Truth
God is truth, (...) Quran 22:62
I have come to tell the world that God is truth; He exists. True happiness and the fullness of life are in Him. I have come here as Queen of Peace to tell the world that peace is necessary for the salvation of the world. In God, one finds true joy from which true peace is derived. Our Lady of Medjugorie, June 16, 1983. Words from Heaven, P.345.
Jesus said: I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. John 14:6
Oh God, you are the truth; unite me to yourself by an act of unfailing love! Thomas A Kempis, Imitation of Christ, I.3.2
Truth, in fact, cannot be confined. Truth is for one and for all. John Paul II, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, P.162
Truth is supreme, but higher than truth is truthful living. Adi Granth
All you need say is "Yes" if you mean yes, "No" if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the evil one. Matthew 5:37
So Jesus said to those who believed in him, "If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31
Mankind is always changing; God's truth stands for ever (Ps 117:2). And he has many ways of speaking to us ... Thomas A Kempis, Imitation of Christ, I.5.2
Man cannot be forced to accept the truth. He can only be drawn toward the truth only by his own nature, that is, by his own freedom, which commits him to search sincerely for truth and, when he finds it, to adhere to it both in his convictions and his behavior. John Paul II, Crossing the Threshold of Truth, P.190
Truthfulness is the foundation of all human virtues. Without truthfulness, progress and success, in all the worlds of God, are impossible for any soul. When this holy attribute is established in man, all the divine qualities will be acquired. Baha'i World Faiths
Behold, there He is, wherever truth is relished. He is the most inward part of the heart (...). Sinners, return to your heart (Isaiah 46:8) and adhere to Him who made you. Stand with Him and you will stand indeed; rest in Him and you will be at rest. St. Augustine, Confessions, IV.12
There are those, too, whose understanding has been enlightened, whose affections have been purified; they sigh with longing for eternal life. Hearing of the worldly matters depresses them, they satisfy but reluctantly the needs of bodily existence. Men such as these are well aware what it is that the Spirit of truth speaks within them. Thomas A Kempis, Imitation of Christ, III.4.4
All comfort we get from human sources is empty and soon gone; true comfort, blessed comfort, is that which is inwardly given by the Truth. Thomas A Kempis, Imitation of Christ, III.16.2
Let me listen, now, to the voice of the Lord God (Ps 85:8). Blessed is the soul that hears the Lord speaking within her and receives from his lips words that bring her comfort. Thomas A Kempis. Imitation of Christ, III.1.1
Speak truly to my heart, for only You so speak; (...). St. Augustine, Confessions. XII.16
But how would I know whether he spoke the truth or not? And if I knew this also, would I know it of him? Yes, certainly, for within me, in that inner house of my thought, neither Hebrew, nor Greek, nor Latin, nor any barbarous tongue, but Truth itself, without instruments of mouth or tongue, and without the sound of any syllables, would say unto me, "He speaks the truth";(...). St. Augustine, Confessions, XI.3
Truth is universal and exists without any duality. Do not hesitate to attain it from wherever you can. (...) Shanti Vachan Bhandar, 216.
Books have only one meaning, but one man will get more out of them than other; it is I who in them teach men the truth, search their hearts, understand their thoughts, help on their actions, giving each of them whatever share of my gifts I reckon they deserve. Thomas A Kempis, Imitation of Christ, III.43.4
One not following the path of truth may apparently look happy but he will be restless within. Shanti Vachan Bhandar, 833.
One who speaks the truth is always fearless. Hence make it your duty to always speak the truth. Shanti Vachan Bhandar, 2076.
Truth, Simplicity and Love are like a Triveni (the joining place of three rivers). The way to success is to join Karma Yoga to this Triveni. (...) If, with full faith and devotion to God and with a firm determination, people will follow the Path of Truth, Simplicity and Love with karma yoga, they will reach their goal. When the whole world is burning with the fire of sins and sorrows and the flames are about to swallow the world, this is the only way by which humanity can be saved. Only he who has firm determination will survive this destruction. That is why great rishis have proclaimed: "Awake! Arise! Go to the wise and learn from them!" Teachings of Babaji, P.99.
(...) wherever you live, you must organize weekly or monthly satsang (meetings for the Truth). Have large gatherings to discuss measures to be taken for the good of the whole world. Invite learned men and scientists; consult with them and take their advice. You must find ways and means to do universal good. Teachings of Babaji, P.120.
(...) but the man who lives by the truth comes out into the light, so that it may be plainly seen that what he does is done in God. John 3:21
(...) O truth, so often oppressed, you nearly always wear a crown of thorns! O Eternal Truth, support me that I may have the courage to speak the truth even if it would come about that I would pay for it with my life. (...) Faustina Kowalska, The Diary, 1482.
