Satya#Jainism

{{See also|Sattva|Sacca}}

In the Vedas and later sutras, the meaning of the word {{transliteration|sa|satya}} evolves into an ethical concept about truthfulness and an important virtue.{{cite journal|first=A.|last=Dhand|year=2002|title=The dharma of ethics, the ethics of dharma: Quizzing the ideals of Hinduism|journal=Journal of Religious Ethics|volume=30|number=3|pages=347–372|doi=10.1111/1467-9795.00113 }} It means being true and consistent with reality in one's thought, speech, and action.

{{transliteration|sa|Satya}} has cognates in a number of diverse Indo-European languages, including the word "sooth" and "sin" in English, "{{transliteration|ru|istina}}" ("{{lang|ru|истина}}") in Russian, "{{lang|da|sand}}" (truthful) in Danish, "{{lang|sv|sann}}" in Swedish, and "{{transliteration|ae|haithya}}" in Avestan, the liturgical language of Zoroastrianism.{{multiref2

|1={{cite journal | title=Prudentia, Volumes 11–13 | editor=Dept. of Classics and Ancient History, University of Auckland | year= 1979 | publisher=University of Auckland Bindery | page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=S70RAQAAMAAJ 96] | quote=The semantic connection may therefore be compared with the Sanskrit term for the 'moral law', dharma (cognate with Latin firmus) and 'truth' satya (cognate with English 'sooth' and Greek with its well known significance in Plato's thought...}}{{Verify source|reason=need to source this to a particular article/author|date=September 2023}}

|2={{cite book | title= Essays on Being | first= Charles H. |last=Kahn | year=2009 |author-link=Charles H. Kahn| publisher= Oxford University Press | isbn= 978-0191560064 | page= [https://books.google.com/books?id=DxE6zOaaGyIC&pg=PA23 23] | quote= A derivative of this participle still serves as the normal word for 'true' and 'truth' in languages so far apart as Danish sand and sandhed) and Hindi (sac, satya). In English we have a cognate form of this old Indo-European participle of 'to be' in 'sooth', 'soothsayer'.}}

|3={{cite book | chapter=The rime of the Book of the Dove|first=James R.|last=Russell|title=From Daēnā to Dîn | editor-first1=Christine|editor-last1=Allison|editor-first2=Anke|editor-last2=Joisten-Pruschke|editor-first3=Antje|editor-last3=Wendtland| year= 2009 | publisher= Otto Harrassowitz Verlag | isbn= 978-3447059176 | page= [https://books.google.com/books?id=VKS_C45BSOAC&pg=PA186 186]f105 | quote= Av. haiθya-, from the verb 'to be'—truth in the sense of 'the way things actually are'—corresponds to its cognates, Skt. satyá-, Rus. istina.}} }}

{{transliteration|sa|Sat}} ({{langx|sa|सत्}}) is the root of many Sanskrit words and concepts such as {{transliteration|sa|sattva}} ("pure, truthful") and {{transliteration|sa|satya}} ("truth"). The Sanskrit root {{transliteration|sa|sat}} has several meanings or translations:{{cite book|first=Monier|last=Monier-Williams|title=A Sanskrit-English Dictionary: Etymologically and Philologically Arranged with Special Reference to Cognate Indo-European Languages|url=https://archive.org/details/1872sanskriten00moniuoft|publisher=Clarendon Press|location=Oxford|year=1872|pages=[https://archive.org/details/1872sanskriten00moniuoft/page/1052/mode/1up 1052]–1054}}

{{cite book | last=Ishwaran | first=Karigoudar | title=Ascetic Culture: Renunciation and Worldly Engagement | publisher=Brill | publication-place=Leiden | date=1999 | isbn=978-90-04-11412-8 | pages=143–144}}

1. "Absolute reality"
2. "Fact"
3. "Brahman" (not to be confused with Brahmin)
4. "that which is unchangeable"
5. "that which has no distortion"
6. "that which is beyond distinctions of time, space, and person"
7. "that which pervades the universe in all its constancy"

