Lzh Mi Bi Pm Pc 61Obstructing a Legal Procedure
Pāli / Sanskrit:Kammapaṭibāhana
Save your scripture progress
Create a free account to save scriptures, track progress, and continue your daily learning path.
Explanation of the Kammapaṭibāhana Sutta (Obstructing a Legal Procedure)
Background
The Kammapaṭibāhana Sutta is found in the Pācittiya section of the Theravāda Vinaya Piṭaka, the rules concerning faults requiring confession or minor violations of bhikkhunīs. This background arose from practical situations in the monastic community during the Buddha’s lifetime. When the Sangha gathered to perform communal acts (kamma), such as appointments, approvals, or disciplinary proceedings, some people deliberately obstructed or disrupted the procedure in order to protect personal or group interests.
The Kammapaṭibāhana rule was established to protect the purity and effectiveness of collective decision-making processes in the Sangha. This is a body of law reflecting respect for common decisions and adherence to democratic principles within a religious community.
Main Content
The Kammapaṭibāhana Sutta lays down that when the Sangha assembles to carry out a lawful communal act (kamma), if a bhikkhunī intentionally obstructs, interrupts, or sabotages the legal procedure, for example by interrupting, making noise, saying illogical things, or deliberately leaving in order to spoil the act, she commits a Pācittiya offense.
This fault is considered a medium violation, not the gravest offense (Pārājika or Saṅghādisesa), but it still requires the offender to confess before the Sangha. The important point here is this: when the Sangha performs a communal act according to the proper Vinaya procedure, obstructing it is an act against the unity and rules of the practicing community.
It should be noted that this fault occurs only when the act is performed lawfully, according to the proper steps of the Vinaya. If the procedure is already wrong, then objection or the proposal of corrections is not obstruction.
Practical Meaning
The Kammapaṭibāhana Sutta teaches us that in a community of practice, adherence to common procedures is not a dull administrative matter, but an expression of a mind respectful toward the community and the Dharma-law.
🌏 The Buddhist canon is vast — some sūtras (such as comparative Vinaya across schools, or untranslated Tibetan-canon texts) have to this day NEVER been translated into Vietnamese or English by anyone, scholars included. Rather than leave it blank, Inti AI offers a FAITHFUL summary grounded in the tradition — from the sūtra's title, origin and essence — so you can still reach this rare part of the treasury. Whenever an original translation exists, the app shows the original first.
Translations belong to the translator/source credited above. The bilingual compilation, presentation, and AI translations compiled by Inti are © Inti Foundation. Please attribute when quoting; do not bulk-copy or use commercially without permission.