San Dan - San Dan Mai Dee

[whiterussian]

San Dan - San Dan mai dee

Can anyone please tell me what this means, two relatively good english speaking Thais have failed to make me understand..

Is it to do with Karma?

[phaethon]

Is it this?

สันดาน /sanR daanM/

1. [noun, Pali] trait

2. [noun, colloquial] one’s bad trait or behavior by birth [showing disapproval]

Suggests to me something equivalent to "Born to be bad", "bad to the bone" "inherently bad", but I'm just playing

[jdinasia]

Bad habit/trait .... permanent in nature

A bad person by nature with no chance of redemption

[whiterussian]

Great, thank you, nice new phrase for me, สันดาน

I wonder what the 'san daan MAI DEE' means, as oppose to just 'san daan'...

lol, "bad to the bone" yup, thats suits the character to whom the comment was addressed, stealing buckets of the 'free' ice every day from the local bar ....

"A bad person by nature with no chance of redemption " - thats an odd contradiction to some buddhist beliefs surely....

Edited November 3, 2008 by UKWEBPRO

[jdinasia]

mai dee --- added emphasis ...

not a polite thing to say

[phaethon]

Think I've found my new nickname

BTW the above definition was from thai-language.com, to give due credit.

Edited November 3, 2008 by phaethon

[LukDod]

FWIW...and I may be mistaken...

but looking a the thai-language.com site, I believe the correct tones are as follows:

/saanR daanF/

[phibunmike]

"A bad person by nature with no chance of redemption " - thats an odd contradiction to some buddhist beliefs surely....

In Pira Sudham's novel "Monsoon Country", the protaganist, Prem Surin, is born into a tough life. It is explained to him (by a monk, if I recall correctly), that in his previous life he did such terrible things that he must endure this entire life in misery, as compensation, and that only in the next life will he have the opportunity to improve (provided he lives this life as well as he is able).

The concept of redemption in this case is a little different, however - the "bad person by nature" whom you describe, is possibly quite happy - it is those around him who suffer.

But I thought I would mention this, as it illustrates that, in Buddhism, the concept of "no chance of redemption" is not contradictory, if it only applies to one life.

Cheers,

Mike

(Sorry if this is a bit off topic )