{{transliteration|sa|Sat}} is a common prefix in ancient Indian literature and implies variously that which is good, true, genuine, virtuous, being, happening, real, existing, enduring, lasting, or essential; for example, {{transliteration|sa|sat-sastra}} means true doctrine, {{transliteration|sa|sat-van}} means one devoted to the truth.{{cite book | last=Macdonell | first=Arthur Anthony | author-link=Arthur Anthony Macdonell | title=A Practical Sanskrit Dictionary with Transliteration, Accentuation, and Etymological Analysis Throughout | publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ. | date=2004 | isbn=978-81-208-2000-5}}{{rp|329–331}} In ancient texts, fusion words based on {{transliteration|sa|Sat}} refer to "Universal Spirit, Universal Principle, Being, Soul of the World, Brahman".{{cite journal|last=Chaudhuri|first=H.|year=1954|title=The Concept of Brahman in Hindu Philosophy|journal=Philosophy East and West|volume=4|number=1|pages=47–66|doi=10.2307/1396951 |jstor=1396951 }}{{cite book | first1=Sri|last1= Aurobindo|first2=Arabinda|last2=Basu| chapter=The Sadhana of Plotinus |editor-last=Gregorios | editor-first=Paulos | title=Neoplatonism and Indian Philosophy | publisher=SUNY Press | publication-place=Albany, N.Y. | year=2002 | isbn=978-0-7914-5274-5 | pages=153–156}}

The negation of {{transliteration|sa|sat}} is {{transliteration|sa|asat}}, that is delusion, distorted, untrue, the fleeting impression that is incorrect, invalid, and false.{{r|AAM|page=34}}{{r|MMW}} The concepts of {{transliteration|sa|sat}} and {{transliteration|sa|asat}} are famously expressed in the Pavamana Mantra found in the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (1.3.28):

{{Verse translation|lang=sa-Latn|Asato mā sad gamaya

tamaso mā jyotir gamaya

mṛtyor mā amṛtam gamaya|Lead me from delusion to truth

from darkness to light

from mortality to immortality}}

{{transliteration|sa|Sat}} is one of the three characteristics of Brahman as described in {{transliteration|sa|sat-chit-ananda}}. This association between {{transliteration|sa|sat}}, 'truth', and {{transliteration|sa|Brahman}}, ultimate reality, is also expressed in Hindu cosmology, wherein {{transliteration|sa|Satyaloka}}, the highest heaven of Hindu cosmology, is the abode of {{transliteration|sa|Brahman}}.

{{Hinduism}}

{{Main|Hinduism}}

{{Main|Historical Vedic religion}}

{{transliteration|sa|Satya}} is a central theme in the Vedas. It is equated with and considered necessary to the concept {{transliteration|sa|Ṛta}} ({{lang|sa|ऋतं}}, {{transliteration|sa|ṛtaṃ}})—that which is properly joined, order, rule, nature, balance, harmony.{{cite book | last=Hindery | first=Roderick | title=Comparative ethics in Hindu and Buddhist traditions | publisher=Motilal Banarsidass | publication-place=Delhi | year=1996 | isbn=978-81-208-0866-9 | pages=51–55}}{{cite book | title=Sourcebook of the world's religions: an interfaith guide to religion and spirituality | publisher=New World Library | publication-place=Novato, Calif. | year=2000 | isbn=978-1-57731-121-8 | pages=52–55}} {{transliteration|sa|Ṛta}} results from {{transliteration|sa|satya}} in the Vedas, as it{{ambiguous|reason=|date=September 2023}} regulates and enables the operation of the universe and everything within it.{{cite book | first=Barbara |last=Holdrege|chapter=Dharma | editor-last1=Mittal | editor-first1=Sushil | editor-last2=Thursby | editor-first2=Gene R. | title=The Hindu world | publisher=Routledge | publication-place=New York | year=2004 | isbn=0-415-21527-7 | page=215}} {{transliteration|sa|Satya}} is considered essential, and without it, the universe and reality falls apart, cannot function.

