What is the purpose of spiritual life for everyone?
This is a short and profound sutta which lays the foundation from sila – samādhi to -pañña and let’s deep dive into it
Sutta reference: Kimatthiyasutta
1) Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
Thus have I heard. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Then venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One:
2) “Kimatthiyāni, bhante, kusalāni sīlāni kimānisaṁsānī”ti?
“Bhante (Venerable Sir), for what purpose are wholesome moral precepts (kusalāni sīlāni)? What is their benefit?”
Explanation: Ānanda begins by asking about the purpose and benefit of kusalāni sīlāni—the wholesome or skillful precepts of moral conduct.
3) “Avippaṭisāratthāni kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsānī”ti.
“Ānanda, wholesome moral precepts have the purpose of freedom from remorse (avippaṭisāra) and have the benefit of freedom from remorse.”
Explanation: Buddha says moral conduct leads directly to avippaṭisāra—the absence of guilt or regret—because one who behaves ethically doesn’t suffer self-reproach.
4) “Avippaṭisāro pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso”ti?
“Bhante, what is the purpose and benefit of freedom from remorse?”
Explanation: Ānanda follows up: if sīla leads to avippaṭisāra, what does avippaṭisāra lead to?
5) “Avippaṭisāro kho, ānanda, pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso”ti.
“Ānanda, freedom from remorse leads to gladness (pāmojja) and has gladness as its benefit.”
Explanation: When the mind is free of regret, joy naturally arises. This is an important insight into the direct link between morality and mental happiness.
6) “Pāmojjaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsan”ti?
“Bhante, what is the purpose and benefit of gladness?”
Explanation: Ānanda continues the chain, asking what gladness leads to.
7) “Pāmojjaṁ kho, ānanda, pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsan”ti.
“Ānanda, gladness leads to rapture (pīti) and has rapture as its benefit.”
Explanation: As joy deepens, it gives rise to pīti—a blissful excitement and uplifting of the mind.
8) “Pīti pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā”ti?
“Bhante, what is the purpose and benefit of rapture?”
Explanation: The chain of questions continues as Ānanda explores the natural unfolding of mental states.
9) “Pīti kho, ānanda, passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā”ti.
“Ānanda, rapture leads to tranquility (passaddhi) and has tranquility as its benefit.”
Explanation: The intense energy of rapture settles into calmness of body and mind.
10) “Passaddhi pana, bhante, kimatthiyā kimānisaṁsā”ti?
“Bhante, what is the purpose and benefit of tranquility?”
Explanation: Ānanda inquires further into the function of tranquility.
11) “Passaddhi kho, ānanda, sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā”ti.
“Ānanda, tranquility leads to happiness (sukha) and has happiness as its benefit.”
Explanation: When the mind is tranquil, it experiences profound, stable pleasure.
12) “Sukhaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsan”ti?
“Bhante, what is the purpose and benefit of happiness?”
Explanation: Ānanda now asks what the stable happiness leads to.
13) “Sukhaṁ kho, ānanda, samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsan”ti.
“Ānanda, happiness leads to concentration (samādhi) and has concentration as its benefit.”
Explanation: Happiness naturally supports samādhi—deep unification of mind.
14) “Samādhi pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso”ti?
“Bhante, what is the purpose and benefit of concentration?”
Explanation: Ānanda continues to explore how concentration benefits practice.
15) “Samādhi kho, ānanda, yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso”ti.
“Ānanda, concentration leads to knowledge and vision of things as they really are (yathābhūtañāṇadassana) and has that as its benefit.” With steady concentration, one can see reality directly, as it truly is—impermanent, unsatisfactory, non-self.
16) “Yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ pana, bhante, kimatthiyaṁ kimānisaṁsan”ti?
“Bhante, what is the purpose and benefit of knowledge and vision of things as they really are?”
Explanation: This question looks at how insight progresses beyond bare seeing.
17) “Yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ kho, ānanda, nibbidāvirāgatthaṁ nibbidāvirāgānisaṁsan”ti.
“Ānanda, knowledge and vision of things as they are leads to disenchantment and dispassion (nibbidāvirāga) and has that as its benefit.”
Explanation: Seeing the true nature of existence brings nibbidā—disillusionment—and virāga—fading of craving.
18) “Nibbidāvirāgo pana, bhante, kimatthiyo kimānisaṁso”ti?
“Bhante, what is the purpose and benefit of disenchantment and dispassion?”
Explanation: Ānanda seeks the final outcome of dispassion.
19) “Nibbidāvirāgo kho, ānanda, vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso.”
“Ānanda, disenchantment and dispassion lead to the knowledge and vision of liberation (vimuttiñāṇadassana) and have that as their benefit.”
Explanation: When the mind is free of craving, one experiences and knows liberation.
20) Iti kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni avippaṭisāratthāni avippaṭisārānisaṁsāni; avippaṭisāro pāmojjattho pāmojjānisaṁso; pāmojjaṁ pītatthaṁ pītānisaṁsaṁ; pīti passaddhatthā passaddhānisaṁsā; passaddhi sukhatthā sukhānisaṁsā; sukhaṁ samādhatthaṁ samādhānisaṁsaṁ; samādhi yathābhūtañāṇadassanattho yathābhūtañāṇadassanānisaṁso; yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṁ nibbidāvirāgatthaṁ nibbidāvirāgānisaṁsaṁ; nibbidāvirāgo vimuttiñāṇadassanattho vimuttiñāṇadassanānisaṁso. Iti kho, ānanda, kusalāni sīlāni anupubbena aggāya parentī”ti.
Thus, Ānanda, wholesome moral precepts have freedom from remorse as their purpose and benefit; freedom from remorse has gladness; gladness has rapture; rapture has tranquility; tranquility has happiness; happiness has concentration; concentration has knowledge and vision of things as they really are; knowledge and vision of things as they really are have disenchantment and dispassion; and disenchantment and dispassion have the knowledge and vision of liberation as their purpose and benefit. Thus, Ānanda, wholesome moral precepts lead gradually, step by step, to the highest goal.
Key Insight:
This sutta presents a step-by-step path—starting from sīla (virtue) to samādhi (concentration) to paññā (wisdom)—reflecting the core structure of Buddhist practice. Each link naturally leads to the next, showing that morality isn’t just a rule, but the foundation for profound joy, deep meditation, insight, and liberation.
What is the purpose and benefit?
