The Lesson on Letting Go of Attachment: The Layman Ban Long Uan

On the banks of the West River, the wind blew briskly, carrying a cool mist. A small wooden boat rocked gently in the middle of the muddy current. On board stood a middle-aged man, dressed in fine clothes but with a face full of fierce determination, surrounded by piles of gold, silver, and jewels glittering in the afternoon sun.

This was Ban Long Uan, a layman famous in his time for his wealth and learning. He was devoted to the study of Zen and had sought guidance from many eminent masters. The first time he asked Master Shitou Xiqian about the essential meaning of the Buddha's teachings (Dharma), the master covered his mouth, and the man awakened. Later, when he met Mazu Daoyi and heard the master's deeply symbolic reply, "When you have drunk the West River dry, I will answer you," his enlightenment deepened even further.

Yet in its early stages, that enlightenment pushed him toward an extreme. He believed that to prove he had truly "let go of attachment," that he was no longer bound by material things, he had to completely destroy his wealth. With this thought, he gathered up all the gold, jewels, and money he had accumulated over a lifetime and carried them out onto the river.

With trembling hands, he held a large gold bar. The metal's gleam was dazzling. He looked down at the rushing water, then back at his enormous fortune. In his mind rang the call of liberation, mixed with a faint, instinctive human regret. Finally, he let out a shout and hurled everything into the river. Splash! Water sprayed in every direction as the gold coins sank into the deep river, gone forever.

At first hearing, this act seems courageous, a decisive break with the worldly life. In truth, however, it is a classic example of misunderstanding non-self (anatta) and the letting go of attachment. Throwing gold into the river did not make his mind any purer; it was merely an extreme display of "not needing money." It lacked the light of wisdom and the skillful means to benefit sentient beings.

Unlike Ban Long Uan, those who genuinely practice the true Dharma, upon attaining the fruit of Sotapanna and breaking through the fetter of greed, have no intention of destroying their wealth without reason. Instead, they use it as a tool to build temples, help the poor, and make offerings to the Triple Gem. They still hold money, but money does not hold them. They own possessions, but possessions do not own them. That is true freedom, entirely different from the recklessness of one who has not yet thoroughly understood the way.

The meaning of the story:

This story is a wake-up call for practitioners, showing the difference between genuine letting go of attachment and the extreme, reckless behavior that comes from misunderstanding the teachings. The goal of meditative concentration and the Buddhist path is not the meaningless destruction of material things, but the transformation of a greedy, clinging mind. A person of wisdom uses wealth to create merit and benefit society, rather than discarding it to satisfy a false sense of being "transcendent." The lesson emphasizes the importance of a clear path of practice, avoiding the harmful side effects that come from lacking a foundation in ethics and wisdom.

Compiled from a dharma talk by the Venerable Thich Chan Quang.