Pravachan On Satya Truth

Satyam (Truth)

Satyam (Truth) can be defined and experienced at various levels.

Mahatma Gandhi experimented with different levels of truth in his life.
(Refer My Experiments With Truth by Mahatma Gandhi). lt is only when we are ready to experiment with the Truth, wish to experience lt and are willing to verify in our own life what we hear about lt, then we benefit from lt.

A student attended a discourse by a Master. The Master was saying, "... speak the truth ...". The student, on hearing this, immediately left the place. After a few weeks the master met him in the market-place and enquired why he had left during  the discourse and had not returned. The student said, "1 am trying to follow your instructions in my life.

Once I gain mastery in speaking the truth, I will come for the second lesson!".

Some people are skeptics or have only a scholastic interest in spiritual matters. Some say without even trying, 'lt is good to listen, but not practical to live'. Yet others opine, 'Such knowledge is useless and has no practical application. Even if it is practical, 1 cannot practice it. Even if 1 can, 1 will not! Without knowing the Truth my life is going on comfortably. I am considered successful and am reasonably happy.  What is the use of this knowledge? Why should 1 know the Truth? Why should I initiate this inquiry?'
 Presently, people are more interested in topics like practical Vedanta, Vedänta - the Means to Personality Development.  Nowadays we hear of:

Vedänta and Business Management, 

Vedänta for Better Relationships, 

Vedäntic Tips for Better Health, Vedänta - The Key to Success and so on. 

They are willing to know or learn about Vedänta only if assured of being better professionals, having better relationships and acquiring more wealth, power and fame. We are completely absorbed in the rat race. But let us be warned that 'in this rat race, even if you succeed, you still remain a rat.

The knowledge of the Absolute Truth has an immensely greater scope. lt transforms the finite individual into the Infinite Reality. lt puts an end not only to our immediate sorrow, but destroys all sorrows for all times to come. Becoming successful in the worldly sense, acquiring more wealth and such achievements are only its minor side-effects. We are somehow more interested in the utility of Truth than the Truth itseif. This is because we have more value for material achievements than for the Truth. 

Truth should be known for the very joy of discovering It, experiencing lt and living lt. When the Truth is not known, untruth is mistaken for the Truth, unreal for the Real and the not-Self for the Self. We remain Satyam (Truth) immersed in illusions, false notions, the unreal and the untruth. Such ignorance is not bliss. lt is the root cause of all our misery. When the Absolute Truth is known, it removes our misery forever (ätyantika dukkha nivrtti) and we gain supreme Bliss (paramänanda präpti)

Who then is a fit person for knowing the Truth? The following acid test would reveal our fitness to know the Truth:

a) If required, am 1 willing to do what 1 do not like and give up what I like, in order to know the Truth

b) If I am told that the Truth would disturb or put an end to my present way of living and thinking, am 1 still willing to know it?

c) Am  ready to face the Truth even if it is discovered to be terrible or bitter?

d) Am I willing to pursue it, whatever the cost?  I may even have to face death like Naciketa.

If the answer to all the above is 'yes', then I stand a good chance of knowing the Truth Unpolluted by thoughts of utility, let us begin the enquiry into the nature of Truth at various levels.

1. Absolute Truth (Päramärthika Satyam)
The Realty is Truth Now, what is real? What is unreal? If asked, 'Is the world real?' we answer in the affirmative We are undoubtedly of the opinion that it is so. We have carried this impression for a long time. But how did we determine that the world is real?
We have mentally formed a definition of reality and when the world is tested against this, it is found to be real. What is this definition? What are the criteria by which we determine the world as real?
We find that most of us believe the following:

a) Perceptibility (drsyatvam): Seeing is believing. That which is perceived by our senses or experienced by-our mind is considered real. I see this book, smell the flower, taste the food, hear the bird, feel the pain, hence the book, flower etc. are real. My experience of them makes them real to me. We argue that if they were unreal, we would not experience them.

b) Utility (upayogitä): I can read this book and gain knowledge, I drink water and quench my thirst, I  hear the chimes of the clock and know the time. The book, water and the clock can be transacted with. They have their own function and utility and therefore real to us. On the other hand, the unreal object cannot be transacted with. For example, you cannot drink mirage water.

c) Durability (sthiratä): That which is experienced again and again; for a long period of time is considered real. We see the sun rising each day, we live the pain of a chronic disease for a lifetime, the mother-in-law nags us for years..., and hence they are real. If they were unreal they would disappear in a short while or disappear after an experience, like a dream. Therefore, fleeting experiences have a dream-like unreality.

d) Majority (bahumattvam): The majority, in fact every one we know takes the world to be real. Therefore it must be real. If it were unreal many would have thought it to be so. The educated, rich, famous and powerful have always thought of the world as real. We feel that the Truth cannot be determined based on the words of a rare few who differ from the majority even though they talk from the scriptures.

