Poṇika (adj.) [fr. poṇa2] that which is prone, going prone; DA i.23 where the passage is "tiracchāna -- gata -- pāṇāpoṇika -- nikāyo cikkhallika -- nikāyo ti," quoted from S iii.152, where it runs thus: "tiracchāna -- gata pāṇā te pi bhikkhave tiracchānagatā pāṇā citten' eva cittatā." The passage is referred to withpoṇika at KhA 12, where we read "tiracchāna -- gatā pāṇā poṇika -- nikāyo cikkhallika -- nikāyo ti." Thus we may take poṇikanikāya as "the kingdom of those which go prone" (i. e. the animals).