A man who was an inveterate smoker woke up one night and was seized within the desire to have a smoke. There was no fire in the house and he decided to go to neighbour's house for getting the fire. As it was dark he took up a lantern that was burning in his house and going to the neighbour's house, knocked at the door. The neighbour got up and asked what he wanted. The man said, “I want fire for lighting my tobacoo”. The neighbour said , “It is strange that though you have a fire in the lantern, you think fit to come and wake me up”. “Ah yes”, said the man, “I really forgot about the lantern”, and went away ashamed at his own blunder.

Author: Swami Sambuddhananda

Source: VTS