All of us accept the above as the criteria for determining the reality of the world and ourselves. Based on these we conclude that the world is real. Now let us see if our definition is correct. Do the above criteria always hold true?
On delving further, we find that an object may be perceived, can be used, is durable and the majority consider it real, and yet, it may be false. In Biblical times, in the West, the earth was considered to be fiat. lt was believed that the sun moved around the earth. 

lt was considered a blasphemy to oppose this erroneous notion of the majority and the church. Yet the truth was proven to be different.
We perceive the rising and setting of the sun, the waning and waxing of the moon, mirage water in the desert, blueness in the sky and so on. We act based on these perceptions. We wake up when the sun rises and paint the sky blue, in a painting. Yet we know that the sun never rises or sets and that the sky is not blue. So what we perceive as true may not be true. That a voice is heard is true, but what is spoken could be a lie.  In the court of law also, the judgment is passed based on the evidence placed before the court. Even if a person is guilty, if he has a smart lawyer or if there is insufficient evidence, he could be acquitted. Once, a man accused of stealing shoes was taken to the court for trial. The judge, finding him innocent, passed the judgment 'not guilty'. He immediately asked the judge, "Does that mean 1 can keep the shoes!" Hence, what is seen or shown to us by others or by our own mind need not be the truth.

Also, the dream world is perceived, but the dream water does not quench one's thirst in the waking state. The dreamer may experience lifetimes in a dream and considers the dream world real. Yet we know it is not real. lt is evident that the above criteria cannot determine the truth conclusively. Then what is the determining factor?
Why is the dream unreal, even though it seems real to the dreamer? Ort waking, the dreamer and his entire dream world are negated. Therefore, uncontradictability (abhädhyatvam) conclusively determines the reality (satyatvam) of an object. When a person's words get contradicted, he is said to be lying.

King Janaka dreamt that he was a beggar, dying of hunger. Ort waking up, he asked the wise men in his  court, "Who is the real Janaka - the beggar or the king? 

Both seemed very real when experienced." Sage Ashtavakra told him that neither the beggar nor the king was real, as each was contradicted by the other. That which remained ever present in both these experiences is real.

A flower is seen and it emits a fragrance which is smelt.  lt is taken to be real. But when one touches, it is found to be of paper. The experience of the eyes and the nose gets negated by the touch and vice versa. Therefore which means of knowledge should we believe in? In this case, touch is the determining factor in deciding the reality of the flower. Even though, the two senses (eyes and nose) say it is real, touch proves it to be unreal. Touch is called the powerful means or authentic means (prabala pramaana) in this case. Therefore, Truth is that which gets confirmed by authentic means and does not get contradicted by any other means. A doctor declares a patient dead but thereafter the patient gets up! Whose experience is more authentic? Naturally, the patient's, even if the doctor has a lot of degrees and years of experience!

In determining the absolute Truth which is beyond the mmd and the senses, the Vedas (Sruti) are the authentic means. They are the declarations of Truth, realized by the great Seers in their seat of meditation. This can be arrived at through logic (yukti) and confirmed by our own discovery of the Truth (anubhUti).

The Gita (2.16) says, 'The Seers have determined the Truth and understood what is real and unreal. That which is unreal has no existence and that which is real has no non-existence.
Nasato vidyate bhavo nabhavo vidyate sataha,
ubhayorapi drstontas-tvanayos-tattvadarsibhii.
             
The Truth never gets negated nor does it become absent. lt is not subject to appearance and disappearance. That  whichever is and never ceases to be is real. What is that whichever is? We see that a tree exists; when cut, logs exist; when chopped further, sticks exist; when burnt, ashes exist. In and through all the changes in the name, form and attributes, the Existence - the 'Is-ness' of the object is ever present.

