adjective noun anything made with a definite object in view, prepared, arranged; or that which is fit, suitable, proper. See also DN-a.i.103 & Kp-a.115 for var. meanings.

I. Literal Meaning

1. (adj.) fitting, suitable, proper (cp. ˚tā) (= kappiya) in kappâkappesu kusalo Thag.251 ˚kovido Mhvs.15, Mhvs.16; Snp.911; as juice Mil.161. (-˚) made as, like, resembling Vin.i.290 (ahata˚) Snp.35 (khaggavisāṇa˚); hetu˚ acting as cause to Snp.16; Mil.105
   ■ a˚ incomparable Mhvs.14, Mhvs.65.
2. (nt.) a fitting, i.e. harness or trapping (cp. kappana) Vv.20#9 (Vv-a.104)
   ■ a small black dot or smudge (kappabindu) imprinted on a new robe to make it lawful Vin.i.255; Vin.iv.227, Vin.iv.286: also fig. a making-up (of a trick) lesa˚ DN-a.i.103; Vv-a.348

II. Applied Meaning

1. (qualitative) ordinance, precept, rule; practice manner Vin.ii.294, Vin.ii.301 (:kappati singiloṇa-kappo “fit is the rule concerning…”); cp. Mhvs.4, Mhvs.9; one of the chalanga, the 6 disciplines of Vedic interpretation Vv-a.265.
2. (temporal) a “fixed” time, time with ref. to individual and cosmic life. As āyu at DN-a.i.103 (cp.kappaṃ); as a cycle of time = saṃsāra at Snp.521, Snp.535 Snp.860 (na eti kappaṃ); as a measure of time: an age of the world Vin.iii.109; Mil.108; Sdhp.256, Sdhp.257; Pv-a.21; Iti.17 = Bdhd 87 = SN.ii.185. There are 3 principal cycles or aeons: mahā˚, asaṅkheyya˚, antara˚; each mahā consists of 4 asankheyya-kappas, viz. saṃvaṭṭa˚ saṃvaṭṭaṭṭhāyi˚ vivaṭṭa˚ vivaṭṭaṭṭhāyi˚ AN.ii.142; often abbreviated to saṃvaṭṭa-vivaṭṭa˚ DN.i.14; Iti.15; freq in formula ekampijātiṃ, etc. Vin.iii.4 = DN.iii.51, DN.iii.111; Iti.99. On pubbanta˚ & aparanta˚, past & future kappas see D; i.12 sq. paṭhama-kappe at the beginning of the world, once upon a time (cp. atīte) Ja.i.207. When kappa stands by itself, a Mahā-kappa is understood DN-a.i.162. A whole, complete kappa is designated by kevala˚ Snp.p.18 = Snp.46~Snp.125; Snp.517; also dīgha SN.ii.181; Sdhp.257. For similes as to the enormous length of a kappa see SN.ii.181 & DN-a.i.164 = Pv-a.254-acc. kappaṃ adv.: for a long time DN.ii.103 = DN.ii.115; Ud.62, quot. at DN-a.i.103; Vin.ii.198; Iti.17; Mil.108 mayi āyukappaṃ Ja.i.119, cp. Mil.141. Cp. saṅkappa.

-ātīta one who has gone beyond time, an Arahant Snp.373. -āvasesaṃ (acc.) for the rest of the kappa, in kappaṃ vā k-âvasesaṃ vā DN.ii.117 = AN.iv.309 = Ud.62; Mil.140: -āyuka (one) whose life extends over a kappa Mhvs.v.87; -uṭṭhāna arising at or belonging to the (end of a) kappa: -aggi the fire which destroys the Universe Ja.ii.397; Ja.iii.185; Ja.iv.498; Ja.v.336; Ja.vi.554; Vism.304 -kāla the time of the end of the world Ja.v.244
■ uṭṭhāna (by itself) the end of the world Ja.i.4 = Vism.415; -kata on which a kappa, i.e. smudge, has been made, ref. to the cīvara of a bhikkhu (see above) Vin.i.255; Vin.iv.227 Vin.iv.286; DN-a.i.103; -(ñ)jaha (one) who has left time behind free from saṃsāra, an Arahant Snp.1101 (but explained at Cnd. s.v., see also DN-a.i.103, as free from dve kappā diṭṭhi˚ taṇha˚). -jāla the consumption of the kappa by fire, the end of a kappa Dpvs.i.61. -ṭṭha staying there for a kappa, i.e. in purgatory in āpāyiko nerayiko atekiccho, said of Devadatta Vin.ii.202, Vin.ii.206; AN.iii.402 ~AN.iv.160; Iti.11~Iti.85. -ṭṭhāyin lasting a whole cycle of a vimāna Thag.1190. -ṭṭhika enduring for an aeon kibbisa (of Devadatta) Vin.ii.198 = Vin.ii.204; (cp. Vin. Texts iii.254) sālarukkha Ja.v.416; see also ṭhitakappiṃ Pp.13. -ṭṭhitika id. Dhp-a.i.50 (vera); Mil.108 (kammaṃ) (“sabbe pi magga-samangino puggalā ṭhita-kappino.” -ṭṭhiya- = prec. AN.v.75; Ja.i.172, Ja.i.213; Ja.v.33; Mil.109 Mil.214. -rukkha the tree that lasts for a kappa, ref. to the cittapāṭalī, the pied trumpet-tree in the abode of the Asuras Ja.i.202; -nibbatta originated at the beginning of the k. (appl. to the flames of purgatory) Ja.v.272 -parivaṭṭa the evolution of a k; the end of the world Dpvs.i.59; -pādapa = ˚rukkha Mhbv.2; -rukkha a wishing tree, magical tree, fulfilling all wishes; sometimes fig. Ja.vi.117, Ja.vi.594; Vism.206; Pv-a.75, Pv-a.176, Pv-a.121; Vv-a.32 (where combined with cintāmaṇi); Dhp-a.iv.208 -latā a creeper like the kapparukkha Vv-a.12; -vināsaka (scil. aggi): the fire consuming the world at the end of a k. Vism.414 sq.; (mahāmegho) Dhp-a.iii.362; -samaṇa an ascetic acc. to precepts, an earnest ascetic Ja.vi.60 (cp. samaṇa-kappa); -halāhala “the k-uproar,” the uproar near the end of a kalpa Ja.i.47.

Sk. kalpa, see kappeti for etym. & formation