''Kappiya'' is a Buddhist lay manciple (attendant or steward) who resides in a monastery ( vihāra) 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'' Buddhism ...

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 count ...

(). 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 Vinaya (Pali & Sanskrit: विनय) is the division of the Buddhist canon ('' Tripitaka'') containing the rules and procedures that govern the Buddhist Sangha (community of like-minded ''sramanas''). Three parallel Vinaya traditions remai ...

, the set of Buddhist monastic rules (e.g., handling of money). A ''kappiya'' is not ordained, unlike bhikkhu, bhikkhunī,

sāmaṇera A sāmaṇera (Pali); sa, श्रामणेर (), is a novice male monastic in a Buddhist context. A female novice is a ''śrāmaṇerī'' or ''śrāmaṇerikā'' (Sanskrit; Pāli: ''sāmaṇerī''). Etymology The ''sāmaṇera'' is a ...

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'' also serve as lay attendants to monastic institutions ('' kyaung''), 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, a ...

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

moral A moral (from Latin ''morālis'') is a message that is conveyed or a lesson to be learned from a story or event. The moral may be left to the hearer, reader, or viewer to determine for themselves, or may be explicitly encapsulated in a maxim. A ...

instruction. Some temple boys go on to be ordained as monks themselves. Temple boys may undertake the formal step of

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 and Watana Muangsook) and actors (e.g., Rangsiroj Panpeng) spent their formative years in this role.

References