''Kappiya'' is a Buddhist lay

manciple A manciple is a person in charge of the purchase and storage of food at an institution such as a college, monastery, or court of law. Manciples were sometimes also in charge of catering more generally, including food preparation. The title sti ...

(attendant or steward) who resides in a monastery (

vihāra Vihāra generally refers to a Buddhist monastery for Buddhist renunciates, mostly in the Indian subcontinent. The concept is ancient and in early Sanskrit and Pali texts, it meant any arrangement of space or facilities for dwellings . The term ev ...

) and assists Buddhist monks (

bhikkhu A ''bhikkhu'' (Pali: भिक्खु, Sanskrit: भिक्षु, ''bhikṣu'') is an ordained male in Buddhist monasticism. Male and female monastics ("nun", ''bhikkhunī'', Sanskrit ''bhikṣuṇī'') are members of the Sangha (Buddhist ...

in Pali).

Names

The term ''kappiya'', which literally means "lawful" or "proper," is of

Pali Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or '' Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of '' Theravāda'' Buddh ...

origin, and is also employed in the

Burmese language Burmese ( my, မြန်မာဘာသာ, MLCTS: ''mranmabhasa'', IPA: ) is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken in Myanmar (also known as Burma), where it is an official language, lingua franca, and the native language of the Burmans, the coun ...

(). The compound word ''kappiyakāraka'' () is also used in Pali. In Thailand, the terms ''luuk sit wat'' (ลูกศิษย์วัด) and ''dek wat'' (เด็กวัด), commonly rendered into English as "temple boy", are typically used. In Cambodia, the term ''khmeng voat'' (ក្មេងវត្ត) is used.

Roles

The ''kappiya'''s primary role is to assist ordained Buddhist monks with various tasks, especially those which are forbidden by the Vinaya, the set of Buddhist monastic rules (e.g., handling of money). A ''kappiya'' is not ordained, unlike bhikkhu,

bhikkhunī A bhikkhunī ( pi, 𑀪𑀺𑀓𑁆𑀔𑀼𑀦𑀻) or bhikṣuṇī ( sa, भिक्षुणी) is a fully ordained female monastic in Buddhism. Male monastics are called bhikkhus. Both bhikkhunis and bhikkhus live by the Vinaya, a set ...

, sāmaṇera or sāmaṇerī. ''Kappiya'' may also assist in other capacities, including carrying alms bowls during morning alms collection, and preparing food for monks.

Regional differences

Myanmar (Burma)

In Myanmar (Burma), ''kappiya'' are generally young men or boys who live in the monastery they support. Some female renunciants called ''kappiya

thilashin A ( my, သီလရှင်, ,( mnw, သဳလ, ), "possessor of morality", from Pali '' sīla'') is a female renunciant in Burmese Buddhism; a Burmese Theravada Buddhist nun. They are not fully ordained nuns, as the full ordination is not ...

'' also serve as lay attendants to monastic institutions (''

kyaung A ''kyaung'' (, ) is a monastery ( vihara), comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Buddhist monks. Burmese ''kyaungs'' are sometimes also occupied by novice monks (samanera), lay attendants ('' kappiya''), nuns ('' thilashin''), and y ...

''), providing support to ordained monks as managers and treasurers, entrusted with the ongoing upkeep of monasteries.

Thailand

In Thailand, ''kappiya'' are typically young boys (typically between the ages of 10 and 15) who are affiliated with temples (

wat A wat ( km, វត្ត, ; lo, ວັດ, ; th, วัด, ; khb, 「ᩅᨯ᩠ᨰ」(waD+Dha); nod, 「ᩅ᩠ᨯ᩶」（w+Da2)) is a type of Buddhist temple and Hindu temple in Cambodia, Laos, East Shan State, Yunnan, the Southern Provi ...

) and provide cleaning services, run errands and collect gifts in exchange for food, lodging, instruction, and other benefits. Some are sent to become temple boys to acquire

merit Merit may refer to: Religion * Merit (Christianity) * Merit (Buddhism) * Punya (Hinduism) * Imputed righteousness in Reformed Christianity Companies and brands * Merit (cigarette), a brand of cigarettes made by Altria * Merit Energy Company, ...

; others, because they are given free room and board; and others to receive

religious Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatur ...

and moral instruction. Some temple boys go on to be ordained as monks themselves. Temple boys may undertake the formal step of sāmaṇera ordination as part of their role, depending on their age and local custom. Historically speaking, serving as a temple boy has provided a means for social mobility; notable figures including politicians (

Chuan Leekpai Chuan Leekpai ( th, ชวน หลีกภัย, , ; ; born 28 July 1938) is a Thai politician who is the current President of the National Assembly of Thailand as well as the incumbent Speaker of the Thai House of Representatives. Previou ...

and

Watana Muangsook Watana Muangsook ( th, วัฒนา เมืองสุข; born on 28 May 1957) is a Thai politician. He has held the positions of Minister of Social Development and Human Security, Minister of Industry, Minister of Commerce and Deputy Mi ...

) and actors (e.g.,

Rangsiroj Panpeng Rangsiroj Panpeng or Ek Rangsiroj ( th, รังสิโรจน์ พันธุ์เพ็ง, เอก รังสิโรจน์; born: September 13, 1974 in Amphoe Bang Ban, Ayutthaya Province) is a Thai actor under Channel 7. ...

) spent their formative years in this role.

References