 Let us consider another example. I am a husband, a brother, a father and a son. In and through all my relations,’ I am' remains unchanged.  Existence which is my true nature remains uncontradicted. Hence it is the absolute Truth.
Adi Sankaräcärya defines Truth as that about which our thoughts do not change (yad visayaa buddhihi na vyabhicarati tat sat) and untruth as that about which our thoughts change (yad visaaya buddhih vyabhicarati tat asat). 

Take a block of gold. All kinds of ornaments - bangles, rings, chains and so on are made from it. In and through all the thoughts of gold ornaments (this is a bangle, this is a ring, this is a chain and so on) 1 experience the gold thought - this is gold. The gold does not change. Hence in this example, gold is real. The names and forms are only relatively real, not absolutely so.

The names, forms and attributes do have a function and can be transacted with. In fact, without them no transaction is possible. I cannot wear a block of gold; 1 can only wear a chain.   Similarly I need to use a clay pot to carry water. 1 cannot carry water in a clod of clay. Even though transaction is not possible without a name and form, we actually experience the substance or the essence alone. When I touch the ornaments I touch only the gold. When I touch the pot I touch only the clay. Its value is also because of the essence. 

We may give a sentimental value to the chain; but the goldsmith sees only the gold in it and values it accordingly.
We can define the Reality or the Truth as being that which has an independent existence. Its existence is not because of any other object, being or experience. All exist because of Existence; without Existence none can exist. In the text Saddarashana Ramana Mahrsi says, 'Can there be thought of existence of any object without the Existence Principle, the 'Truth?' (satpratyaya kiim nu vihaaya santam) Even the concept of non-existence cannot exist without Existence.
What then, do we consider as unreal? 

The unreal is that which has no independent existence. All gold ornaments and clay pots exist because of gold and clay respectively. But gold and clay can exist even without the various shapes and sizes of ornaments and pots. Before the ornaments were made, gold existed. When all the ornaments are melted, gold alone remains. 

Its existence is independent of the presence and absence of the ornaments. Similarly, the Truth is independent of the presence or the absence of time, space, objects, names, forms and attributes. lt existed before creation and will exist even after the dissolution of the world. lt ever exists.  All else exist because of lt.

To know the absolute Truth as my own true nature is the very goal of human existence.  Knowing it, man becomes immortal, fearless and totally free. The seeker thus prays, 'The Truth is veiled by the golden disc of glittering names and forms. Oh Lord, remove this veiling and reveal Thyself to me, who am the seeker of the Truth (Isavasya Upanishad).

Mundak Upanshad says that 'the path to the highest Truth is led by (the empirical) Truth' (satyena pantha vitato devayaah.   By following the principles of truth in our daily life we become fit for gaining the Absolute.'
Now we move on to the discussion of truth at the empirical level.
II. Empirical Truth (vyaavaHaarikaa Satyam)

Truth has a very important role to play in our day to-day life. It is a fundamental value and its adherence is considered the common duty (Saamaanya Dharma) for all of mankind, all through life. It is said that God is Truth. Truth in philosophy is called God in religion. All religions of the world give importance to truth. lt is the very foundation for a good life. Following the principles of truth makes us strong within, integrates our personality, endows us with peace of mmd, confidence, fearlessness and gives us credibility and respect from others. It spreads goodness in society and helps to integrate it. 

A truly honest man has the strength to make mighty powers bow before himn. Even the phenomenal powers change their nature in front of him. When Sitaji entered the fire to prove her purity (agni pariksha), even fire changed its nature and became cold.

Now we shall discuss some interesting aspects of Truth.

A. Speak the Truth (satyam vada):
From early childhood we are told to speak the truth. Religion too advises us to do the same. Even in court we take an oath, '1 will speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth'. Yet this value seems so difficult to follow. Why?
To state facts as they are without exaggeration or hiding is 'to be honest'. Half-truths or exaggerated facts are also untruths. When facts show us in a bad light, deny us some material benefit or lead us to discomfort, we generally resort to untruth. If I tell others I do not pay taxes, I would be known as a cheat; so I lie. If I lie about my caste, I would be eligible for admission in a good college even without getting good grades; so 1 lie. If I confess I have stolen, I would be jailed; so I lie.

