An interesting story illustrates how people read spiritual write up or listen to spiritual discourse.

A shopkeeper lived in a town. He sold dress material sarees, shirts, pants etc. He had a son. He told his son to attend a spiritual discourse which was going on in the town hall. His son went everyday and was very much impressed by the teachings of the preacher. He decided that he would follow the teachings of the preacher in his daily life.

When customer would approach him he would tell the customer, ‘See the correct price is Rs100 though printed price is Rs.200. However, you will have to pay the printed price because that is my father’s order.’ Naturally, there were no sales for few days.

The shopkeeper inquired with his son what was happening. Son explained, ‘I told customers the truth. We should not deceive others. Telling lie and deceiving others are sins and the preacher was saying that no one should commit sins. You told me to attend the lectures. Right?’ Shopkeeper said, ‘My son, I told you attend the lectures but I need to tell you now how these spiritual lectures should be attended.’

He continued,’When you attend any spiritual discourse, you should take a piece of cloth along with you and spread that cloth on the floor before you and sit with folded hands. You should think whatever is being told is being collected in the cloth. When the discourse is over, you should shake that cloth as you do for dusting. On shaking the cloth all the teaching that was collected falls to the ground just as the dust falls to ground on shaking. Thus you should keep the teaching of the preacher there itself. You should not carry those teaching home. I send you to attend lecture so that people should think that you are a pious person. They will then develop faith that you will do the business honestly and your business will flourish which, in fact, you do dishonestly.’

It means that we never put the spiritual teachings in the practice. As a result there is no spiritual progress at all.