Cambodian Buddhism carries a warm egalitarian spirit that gently brushes aside rigid birth-based hierarchies. Even though Hindu Brahmanism left a lasting footprint—seen in the royal coronation rites for King Hun Manet in May 2024, when Brahmin priests sprinkled holy water and chanted Vedic mantras—ordinary believers don’t slot themselves into varnashrama tiers. Buddhist teaching emphasizes kamma (karma) over birthright: personal effort and moral conduct shape one’s destiny, not an immutable caste label etched at birth.

Monks and laypeople bow before the Buddha’s universal invitation, effectively leveling the playing field. Temples from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap host everyday Cambodians—farmers, shopkeepers, students—side by side, lighting incense and offering alms without a second thought about ancestral pedigree. That doesn’t mean Brahmin ritual specialists have disappeared; they still preside over certain state ceremonies, blessing royal insignia or officiating at tomb‐sanctification events. But their role is more ceremonial than societal gatekeeper.

A few rural pockets may hang on to clan distinctions or hereditary crafts—craft guilds sometimes pass from parent to child—but even there, it’s less a strict caste structure and more a nod to family tradition. Within the pagoda’s walls, Buddhist precepts on generosity and compassion override any shadow of hierarchy. Scolding or excluding someone for “the wrong family background” would run counter to the Sangha’s core values.

As Cambodia’s cities hum with scooters and smartphone chatter, younger generations shrug off leftover caste ideas faster than clothes off a tropical downpour. Festivals blending Hindu fire dances with Buddhist chanting go viral on social media, showing how cultural strands intertwine without resurrecting an ancient social ladder. Khmer Buddhism remains a vibrant tapestry, where past and present weave together—cords of belief that celebrate shared humanity rather than inherited rank.