In Rigveda, opposed to {{transliteration|sa|rita}} and {{transliteration|sa|satya}} are {{transliteration|sa|anrita}} and {{transliteration|sa|asatya}} (falsehood). Truth and truthfulness is considered as a form of reverence for the divine, while falsehood a form of sin. {{transliteration|sa|Satya}} includes action and speech that is factual, real, true, and reverent to {{transliteration|sa|Ṛta}} in Books 1, 4, 6, 7, 9, and 10 of Rigveda.{{cite book|author-link=Antonio T. de Nicolás|first=Antonio T.|last=de Nicolás|year=2003|title=Meditations Through the Rig Veda|isbn=978-0595269259|pages=162–164|publisher=iUniverse }} However, {{transliteration|sa|satya}} isn't merely about one's past that is in context in the Vedas, it has one's current and one's future contexts as well.{{clarify|reason=it isn't clear how "one" entered the picture here|date=September 2023}} {{clarify|reason=explain who De Nicolás is and why they are an authority|text=De Nicolás|date=September 2023}} states, that in Rigveda, "{{transliteration|sa|Satya}} is the modality of acting in the world of {{transliteration|sa|Sat}}, as the truth to be built, formed or established".

{{transliteration|sa|Satya}} is widely discussed in various Upanishads, including the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad where {{transliteration|sa|satya}} is called the means to Brahman, as well as Brahman (Being, true self).{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/stream/Brihadaranyaka.Upanishad.Shankara.Bhashya.by.Swami.Madhavananda|title= Brihadaranyaka Upanishad|translator-first=Swami|translator-last=Madhavananda|publisher=Advaita Ashrama|year=1950|edition=third|at=[https://archive.org/details/Brihadaranyaka.Upanishad.Shankara.Bhashya.by.Swami.Madhavananda/page/823/mode/1up Section V]}} In hymn 1.4.14 of Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Satya (truth) is equated to Dharma (morality, ethics, law of righteousness), as

{{quote|Nothing is higher than the Law of Righteousness ({{transliteration|sa|Dharma}}). The weak overcomes the stronger by the Law of Righteousness. Truly that Law is the Truth ({{transliteration|sa|Satya}}); Therefore, when a man speaks the Truth, they say, "He speaks Righteousness"; and if he speaks Righteousness, they say, "He speaks the Truth!" For both are one.|Brihadaranyaka Upanishad|I.4.xiv{{cite book|author-link=Charles Johnston (Theosophist)|first=Charles|last=Johnston|title=The Mukhya Upanishads: Books of Hidden Wisdom|date=23 October 2014 |publisher=Kshetra|isbn=978-1495946530|page=481}} For discussion on {{transliteration|sa|Satya}} and {{transliteration|sa|Brahman}} pp. 491–505, 561–575.{{cite journal|first=Paul|last=Horsch|translator-first=Jarrod|translator-last=Whitaker|title=From Creation Myth to World Law: The early history of Dharma|journal=Journal of Indian Philosophy|volume=32|pages=423–448|year=2004|issue=5–6 |doi=10.1007/s10781-004-8628-3 |s2cid=170190727 }}}}

Taittiriya Upanishad's hymn 11.11 states, "Speak the {{transliteration|sa|Satya}} (truth), conduct yourself according to the {{transliteration|sa|Dharma}} (morality, ethics, law)".{{cite web|title=taittirIya upanishad|quote=सत्यं वद । धर्मं चर, satyam vada dharmam cara|url=https://sanskritdocuments.org/doc_upanishhat/taitaccent.html|website=Sanskrit Documents}}

Truth is sought, praised in the hymns of Upanishads, held as one that ultimately, always prevails. The Mundaka Upanishad, for example, states in Book 3, Chapter 1,{{cite book|first=E.|last=Easwaran|year=2007|title=The Upanishads|isbn=978-1586380212|page=181|publisher=Nilgiri Press }}

