Bun

Bun (Thai บุญ, bun; Pali: puñña) is merit, a central concept of Thai Theravada Buddhism, organically integrated into the animist worldview.

Not an abstraction, but a resource. Bun is not an abstract ethical category, but a "resource" with a quantitative dimension. It can be accumulated, spent, transferred to others.

Ways of Accumulating Bun

• Tham Bun (ทำบุญ) — literally "making merit": offerings to monks, building of temples
• Tak Bat (ตักบาตร) — morning offering of food to monks
• Meditation (สมาธิ, samadhi) and observance of moral precepts (ศีล, sila)
• Helping others, forgiveness, noble deeds

The Opposite — Bap

Bap — negative merit. The opposite is Bap (บาป, bap; Pali: pāpa) — "sin", negative merit. The balance of bun and bap determines the quality of rebirth and current well-being.

Bun in Shamanism

"Weight class" when meeting spirits. In the context of Thai shamanism (#36), Bun determines a person's "weight class" when interacting with spirits: high bun — protection from hostile Phi; low bun — vulnerability.

Bun in Astrology

A map of past lives. In Thai astrology (#33), bun accumulated in past lives affects the quality of the natal chart. A strong chart is a consequence of good bun.

Comparison with Karma

Bun vs Karma. In Errarium, Bun is the analog of Karma (T056) in the Indian context, but with a fundamentally Theravadin ontology: Bun is a doing, not a debt. It is active accumulation, not passive inheritance.