บุญคุณ (bun Khun)

[scatalyst]

I've been trying to understand the concept of บุญคุณ (bun khun) but I just can't seem to get a handle on it. Perhaps some of you could give some insight.

When I read the section about it in Mont Redmond's "Wondering Into Thai Culture," I thought I understood it. His short description is "favor causing obligation". It seemed to me to be a way for some people to control other people in order to get what they want. In other words, it sounded like a way to manipulate people.

But when I talk to Thai friends about it, they view it only as a good thing, apparently not as a type of manipulation. For example, parents raise their children so then when the children are grown, they feel obligated to take care of their parents in their old age. And that's a type of บุญคุณ that keeps families together and taking care of one another. They also gave examples of other situations where บุญคุณ plays a role, such as teacher-student, employer-employee.

An English speaker used the word "grace" to describe it.

How does one speak about บุญคุณ in Thai? For example, do the parents บุญคุณ their children? Or is it the children who บุญคุณ the parents?

Thanks for sharing insights.

Scatalyst

[yoot]

If you do a good turn to anyone, it means you have บุญคุณ to that one.

Parents raise their children, so parents have บุญคุณ which children have to ตอบแทนบุญคุณ (to pay good turn back to parents, in the way of taking care of parents, etc.)

When you help someone something, so you have บุญคุณ to that one and someday that one might repay you somehow.

For Buddhist, we believe that if anyone do a good turn to us, we have to repay them in some way . If we didn't repay in this life we have to repay it in next life. มีบุญคุณต้องทดแทน

[Johpa]

Generally speaking บุญคุณ is what one ends up owing, in an obliging fashion and without regrets or hesitation, to your parents and your better teachers. It may be a bit awkward to translate directly into English, but I don't think the sentiment is difficult to grasp. I had a wonderful Thai professor in college, an excellent teacher and a great humble man, who I am honored to have known and to whom I feel indebted for the time he spent with me and indebted for his toleration of my lesser moments. To this man I feel an obligation of บุญคุณ and would do just about anything for him.

A less common usage in modern times, บุญคุณ can also take on a political flavor relative to what is owed your phuu yai, the person in the village who protects you against others with a higher status, commonly the village headman (phuu yai baan) or sub-district head (kamnaan). In this case your บุญคุณ towards the person causes you to do what is requested without the feelings of honor noted above. In this instance, บุญคุณ is the reason that local Thai elections are so easily bought by politicians.

[Bobcat]

I agree with both P'Yoot and P'Johpa. Great explanations of an often difficult to understand concept.

[damotuxie]

The explanation I am about to give I must say this is the only way I understand Bun Khun. Basic, as I read it in a book about south east asian philosiphy the example given was of a young girl who leaves the home for the citys, takes up prostitution and then only returns once she has the made achievements to the degree where she for instance has an ability to care for her elders and better her familys situation, in a sence if she comes home empty handed then she hasn't been successful in her Bun Khun. On the other hand to come home with gifts and money for the family along with for example a sponsor elswhere sending her cash which she eagerly gives to better her family-often leaving herself with bugger all, well then she will have been successful in Bun Khun and then be seen as being a success and treated with much respect by all in her family.

[skylar]

It could be sort of translated as filial piety in respect to the relationship a son/daughter has with their parent(s). But it sounds like it can apply to other relationships too and means more than that. Hmm.