{{Quote|

सत्यमेव जयते नानृतं[https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/मुण्डकोपनिषद् Mundaka Upanishad (Sanskrit)] Wikisource

Translation 1: Truth alone triumphs, not falsehood.{{cite journal | last1=Ananthamurthy | first1=U.R. | last2=Mehta | first2=Suketu | last3=Ananthamurthy | first3=Sharath | title=Compassionate Space | journal=India International Centre Quarterly | publisher=India International Centre | volume=35 | issue=2 | year=2008 | issn=0376-9771 | jstor=23006353 | pages=18–23 | url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/23006353 | access-date=7 September 2023}}

Translation 2: Truth ultimately triumphs, not falsehood.{{cite book|first=Brij|last=Lal|title=A Vision for Change: Speeches and Writings of A.D. Patel 1929–1969|date=2011 |publisher=Australian National University Press|isbn=978-1921862328|page=xxi}}

Translation 3: The true prevails, not the untrue.{{cite book|translator-link=Max Muller|translator-first=F. Max|translator-last=Müller|editor-link=Max Muller|editor-first=F. Max|editor-last=Müller|title=The Upanishads, Part 2|url=https://archive.org/stream/upanishads02ml|chapter=The Mundaka Upanishad|series=The Sacred Books of the East|volume=XV|year=1884|location=Oxford|publisher=Clarendon Press|pages=[https://archive.org/details/upanishads02ml/page/38/mode/2up?view=theater 38–]40}}

|Mundaka Upanishad, 3.1.6}}

Sandilya Upanishad of Atharvaveda, in Chapter 1, includes ten forbearancesPatanjali states five restraints, rather than ten. The complete list of ten forbearances in Sandilya Upanishad are, in the order they are listed in original Upanishad manuscript: {{transliteration|sa|ahimsa}}, {{transliteration|sa|satya}}, {{transliteration|sa|asteya}}, {{transliteration|sa|brahmacharya}}, {{transliteration|sa|daya}}, {{transliteration|sa|arjava}}, {{transliteration|sa|kshama}}, {{transliteration|sa|dhrti}}, {{transliteration|sa|mitahara}}, and {{transliteration|sa|saucha}} as virtues, in its exposition of Yoga. It defines {{transliteration|sa|satya}} as "the speaking of the truth that conduces to the well being of creatures, through the actions of one's mind, speech, or body."{{cite book | last=Narayanaswami Aiyar | first=K. | title=Thirty minor Upanishads | publisher=V̇asanṭā Press | publication-place=Madras | year=1914 | oclc=23013613 | pages=173–174}}

Deussen states that {{transliteration|sa|satya}} is described in the major Upanishads with two layers of meanings—one as empirical truth about reality, another as abstract truth about universal principle, being, and the unchanging. Both of these ideas are explained in early Upanishads, composed before {{BCE|500}}, by variously breaking the word {{transliteration|sa|satya}} or {{transliteration|sa|satyam}} into two or three syllables. In later Upanishads, the ideas evolve and transcend into {{transliteration|sa|satya}} as truth (or truthfulness), and {{transliteration|sa|Brahman}} as the Being, Be-ness, real Self, the eternal.{{cite book|first=Paul|last=Deussen|translator-first=A.S.|translator-last=Geden|url=https://archive.org/stream/philosophyupani00deusgoog|title=The Philosophy of the Upanishads|publisher=T&T Clark|location=Edinburgh|year=1908|pages=[https://archive.org/details/philosophyupani00deusgoog/page/n146/mode/2up?view=theater 128]–133}}

The Shanti Parva of the Mahabharata states, "The righteous hold that forgiveness, truth, sincerity, and compassion are the foremost (of all virtues). Truth is the essence of the Vedas."{{cite book|title=The Mahābhārata: Shanti parva|chapter=Mokshadharma parva|editor-first=Manmatha Nath|editor-last=Dutt|year=1903|at=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.134505/page/n369/mode/1up CCC.12]}}

The Epic repeatedly emphasizes that {{transliteration|sa|satya}} is a basic virtue, because everything and everyone depends on and relies on {{transliteration|sa|satya}}.

