fulfill a vow to a deity or spirit
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 fulfill a vow to a deity or spirit
It means fulfilling a promise made to a deity or spirit after a wish has been granted, through an offering or a promised act.
fulfill a vow to a deity or spirit
To carry out what you promised a deity or spirit in return for granting your wish.
Learning notes
Explanation
The key is a prior promise: someone pledges an offering or an action if a deity or spirit grants a wish, then carries out that pledge once the wish comes true. บน and บนบาน describe making the vow; แก้บน describes fulfilling it. Here, บน refers to a vow, not the preposition meaning “on.” The promised offering may be food, such as eggs or fruit, or an action, such as sponsoring a dance performance. Use แก้บนด้วย followed by the offering or method to specify how the vow is fulfilled. This is an everyday term associated with Thai popular religious practice, rather than a practice exclusive to Buddhism.
Usage
Used when someone follows through on a religious promise after passing an exam, getting a job, succeeding in business, or recovering from illness. It often comes up when discussing a return visit to a temple or shrine with the promised offering.
Caution
Ordinary thanks or an offering without a prior vow would not usually be called แก้บน. The word does not itself mean “become ordained,” though ordination could be the act someone previously promised.