What is Truth? 

Being in these two modes breaks up the idea of truth into existential truth (sammuti sacca) and experiential truth (paramattha sacca). This means there is no such thing as an absolute truth. To hold one idea as truth is to become narrow minded, and to ignore the validity of its opposite. This fact is expressed by the Buddha in the analogy of the elephant and the blind men. The Buddha points out this fact also in the Cula-viyuha Sutta, in the Sutta Nipatha, in verse form as follows: 

                If truth is one, and no second exists 
                Debates will never arise among folk 
                A variety of truths they themselves do form 
                Gurus therefore never speak of one truth 

                Ekaṁ hi saccaṁ na dutiyamatthi 
                Yasmiṁ pajā no vivade pajānaṁ, 
                Nānā te saccāni sayaṁ thunanti 
                Tasmā na ekaṁ samanā vadanti 

                Never was there a variety of truths 
                Other than sensations always in the world 
                Creating views using speculative logic 
                They speak of a duality: falsehood and truth 

                Na heva saccāni bahuni nānā 
                Aññatra saññāya niccāni loke, 
                Takkañca diṭṭhisu kapappayitvā 
                Saccaṁ musāti dvayadhammamāhu 


In the Alagaddupama Sutta the Buddha points out that the Four-fold Supernormal Reality (cattāri ariya saccāni) is only a solution to a problem, and not a truth to be believed. It is compared to a boat used to cross over the river. It is not to be carried away after crossing the river, but left behind for others to use. Therefore the Four-fold Supernormal Reality (cattāri ariya saccāni) is not a dogma to be believed on blind faith, but only a solution to a problem, which can be used by anyone to solve one’s problem. The Buddha takes a pragmatic point of view regarding truth.


About The Four-fold Supernormal Reality, the Buddha states: 

(1) The first truth is not to be believed, but to be comprehended (pariññeyyam). 

(2) The second truth is not to be believed, but to be eliminated (pahātabbaṁ). 

(3) The third truth is not to be believed, but to be realized (sacchikātabbaṁ). 

(4) The fourth truth is not to be believed, but to be cultivated (bhāvetabbaṁ).