{{Verse translation|lang=sa|सत्यस्य वचनं साधु न सत्याद विद्यते परम

सत्येन विधृतं सर्वं सर्वं सत्ये परतिष्ठितम

अपि पापकृतॊ रौद्राः सत्यं कृत्वा पृथक पृथक

अद्रॊहम अविसंवादं परवर्तन्ते तदाश्रयाः

ते चेन मिथॊ ऽधृतिं कुर्युर विनश्येयुर असंशयम|To speak the truth is meritorious. There is nothing higher than truth. Everything is upheld by truth, and everything rests upon truth. Even the sinful and ferocious, swear to keep the truth amongst themselves, dismiss all grounds of quarrel and uniting with one another set themselves to their (sinful) tasks, depending upon truth. If they behaved falsely towards one another, they would then be destroyed without doubt.|attr1=The Mahabharata, Chapter CCLIX: Shanti Parva{{cite book|chapter=Mokshadharma Parva|publisher=Pratapa Chandra Ray, Bharata Press|location=Calcutta|year=1891|title=The Mahabharata, Vanti Parva, Volume II|page=[https://archive.org/details/mahabharataofkri07royp/page/344/mode/1up?view=theater&q=ferocious 344]}}}}

In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, it is written, “When one is firmly established in speaking truth, the fruits of action become subservient to him."{{cite book|author=Patanjali|chapter=Sutra Number 2.36|title=Yoga Sutras|date=September 2012 |translator-first=B.|translator-last=Ravikanth|isbn=978-0988251502|pages=140–150|publisher=Sanskrit Works }} In Yoga sutra, {{transliteration|sa|satya}} is one of the five {{transliteration|sa|yamas}}, or virtuous restraints, along with {{transliteration|sa|ahimsa}} (restraint from violence or injury to any living being); {{transliteration|sa|asteya}} (restraint from stealing); {{transliteration|sa|brahmacharya}} (celibacy or restraint from sexually cheating on one's partner); and {{transliteration|sa|aparigraha}} (restraint from covetousness and craving). Patanjali considers {{transliteration|sa|satya}} as a restraint from falsehood in one's action (body), words (speech, writing), or feelings / thoughts (mind).{{cite journal|first=Aadil|last=Palkhivala|url= https://www.yogajournal.com/article/teach/teaching-the-yamas-in-asana-class/|title=Teaching the Yamas in Asana Class|journal=Yoga Journal|date=August 28, 2007}} In Patanjali's teachings, one may not always know the truth or the whole truth, but one knows if one is creating, sustaining, or expressing falsehood, exaggeration, distortion, fabrication, or deception. {{transliteration|sa|Satya}} is, in Patanjali's Yoga, the virtue of restraint from such falsehood, either through silence or through stating the truth without any form of distortion.{{cite book|first=Edwin|last=Bryant|chapter=Ahimsa in the Patanjali Yoga Tradition|editor-first=Steven|editor-last=Rosen|title=Food for the Soul: Vegetarianism and Yoga Traditions|date=19 April 2011 |publisher=Praeger|isbn=978-0313397035|pages=33–48}}

{{Main|Jainism}}

{{transliteration|sa|Satya}} is one of the five vows prescribed in Jain Agamas. {{transliteration|sa|Satya}} was also preached by Mahavira.{{multiref2

|1={{cite book |last=Sangave |first=Vilas Adinath |author-link=Vilas Adinath Sangave |title=Aspects of Jaina religion |edition=5 |date=2006 |orig-year=1990 |publisher=Bharatiya Jnanpith |isbn=8126312734 |page=67}}

|2={{citation |last=Shah|first=Umakant Premanand |title=Mahavira Jaina teacher |date=20 October 2023 |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mahavira-Jaina-teacher |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica}} }} According to Jainism, not to lie or speak what is not commendable.{{Sentence fragment|date=September 2023}}{{cite book |first=Vijay K. |last=Jain |title=Acharya Amritchandra's Purushartha Siddhyupaya: Realization of the Pure Self, With Hindi and English Translation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4iyUu4Fc2-YC|url-access=limited |date=2012 |publisher=Vikalp Printers |isbn=978-8190363945 |quote={{PD-notice}} }}{{rp|61}} The underlying cause of falsehood is passion and therefore, it is said to cause {{transliteration|sa|hiṃsā}} (injury).{{r|VKJain|p=66}}

