The Man and the Five Million in Enchanted Money

The crowded evening market was filled with the sharp scent of fresh fish mixing with road dust, while the cries of vendors sliced through the air between the rows of ramshackle shops. A middle-aged man walked through, his hand clutching tightly to an envelope containing five million dong, freshly withdrawn from the bank, his heart a little uneasy as it was the first time he’d held such a large sum. Suddenly, from behind, three figures in grey clothes approached. His shoulder jerked in shock as one of them gave him a firm pat.

“Sir, do you know my older sister? Come over here for a moment,” one of them said in a soft but insistent voice, his hand still on the man’s shoulder.

For a brief moment, his vision blurred as if covered by a misty veil, and his feet began to follow them automatically toward an empty lot beside the market. The truth was, for the past several months, the man had been heeding his teacher’s words, bowing to the Buddha every morning and performing good deeds, which had given him a measure of meditative concentration. But today, worried about family matters, he hadn’t had time to chant his prayers. So when he encountered their enchantment, his wisdom was obscured.

In the empty lot, the leader reached out and rubbed the man’s temples, whispering something in a low voice. The man suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to withdraw his money and hand it over. The envelope with five million dong was already in the other person’s hand. But at that precise moment, the radiant image of the Buddha in his small home altar appeared in his mind. He struggled to remain calm, recalling his teacher’s words: “Just keep bowing to the Buddha, do good deeds, and you will naturally gain inner strength.”

“Hand over the money,” the other urged, eyes glaring. “I… I don’t have any money,” he stammered, trying to shrug his shoulder free. “You just withdrew it from the bank earlier,” they laughed cunningly, patting his shoulder once more. “No, I left it at home,” he gritted his teeth. Suddenly, he became completely clear-headed, pushed the hand away forcefully, and broke free.

The turning point was when he took a deep breath and silently recollected the Buddha. The hazy veil dissolved, and he realized he was still holding the money envelope—they hadn’t taken it. The three men, seeing the light return to his eyes, stepped back in confusion.

He didn’t rush to fight them. Instead, he turned and walked straight out onto the main road, his heart pounding, hands tightly gripping the money. Back home, he lit incense and bowed to the Buddha, promising to dedicate more time to his practice. The next morning, he took those five million dong and used them to perform meritorious deeds, donating to orphaned children.

Five months later, he still visited the market, but he always recollected the Buddha before stepping out. The enchanters no longer dared approach him, because whenever they saw him, they perceived a light of concentrated mindfulness surrounding him. His family life became peaceful and harmonious, and he understood: maintaining calm in the face of misfortune, and the merit from spiritual practice, can help one resist the pull of negative karma.

**The Meaning of the Story**

When we encounter misfortune or karmic disturbances (like enchantments), we must first remain calm. Second, we should devote ourselves to bowing to the Buddha and doing good deeds to build inner strength. What might have been a karmic debt to be repaid can be overcome through the awakened awareness gained from spiritual practice. By using the recovered resources to create merit, we gain even greater blessings while avoiding deceit from the unscrupulous.

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