Popular opinion holds that 'Honest people suffer. The dishonest become rich, succeed, come to power and are respected. Therefore dishonesty. pays. There is no place for honest people in the present day. . . 'Is this true? Superficially dishonesty seems to win. But if we take a closer look, we realize that it has disastrous consequences. When we lie, there is a 'doer-knower split' within us. 

I know what I speak is not right. This causes agitation, tension, fear of discovery, more lies, low self-esteem, disintegrated personality, lack of confidence, weak will power and so on. Also one who lies generally distrusts others as well. 

'A sinner always suspects others of sinning ' (paapi sarvatra papam asankatay). Unfortunately we never realize how much harm untruth does to us. We somehow believe that disshonesty pays. So we continue to harm ourselves through untruths.

Also when a person lies, he swears that he is speaking the truth. The lie succeeds only when it is considered to be the truth. All criminal activities to survive because of truth. Gangsters have their own code of ethics. They also have to be honest and trust each other's words to be ahle to do their criminal work. Untruth has no face to show. lt presents itself in the garb of truth alone.

lt is a strange phenomenon that though we may lie, we always want others to speak the truth. We may be doing wrong business, but we wish to employ honest people The lawyer expects his client to tell him the truth even though he may lie in order to prove him innocent.

We generally want others to follow values. That by itself shows that we value values like truth.

Spoken truth should have the following characteristics:

i. Speak verified words (pramaana bhütaanam Vaakyam): The words that we speak should be authentic, verified and valid. In case we do not know the truth of a matter, we should say so. Our opinions should not be passed on as facts. A teacher asked a student, "How do you spell 'table'?" The student replied, "t-e-b-a-l". The teacher said, "The dictionary does not say so." The student retorted, "You asked me how I spelled it, not how the dictionary spells it!"

Many a time’s parents and teachers give wrong information to children because they do not wish to appear ignorant. 

In the Prasnopaniad there is the story of a great king approaching Sage Bharadvaja and asking him a question. The Sage confesses that he does not know the answer. The king does not believe that such a great soul would not know the answer. The Sage said, "If 1 knew, why would I not teil you? However, if I lie, my entire family will be destroyed and the great name of my ancestors will be tainted.   I shall therefore, not lie." The Sage later asks Sage Pippalaada to remove his ignorance.

ii. Speak sweet words (priyam bruyaat): Sometimes the truth may be bitter and unpleasant. If however one has to speak or convey an unpleasant fact, it should be spoken sweetly, pleasantly, gently and softly.  Shri Räma was exiled to the forest on the day of his coronation. He broke this news gently to his is mother saying, 'My father has given me the kingdorn of the forest (pita dina mohi kaanana raaju). He stated this without bitterness, sarcasm or blame.

One should prepare the other person before speaking a bitter truth —'1 am going to say something which may not be very pleasant. ..‚ To be rude and blunt is not in keeping with the spirit of speaking the truth. We should therefore pray to the Lord - May my words be noble and sweet (jihva me madhumattama).

iii. Speak for the weil being of others (hitam brüyät): lt is said, 'The words of truth are good. But nobler still is to speak words in which lies the well-being of others. That alone is the truth.'

satyasya vachaanaama sreyaha  satyadapi hitaam vadet,
yad bhüta-hitam-atyantam tat satyam iti mataam mama.

Yudhithira prompted by Shri Krishna in the battlefield of Kuruksetra said that Ashvataama was dead. He knew that Dronacharya understood it to be his beloved son (and not the elephant of that name which had died). Shri Krishna acted for the well-being of all and therefore this was not dishonesty.

At times, a doctor has to lie to a patient if he feels that the patient cannot take the bad news. The motive is the well-being of another, hence it is not untruth. One should however not compromise one's value for truth due to selfish interest projected as the well-being of others. Well-being should be understood as that in which lies the good of all.

iv. Speak measured words (mitam bruyaat): Speak only what needs to be spoken. A person who talks too much tends to exaggerate and sometimes lie. A disciple was about to pass on the latest gossip in town. The Master asked him a few questions, "Is it true? Will it benefit anyone? Is it pleasing? If the answer to all this is - no, then don't speak it!"

