Merit (Buddhism)

Tham Bun ( Thai: ทำบุญ ) is a traditional concept to acquire religious merit in Thai and Laotian Theravada Buddhism, which is rooted in the Buddhist doctrine of karma.

Word description

The term bun ( Thai บุญ, in English usage usually translated as " merit" ) is the Thai translation of Punna, a term from the Pali language (corresponding Sanskrit punya ). In Buddhist Dictionary of German monk Punna Nyanatiloka stands for meritorious '. The Thai word tham ( ทำ ) means " do " or " make ". Could thus be as bun Tham, earning of merits translated ' (corresponding Pali puññakiriyavatthu ).

Merits

To acquire this religious merit, there are many different ways. Bhikkhu Khantipalo describes in Buddhism Explained ten tenets, as taught in schools in Thailand:

• Type ( dana )
• Virtuous life ( sila )
• Collection ( meditation)
• Homage ( apacayana )
• Helpfulness ( veyyavacca )
• Own merits devote another ( patti - dana )
• Rejoicing in the merits of others ( pattanumodana )
• Listening to Dhamma talks ( dhammassavana )
• Dissemination of the Dhamma ( dhammadesana )
• Equalizing his own views ( ditthujukamma )

Also in the Anguttara Nikaya are both in the " four - book" ( Catukka - Nipata ) and in the "roller - book" ( Atthaka - Nipata ) described several ways to acquire "rivers of Merit ": for example, the monks to donate clothes, a day to provide them with food, provide them with a roof over their head available or to supply them with drugs.

In Thailand tham bun is inextricably interwoven with the daily life, be it the daily food donation before sunrise to the monks, listening to recitations of Sutras by monks or donating money to the temple. At family events such as births, weddings and deaths, the families go to the nearby temple to celebrate or to mourn, also come the monks to house parties and pray together with the faithful, received food and gifts and bless those present and the family home. Through the ordination to the Thai Buddhist monk acquires the most merit. Therefore, almost every Thai experience at least once in life for at least a week - but usually longer - in a Buddhist monastery. Traditionally, thereby accumulated earnings are devoted to the female members of one's family, mother or grandmother, because it is women in Thailand refused to become a nun.

The deeper meaning behind tham bun is to overcome by righteous actions one's ego, greed, arrogance, self-centeredness. In Thailand, there is the concept in the bun ( อิ่ม บุญ ), where " saturated" in " sick " or means. The term in the bun has it to be for a tham bun full of happiness and joy. Thus, the richness of a Buddhist culture, people may stop from all walks of life to overcome their own selfishness manifests itself.

Statistics

According to a study by the Kasikorn Research Center ( ศูนย์วิจัย กสิกร ไทย ) a division of Kasikorn Bank, in 2005 the Thais per year spent 3.3 trillion baht for monetary donations as well as the purchase of in-kind donations to monks. While output in the metropolitan Bangkok per person approximately 1512 Baht a year, donates the average Thai from the north- east ( Isan ) "only" about 460 baht a year.

The research notes in addition that the Thais mainly donate to the important Buddhist holidays, at family celebrations ( anniversary, cremation, ...) but also to other festivities. Young people reported in the study to only donate to the Buddhist holidays. In addition to monetary donations prayers, meditation and listening to sermons monk ( catch thet ฟัง เทศน์ ) preferred as religious activities, it is hoped it to attain inner peace, to cope with the daily stress better.