9 replies to this topic

[Boon Mee]

Are there any folks here who may be familiar with Kumon Tong?  It is an aspect of Buddhism that's not real well known w/Farang unless your wife/GF has given you a pair of the "boys" to take care of.
There used to be a very informative site on the web that explained the origin in detail but I can't find it now.
I'd ask my wife more about it but the whole subject "spooks" her so she tells me to disregard the practice since it can hurt you if one is not careful.

Thanks,
Boon Mee

[Drewcifer]

Are you talking the Golden Baby? If so then its not surprising that Thais would try to distance themselves from this subject, especially after the who Nain Ae thing.


If this is what you are talking about, then the legend of the Golden Baby dates back to Sunthon Phu's classic 19th century epic Khun Chang, Khun Phaen in which the story relates how the baby spirit was harnessed through mummification of still-born babies.

[Boon Mee]

That's part of it.  The practice was re-born so to speak with a Monk taking the fetuses of two still-born boys in recent times and using them for a protective shield against harm.
I'm unclear on how wide spread the belief is in Thailand today but do know some Farangs who wear the two boys around their necks as with a Buddha.  Just looking for more information on the practice and history.

[Drewcifer]

I think this would be a tough subject to crack given the cultural taboos. Perhaps contacting someone who studies these things (academically) would be the best person to ask. If I were looking for serious information on this, I'd probably drop an email to a couple of scholars at a University.

I am surprised to hear that farangs are wearing "The Twins". Do they know the history of it?

[Boon Mee]

Drewcifer, on Wed 2004-05-26, 12:23:24, said:

I think this would be a tough subject to crack given the cultural taboos. Perhaps contacting someone who studies these things (academically) would be the best person to ask. If I were looking for serious information on this, I'd probably drop an email to a couple of scholars at a University.

I am surprised to hear that farangs are wearing "The Twins". Do they know the history of it?

Yes they do and swear that even though the Twins haven't been fed regularly or cared after properly, they protect them.  These Farang who have the Twins also know the basic history where they originate and obviously are not superstitious about them.
The few Thais I know that have them in their homes also swear that is an active protection device against keemoys etc.
Thanks for the tip on checking with someone at Chula or Thammasat.

[stroll]

Surely all this is superstition/animism and has nothing to do with Buddha's teachings?!
But then there are a multitude of Buddha images which are used as amulets. I wonder if Buddha would approve, if he was still here to talk?

[Boon Mee]

stroll, on Thu 2004-05-27, 02:36:54, said:

Surely all this is superstition/animism and has nothing to do with Buddha's teachings?!
But then there are a multitude of Buddha images which are used as amulets. I wonder if Buddha would approve, if he was still here to talk?

Probably not but Kumon Tong is tied in with modern-day Buddhism and that's why the subject was raised in this forum...

[Lioneric]

It's me the nonsence guy again, okay let me tell you more about this thing,
Kumon Thong is souls of unborn babies due to miscarried or abortion. These souls will start to hated thier parents and follow them to make them misfortune,To avoid these the couple will seek monk to place them in temple to rest in peace but some bad people may turn them into money making machine or chast spells on thier enemy. Their are like any other baby,which you need to feed them milk give them toys to play and when you eat out side you have to place one set for them to eat.
They are like human some are bad and some are good.It's easy to get them but if you want to get rid ,sorry you are trouble.BUddha did says in this world have so many being can see and can't see.

[Boon Mee]

Lioneric, on Sat 2004-05-29, 12:42:59, said:

It's me the nonsence guy again, okay let me tell you more about this thing,
Kumon Thong is souls of unborn babies due to miscarried or abortion. These souls will start to hated thier parents and follow them to make them misfortune,To avoid these the couple will seek monk to place them in temple to rest in peace but some bad people may turn them into money making machine or chast spells on thier enemy. Their are like any other baby,which you need to feed them milk give them toys to play and when you eat out side you have to place one set for them to eat.
They are like human some are bad and some are good.It's easy to get them but if you want to get rid ,sorry you are trouble.BUddha did says in this world have so many being can see and can't see.

Thank you, Lioneric.  Is there much interest among present-day Thai in Kumong Tong?
Suspect it's more popular up-country than in BKK?

[The Ghost of Phoolan Devi]

stroll, on Thu 2004-05-27, 14:36:54, said:

Surely all this is superstition/animism and has nothing to do with Buddha's teachings?!
But then there are a multitude of Buddha images which are used as amulets. I wonder if Buddha would approve, if he was still here to talk?

You're spot on. Buddha would turn in his grave, if he had one. His teachings actually were supposed to counter all the prevailing superstitions of his day, as well as Hinduism which was stifled in rituals.

Buddha never told anyone to make images of himself and worship them. He taught to seek "the light within". But then, it's so much easier to pray in front of a statue and juggle a few joss sticks about than to sit down for hours and meditate ...