B. Fulfilling your words (satyavrata):To take a vow or make a resolution and fulfill it or to fulfill the promise given to another, come what may, is called satyavrata. We take on religious vows and try to find loopholes in fulfilling them. We make resolutions about dieting and then break them. People have a habit of giving false assurances and promises. Sometimes they do not mean it even as they say it. We often hear, "1 will definitely come to your house" even when the person means he definitely will not. Before elections politicians promises, 'If elected I will give jobs to all', an impossible promise to fulfill. 

Sometimes the words are meant when they are spoken, but, later, people change their resolve as it proves too much trouble to fulfill it. They also change their minds out of selfishness or indifference. 

Many even forget that they have given their word. If they remember, they lie about it or say that they never meant it!

 Sri- Rama's famous words on this are - 'lt is the tradition of the Raghus that they will fulfill their promises even if they have to give up their lives in doing so' (raghukula riti sadaa chali aayi praana jayi para vacana na jayi).
The noble king Haricandra was cailed Satyavrati Haricandra, as he underwent immense difficulties in order to fulfill his words. Devavrata was called Bhisma (one of great vow) when he took the vow of life-long celibacy.

In India, performing the Satyanarayana pooja and reading the Satyanarayana katha is quite common. Therein are stories of people who promise to perform the puja in order to gain something. When the Lord fulfills their desire, they forget to keep their promises. They are subjected to the Lord's anger and lose everything. In repentance, they fulfill their words and the Lord is gracious again. People ask, 'Why should the Lord get angry? Why does He need our worship?' They are mistaken. They miss the point altogether. They do not think, 'Why did the person forget his promise?' The Lord is compassionate enough to remind him of his unrighteous act. He sets the man on the right path. If everyone fulfilled their words, then, written agreements, affidavits and courts would have no role to play. The spoken word itself would be enough. But we see that even after writing, people go back on their words.

One should however, think well before taking a vow or making promises. Bhishma took a vow that he would be loyal to the throne of Hastinäpura. This was one of the causes of the Mahäbhärata war. If he had vowed loyalty to righteousness, the great disaster could have been prevented.

C. Intellectual Honesty (rtam):The truth ascertained by the study of the scriptures, at various levels is called rtam (Shastra Nirmitam  Satyam). Our conviction about the absolute Truth, its nature and role, about truth as a value to be followed in life, the truth about ourselves as we are - is all Rtam. To manifest that in life is satyam (tasya Aviskaranam).

D. Honest conduct (sadachaara):Intellectual honesty, good motives and noble thoughts manifest as righteous behavior at the body level. To be honest and steadfast in following one's duties, however unpleasant they may seem to be, is Sadachaara. To act with the belief that 'the truth alone wins, never the untruth' 

(Satyameva Jayate Nanrtam) is Sadaachaara. 

For such a person dishonesty is worse than death. 'To be good and do good is our supreme duty' (Achaaraha Paramo Dharma).  Shri Ram loved everyone. But he loved dharma above all. He was therefore called 'the very embodiment of righteousness' (Ramo Vigrahavan Dharmaha).

When we speak what we think and do what we speak and think, there is integration within us. An evil man may speak out his evil intentions and act accordingly also, but he is not called an integrated person, as he knows well that his deed is wrong. 

Also there is no unfolding of his personality due to his seemingly integrated behavior. The cunning, distracted or selfish man thinks one thing, speaks another and acts totally differently. An honest man thinks, speaks and acts in an integrated manner. 

His efforts are therefore single pointed and rewarding. The seeker thus prays, 'May my speech be established in my mind and my mind in my speech. May the Truth reveal itself to me' (Van Me Manasi Prathishtitaa, Mano Me Vaci Pratishtitam, Aavir Aavirmaa Edhi). To  such a noble soul of honest conduct, the knowledge of the absolute Truth is easily attained.

The topic of Truth is endless in its scope and depth. These are just a few aspects we have touched. In the end, we conclude by stating that the Lord resides in the heart of each, and the Lord is the Truth and hence, each one knows within, what is truth and untruth The inner voice prompts us to be always honest in some lt is clear, in others dullened and ignored, but present all the same. lt is heard when you are alone with yourself, when you face yourself or look within.
Satyam itself is Shivam which we will discuss another time.........................