According to the Jain text Sarvārthasiddhi: "that which causes pain and suffering to the living is not commendable, whether it refers to actual facts or not".{{citation |last=Jain |first=S.A. |title=Reality (English Translation of Srimat Pujyapadacharya's Sarvarthasiddhi) |year=1992 |orig-year=1960 |publisher=Jwalamalini Trust |url=https://archive.org/details/Reality_JMT |edition=Second |quote={{PD-notice}}|page=197}}

According to the Jain text Puruşārthasiddhyupāya:{{r|VKJain|p=33}}{{quote|All these subdivisions (injury, falsehood, stealing, unchastity, and attachment) are {{transliteration|sa|hiṃsā}} as indulgence in these sullies the pure nature of the soul. Falsehood etc. have been mentioned separately only to make the disciple understand through illustrations.|Puruşārthasiddhyupāya (42)}}

{{main|Buddhism|Sacca}}

The term {{transliteration|sa|satya}} (Pali: {{transliteration|pi|sacca}}) is translated into English as "reality" or "truth." In terms of the Four Noble Truths ({{transliteration|pi|ariyasacca}}), the Pali can be written as {{transliteration|pi|sacca}}, {{transliteration|pi|tatha}}, {{transliteration|pi|anannatatha}}, and {{transliteration|pi|dhamma}}.

'The Four Noble Truths' ({{transliteration|pi|ariya-sacca}}) are the briefest synthesis of the entire teaching of Buddhism,{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2008-09-27 |title=Sacca, Saccā: 11 definitions |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/sacca#:~:text=Images%20(photo%20gallery)-,In%20Buddhism,and%20of%20the%20Eightfold%20Path%20leading%20to%20the%20extinction%20of%20suffering.,-The%201st%20truth |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}{{Cite journal |title=Bauddha Darsana Lecture 6 Four Noble Truths |url=https://cec.nic.in/webpath/curriculum/Module/SANS/Paper07_Unit_II/6/content/downloads/script.pdf |journal=Consortium for Educational Communication |pages=2}} since all those manifold doctrines of the threefold Pali canon are, without any exception, included therein. They are the truth of suffering (mundane mental and physical phenomenon), of the origin of suffering ({{transliteration|pi|tanha}}, craving), of the extinction of suffering ({{transliteration|pi|Nibbana}} or {{transliteration|sa|nirvana}}), and of the Noble Eightfold Path leading to the extinction of suffering (the eight supra-mundane mind factors).{{Cite web |title=four noble truths |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095831186 |access-date=2024-05-28 |website=Oxford Reference |language=en }}

{{SikhBeliefs}}

{{Main|Sikhism|Satnam}}

{{Quote|

The Gurmukhs do not like falsehood; they are imbued with Truth; they love only Truth.|Gurubani, Hymn 3|{{SGGS page|1=23|2=938}}}}

Sat or truthfulness is one of the 5 virtues in Sikhism.

{{see also|Satyameva Jayate}}

Image:Emblem of India.svg]]

The motto of the republic of India's emblem is Satyameva Jayate which is literally translated as 'Truth alone triumphs'.

• {{annotated link | Dharma}}
• {{annotated link | Rta}}
• {{annotated link | Sacca}}
• {{annotated link | Satnam}}
• {{annotated link | Satyaloka}}
• {{annotated link | Satya Yuga}}
• {{annotated link | Transcendentals}}
• {{annotated link | Truth}}

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