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If you are not Thai or Buddhist,
the word bun (which means merit) may
sound ambiguous to you. You may wonder why
Thais like to tham bun (to make merit)
or frequently talk about it. Thaiways
would like to introduce to you the fundamental
concept of bun so that you will have
a clearer understanding of this belief.
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Above and
below: Tak Bat, or to offer food to monks,
is a way to make merit.
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| THE MEANING OF
BUN |
| Bun is
whatever emerges in one's mind that helps purify
and uplift it. It is invisible but palpable, similar
to electricity which we cannot see but the power
of which we can perceive when it passes into a
light bulb. When bun occurs, the mind will
be in a state of serenity and filled with ecstasy.
Bun is not a miracle, it is explicable.
For example, one who always commits evil deeds
tends to have a high blood pressure, irregular
heartbeat and digestive problems because he has
to run away from policemen or be worried about
being arrested. |
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Wien Thien, the ceremony of
Buddhists walking round a temple
in the evening, each carrying a
lit candle, joss-sticks and flowers
as a meritorious deed
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Consequently, he will be moody
and looks fatigued all the time. On the other
hand, one who usually does meritorious deeds
tends to be calm and reasonable. His body functions
harmoniously, and this helps enhance his physical
condition. Thus, he will look cheerful.
However, bun can be used up. This can
be compared with a farmer who consumes and sells
out his harvest until there is no seed left
to sow in the next growing season. It is true
that sometimes the merit one did in this life
might not bear fruit in the near future. But
one should not give up making merit for its
power will follow him to the next lives.
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| According to Buddhist
principles, bun consists of several features;
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- It will bring prosperity to one's life.
- It eternally follows one in every life.
- It belongs to each individual and can not
be stolen by or transferred to anyone else.
- One can accumulate bun all the time.
- Bun can stop the endless circle of
birth and death.
- Bun is an essential factor to help
one enter nirvana.
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Being ordained as a Buddhist
monk is
believed to enable the monk himself
and his parents to gain grand merit.
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There are two types of bun.
The first one is good deeds that one had done
in the past lives before one was born in the
present life. The accumulation of these good
deeds will show their results in the present
time. A mango seed of a good species will bear
tasty mangoes like its original tree.
Likewise, if a person collected plenty of bun
in his past lives, he will be born as a smart
man with good health and wealth in his present
life. If he continues to perform more meritorious
deeds, he will certainly meet with success in
this lifetime. However, failure to do so may
bring the opposite outcomes.
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Monks chanting blessing verses
after receiving offerings
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| And
the second one is good deeds that one has done
since he was born. For instance, a person who
was diligent and studied hard when he was a child
is likely to easily reach his goal when he is
grown up. Take the Lord Buddha as an example.
For countless lives, he has devoted himself to
doing meritorious deeds to accumulate bun
and Parami (the ten Perfections) before
gaining enlightenment. |
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THE POWER OF BUN |
| After
one does a good deed, one will feel fulfilled
and peaceful. His mind will be clear and filled
with the favourable results of bun. Those
who always tham bun (do good deeds) will
live happily as they do not trouble anyone, resulting
in no enemies. However, it cannot be denied that
some people who are known to have done many good
deeds may face suffering and die a violent death.
It is so because the bad deeds in their previous
lives affect them faster than the results of good
deeds. |
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| EXAMPLES
OF BUN |
| Buddhists
believe that longevity belongs to those who have
not killed any living beings in their previous
and present lives. They believe that a man is
healthy because in his past lives he observed
five precepts* and gave clothes as alms. If in
the past, one gave a lot of alms to monks and
other people, he would be rich in the present
life. And a smart man must have had pandits as
his friends and frequently practised meditation
in his past lives. |
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Lay people listening to sermons
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| All
good deeds bring bun to the doer but according
to Buddhist principles, here are some ways to
get bun. |
- Giving alms and donating money to the one
who deserves them
- Sticking to the five precepts and refraining
from causing troubles to others
- Praying, reading Dharma books and meditating
- Paying respects to the righteous persons
- Helping others in noble activities
- Doing bun as a tribute to ancestors
- Rejoicing in others' bun
- Listening to sermons
- Preaching
- Adjusting one's opinion to the right one
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To free captive
fish is believed to
bring longevity to the doer.
(Photo from The Songkran Festival
in Samut Prakan)
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Obviously,
these actions aim to make people live together
in peace. Consequently, not only the doer will
get bun, but society will also be in good
order. The above suggestions like giving alms
and helping other people are not difficult to
do, so people who are not Buddhists can make merit
too.
*(Buddhist Rules of Conduct):
- To abstain from taking the life of sentient
beings;
- to abstain from taking possession of anything
that had not been given by its owner;
- to abstain from sexual misconduct;
- to abstain from lying or evil speech; and
- to abstain from intoxicating drinks which are
a primary cause of negligence. |
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