Sri Sathya Sai International Organization

The word WATCH has an important message to convey.

WATCH means:

W – Watch your Words

A – Watch your Actions

T – Watch your Thoughts

C – Watch your Character

H – Watch your Heart

The watch you have may break some day or the other. But this “watch” is unbreakable. So, possess this “watch.” Watch whether you are speaking good or bad. Watch whether you abuse others or appreciate them. You should not use your tongue to abuse others. Abusing others is a sin. Do not let your tongue indulge in such sins. You cannot escape the consequences of your sinful acts. Everything has reaction, reflection, and resound, and it comes back to you in some form or the other. Hence, exercise control over the tongue.

Silence Is Golden

Buddha observed silence and became quiet. Every sacred act has manifold rewards. By being quiet, Buddha began to experience Soham (“I am That”) within Him. You may chant the names of Rama, Krishna, Govinda, Buddha, and Sai to steady your mind. Once the mind becomes steady, you do not need to chant. Observe total silence. That is why it is said, silence is golden. Once words become less, the activities and vagaries of the mind also become less. As words increase, the vagaries of the mind also increase. Annihilate the mind by quietude. However, it is easier said than done. Man may die, but the mind will not die. The mind vanishes when words vanish from it.

Observing silence is one of the ways of silencing the mind. That is why our ancients practised silence. We should not allow the mind to go wherever it likes and do whatever it likes. We should not allow the mind to ridicule, hurt, and hate others. If you hurt anybody, you will be hurt ten times  more. You may be proud that you have abused somebody. But there will be somebody who will abuse you also someday. The sin you commit today will bring retribution to you later amplified manifold.

Summer Showers in Brindavan 2002,
Chapter 11: Sense Control Is the Highest Sadhana.

Do Not Encourage the Mind to Follow Its Whims

You are easily led astray by the vagaries of the mind. That is why, I say, WATCH! W is for watch your Words; A is for watch your Actions; T is for watch your Thoughts; C is for watch your Character; H is for watch your Heart. If the watch reminds you every second of the need to watch these five, you can be quite happy. The mind swings like a pendulum between one pleasant object and another. To stop the pendulum, the easiest means is to stop winding. That will put an end to the swing. So too, stop encouraging the mind by following its whims and fancies. When we beat another or cause harm to him, we justify it as only right and proper; when he beats us or harms us, we revolt and call it wrong and punishable.

The Mind Is a Double-Edged Sword

Everything is judged by us on the touchstone of the ego. The mind is a double-edged sword – it can save, but it can also bind. Yoga is the restraint of the waves natural to the mind. By learning and practising the disciplines of yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, prathyahara, dharana, dhyana, and Samadhi (abstention from evil-doing, various observances, postures, control of breath, restraining the sense organs, concentration, meditation, absorption in the Atma), the seeker can overcome and eliminate the mind.

When the mind is eliminated, the reality will become patent! It is like the discovery of the lost “tenth man.” Ten friends waded across a river in floods, and when they reached the bank opposite, each one took a count and found only nine, for he did not count himself! So, they inferred that “the tenth man” was drowned and began lamenting his loss. Then, a passerby came along and counted them; he found that all were there; the tenth man too was there; only ignorance had kept him unrecognised. This is the consequence of illusion. Since you do not know the real nature of the Self or Atma, you do not recognise the Self at all; when this knowledge is communicated by the guru or scripture, the ignorance of the Self disappears.

Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 7,
Chapter 36: The Windows of the Mind.

Keep a Watch on Your Words

Dear students! You are pursuing your education in a sacred atmosphere. You must continue to develop this atmosphere later in your life. Modern science is, of course, great. But, your senses are at a low level. Along with science, the senses must also be raised to a higher level. Today, we are leading a high-level life, keeping our senses at a low level. This should not be what is meant by “educare.” Educare is bringing out the latent Divinity in a human being. Whatever words you speak, you must watch whether they are the result of your education or educare. Today, nobody is keeping this watch. I often refer to the spelling of the word, WATCH. The spelling consists of five letters, namely, W A T C H. These letters stand for:

W – Watch your Words

A – Watch your Actions

T – Watch your Thoughts

C – Watch your Character

H – Watch your Heart

The real watch is when you keep a watch on your words, actions, thoughts, character, and heart, not the one you wear on your wrist. The wristwatch may go for repair, but the word “watch” will never be damaged. It will always bring purity of thought, word, and deed. How great these words are! Education in the olden days contributed to making man a noble and ideal human being.

Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 35,
Chapter 20: Character - End of True Education.

Watch Your Thoughts and See That They Do Not Go Astray

Do not waste your thoughts, for it makes your mind unsteady and wavering. (Showing His handkerchief ) What is this? This is a cloth. No, this is not a cloth but a bundle of threads. Not even threads, it is just cotton. Without cotton, there can be no threads, and without threads there can be no cloth. Likewise, the mind is nothing but a bundle of thoughts. Therefore put a check on your thoughts. Even the wealth you acquire and the food you eat must be within a certain limit. Food is God; do not waste it.

You should help others, never hurt them. Help ever, hurt never. These are some of the guidelines for purposeful living that you must follow. He is a blessed one who conducts himself in such a way that he does not hurt others nor is he hurt in the process. You have to learn these skills, which are not available in textbooks. Watch your thoughts, and see that they do not go astray. Each time a thought arises in your mind, analyse it. Is it good or bad? If you feel it is bad, do not allow it to persist. Just let it pass. If it is a good thought, put it into practice so that you and others also will be benefited.

Sri Sathya Sai Speaks, Volume 42,
Chapter 13: Uphold Ethics and Morality.

Achieve Awareness of the Atmic Reality

Desire breeds wishes. Wishes cause birth and death. When one is devoid of desire, one need not go through birth and death. The next birth is the result of unfulfilled desires in this life and is determined by them. Those who have no trace of desire for material objects can achieve the awareness of the Atmic Reality.

In fact, the desire to know God, to love God, and to be loved by God is not a desire that binds. When awareness of God dawns in all its splendour, every worldly, sensual desire is reduced to ashes in the flames of that awareness. The individual Self will turn toward the Universal Self as soon as desire comes to an end and the Self delights in supreme peace. The Self must break off all contact with non-self, so that it can earn immortality. You are a heap of thoughts. Your thoughts play a vital role in shaping your life. That is why you are advised to watch your thoughts and to welcome only good ones.

Vidya Vahini,
Chapter 5: Spiritual Discipline

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