Weakness and fear are the elements that guide an enslaved spirit, whether its servitude be that of frank licentiousness or of apparent severity. "Perfect love," however, "casts out fear." [1 John 4:18.] And unless fear be cast out, we cannot find ourselves because we will not even face ourselves. The truth that is in us remains the object of our greatest anxiety. We strive to keep it hidden from ourselves precisely because the truth will make us free, and we prefer to be slaves. Freedom brings with it too much responsibility - more than we can face by ourselves. But the Easter mystery tells us where we can find the strength to face it." Merton, Thomas. The New Man. P. 235-236. Submitted by Gary Horn <ghorn@uswest.com>
The first step toward finding God, Who is Truth, is to discover the truth about myself: and if I have been in error, this first step to truth is the discovery of my error. (...) Merton, Thomas. No Man Is An Island. P. 233.
For as you know, God is spirit and whoever desires to be united with Him must enter into the truth and depth of a spiritual communion far transcending any earthly figure. The Cloud of Unknowing, P.108.
(…) Little children, you speak much about God, but you witness little with your life. (…) decide for conversion, that your life may be true before God, so that in the truth of your life you witness the beauty God gave you. (…) Each one of you shall become in simplicity, similar to a child which is open to the love of the Father. (…) Our Lady of Medjugorie, July 25, 1996. Words from Heaven, P.284.
Even as a mirror of gold, covered by dust, when cleaned well shines again in full splendor, when a man has seen the Truth of the Spirit he is one with him, the aim of his life is fulfilled and he is ever beyond sorrow. (...) Then he sees God, pure, never-born, everlasting; and when he sees God he is free from all bondage. Svetesvatara Upanishad, quoted after: Novak Philip, The World Wisdom, P.19
There is no need to seek Truth; only stop having views (...). Ascribed to Seng-Ts'an (died 606 C.E.), Chinese Zen Master, quoted after: Novak Philip, The World Wisdom, P.96.
If terms be not correct, language is not in accordance with the truth of things. If language is not in accordance with the truth of things, affairs cannot be carried out to success (...). Attributed to Confucius, quoted after: Novak Philip, The World's Wisdom, P.126
The highest truth cannot be put into words. Therefore the greatest teacher has nothing to say. He simply gives himself in service, and never worries. Hua Hu Ching 23, quoted after: Novak Philip, The World's Wisdom. P.174.
Jesus said, "Do not lie, and do not do what you hate, because all things are disclosed in heaven. For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and there is nothing covered that will remain undisclosed." Gospel of Thomas, 6.
Yoga enables man to perceive the truth in all religions. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.16.
The dissatisfaction of real truth seekers with dogmatism, and the emptiness of organization without individual Self-realization, will force a great world change in the concept of religion. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.117.
Scriptures, sermons, and lectures eventually cease to satisfy the seeker who truly longs to feel the presence of God; but when he realizes truth, he knows life as it should be. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.119.
The world has a habit of much teaching and little practicing. (...) You have to live the teachings of the prophets and the great ones. Then their truths become your own, and you realize that truth is demonstrable, and universal. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.165.
Truth is ultimately understood or "proved" solely by intuition, soul realization. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.151.
If the time given to reading books about spiritual truth were spent in meditation, you would have far greater advancement both mentally and spiritually. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.166.
A real teacher possesses more than book knowledge, and in spiritual life it is necessary to learn wisdom from such a teacher; one who knows, and who knows that he knows, because he has experienced - not merely read about - truth. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.167.
Be kind in word and thought because it is the Heavenly Father who has taken your form to look after the child. (...) (Guide your children) with the loving persuasiveness of truth. Paramahansa Yogananda, Man's Eternal Quest, P.249.
Tibetan Precepts of the Gurus:
1. Desire may be mistaken for faith.
2. Attachment may be mistaken for benevolence and compassion.
3. Cessation of thought processes may be mistaken for quiescence of infinite
mind, which is the true goal.
4. Sense perceptions (or phenomena) may be mistaken for revelations (or glimpses)
of Reality.
5. A mere glimpse of Reality may be mistaken for
complete realization.
6. Those who outwardly profess, but do not practice
religion may be mistaken for true devotees.
7. Slaves of passion may be mistaken for masters of Yoga who have liberated
themselves from all conventional laws.
8. Actions performed in the interest of self may be mistakenly regarded as
being altruistic.
