Satya

[Yogicfire]

I was asked about the word for truth in Sanskrit, and I remembered 'satya'. However, in a Buddhist context, it doesn't seem to have the same flavour and meaning. In Hinduism, it has the connotation of the unchangeable. In Pali, sacca is used, but in Mahayana traditions other words like vidya are sometimes used.

I am interested in learning about the other words used and their precise meanings, and context. As well as the Tibetan terms.

[Aemilius]

The (four) Noble truths are Arya Satya, and the Two truths are Satyadvaya (in Robert Thurman's glossary in his translation of Vimalakirti Nirdesa).

[Aemilius]

Four truths:
Duhkha-satya, truth of suffering
Samudaya-satya, truth of origin (of suffering)
Nirodha-satya, truth of cessation (of suffering)
Marga-satya, truth of the path (leading to the cessation)

Two truths:
Samvriti-satya, relative truth, kundzob denpa (tib.)
Paramartha-satya, absolute truth, döndam denpa (tib.)

[Yogicfire]

Much appreciated, Aemilius.

I am interested in opening this up and for you to tell me what truth would mean to you in a Buddhist context, and how it can be contrasted with vidya, for example.

Thanks,
YF

[Zhen Li]

vidyā is knowledge. It seems like truth as a translation of satya probably isn't too controversial. I think you could say it's more or less a synonym of tattva and tathatā, suchness, the way things are.

[Aemilius]

In general Dharma, Mahayana and Tantra truthfulness is a kind of siddhi. If you have been truthfull long enough, it becomes a siddhi or a source of siddhi. Your true speech can cause miracles. This principle appears for example in the life stories of 84 Siddhas.

There is also a Mahayana work called Satya-siddhi, or Satya-siddhi sastra, by indian master Harivarman. There arose a separate school based on this treatise in China and Japan, it is known in Japan as Jojitsu school.