act of violation.
Obstruction may take many forms: refusing to attend, interrupting the Sangha meeting, speaking divisively, or performing other actions intended to prevent the completion of the procedure. The purpose may be to defend oneself or to protect others toward whom she is partial.
This rule reflects a basic principle in the Vinaya Piṭaka: collective authority and formal procedure cannot be infringed.
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