9. Deceptive methods may be mistakenly regarded as being prudent.
10. Charlatans may be mistaken for Sages.
W. Y. Evans-Wentz, ed., Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines,
(Oxford University Press, 1935), 77.
There is no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clearly from falsehood; whoever rejects evil and believes in God has grasped the strongest rope that never breaks. And God is All-Hearing and All-Knowing. Quran 2:256.
In all the religious books of the world, Truth has been given the highest veneration for the reason that there is most excellent harmony in it. Mahendra Baba (1908-1969), Blessings and Precepts, quoted in: Radhe Shyam, I Am Harmony, P.84.
He that begins by loving Christianity better than truth will proceed by loving his own sect or church better than Christianity, and end in loving himself better than all. Samuel Taylor Coleridge, (1772-1824), submitted to Merton-L Discussion Group by Gary Horn.
It is a man-making religion that we want. It is a man-making education all round that we want. It is man-making theories that we want. And here is the test of truth: anything that makes you weak physically, intellectually, and spiritually, reject as poison; there is no life in it, it cannot be true. Truth is strengthening. Truth is purity, truth is all knowledge. Truth must be strengthening, must be enlightening, must be invigorating. Give up these weakening mysticisms and be strong. The greatest truths are the simplest things in the world, simple as your existence. Vivekananda, quoted in: Nikhilananda, Vivekananda, A Biography, P.120.
Masters don't teach truth; there is no way to teach it. It is a transmission beyond scriptures, beyond words. It is a transmission. It is energy provoking energy in you. It is a kind of synchronicity. Osho, Autobiography of a Spiritually Incorrect Mystic, P.161.
All the most complicated, deep, immense truths are told in the Gospels, but we do not see them because they are all really too simple to be seen. In themselves the greatest truths are simple. Because we take so long, in the circuits of our pride, to come at them, they seem complicated. Thomas Merton, Entering the Silence, P.11
Truth once walked through the streets, as naked as on the day he was born. People refused to let him enter their homes. Anyone he encountered would dash off in terror. As Truth wandered in great misery, he ran into Parable, who was all decked out in beautiful clothes with splendid colors. Parable (said): "(...) Let me tell you a secret about people. They want everything to be all gussied up and a bit disguised. I'll lend you clothes like mine, and you'll see that people will love you too." (...) A parable attributed to Yakov Krants, the Preacher of Dubno (1740-1804), quoted in: No Star Too Beautiful, P.113-4.
The saint's protection is Truth's sword:
your time with him
is worth as much as the cup of life itself.
Rumi, Mathnawi I, 715, quoted in: Helminski, Kabir (2000). The Rumi Collection. P.126.
Truth is the ultimate goal of human life, and if it is practiced with mind, speech and action, the goal can be reached. Truth can be attained by practicing non-lying and by not doing those actions which are against one's own conscience. Conscience is the best of guides. Swami Rama (2001). Living with the Himalayan Masters, P.61.
Buddha (...) replied, "Those who stake their truth against the truth of everyone else are blind. They do not see into the supreme truth that binds them all together." Jack Maguire. (2001). Essential Buddhism. P.23.
He who does not choose to suffer for the sake of truth will be chastened more painfully by suffering he has not chosen. St. Mark the Ascetic (4th Century C.E.), quoted in: The Philokalia, Vol. I., P.123.
He who stands in awe of God searches for the divine principles that God has
implanted in creation; the lover of truth finds them. St. Thalassios
the Libyan (VI-VII Century C.E.), quoted in: (1981). The Philokalia. Vol. II., P.310.
Accept the truth from
whatever source it comes. Moses Maimonides, a Jewish scholar, philosopher, physician and mystic,
(1135-1204). Introduction to the Shemonah
Peraqim, as quoted in Truth and Compassion:
Essays on Judaism and Religion in Memory of Rabbi Dr. Solomon Frank (1983)
Edited by Howard Joseph, Jack Nathan Lightstone, and
Michael D. Oppenheim, p. 168. Retrieved from http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Maimonides on
20 September 2009.
Truth is simple and open to all. Why do you complicate? Truth is loving and lovable. It includes all, accepts all, purifies all. It is untruth that is difficult and a source of trouble. It always wants, expects, demands. Being false, it is empty, always in search of confirmation and reassurance. It is afraid of and avoids enquiry. It identifies itself with any support, however weak and momentary. Whatever it gets, it loses and asks for more. (…). Sri Maharaj Nisargadatta. (2005). I am That. P.69.
Last update: 2013/06/03
See the related subjects: Conversion, Enlightenment, Inspiration, Mind, Reality, Righteousness, Scriptures, Transcendence, Wisdom