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out immediately. But the man does not want the arrow Min Wei: In this Abhayarājakumāra Sutta, the Buddha
to be removed until he knows who shot it, his age, his explains the criteria for determining whether or not
parents, and why he shot it. What would happen to him? something is worth saying. In this discourse, the Buddha
If he were to wait until all these questions have been not only refers to right speech, but also demonstrates
answered, the man would be dead by then. As life is the importance of right speech in action.
short, the Buddha adviced that we should not spend our
time in endless metaphysical speculation that does not The Buddha’s most important teaching is known as
bring us any closer to the truth. “The Four Noble Truths,” which is accepted within all
Buddhist schools. In the teaching on the Four Noble
Namgyal: In the Tibetan Buddhist literature, we Truths, the Buddha taught about “suffering and the end
generally speak of 62 such so-called unanswered of suffering.” It is important to note that the Buddha
questions. Collectively enumerated in the Brahmājāla did not just teach about the truth of suffering, but also
Sūtra, they’re believed to be questions presented to the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of
the Buddha by particular individuals with specific suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end
philosophical leanings, at different times when Buddha of suffering. And they are called noble truths because
chose to keep silence instead of answering. It’s given they liberate us from suffering. They also form the
that Buddha kept silent as he perceived that answering foundation of Buddhism.
them one way or the other would have been harmful
to those individuals in the long run. Since each of those Namgyal: The Buddha always speaks the truth or speaks
questions were being asked under the presumption of from a benevolent point of view, and never speaks out
one of the distorted views, answering the question was of a motivation to deceive, which would constitute
either going to further cement their view of eternalism a lie when what he says does not reflect the fact at
or plunge them into nihilism. As the Buddha’s primary hand. However, how he relates that truth or handles
concern was to benefit others, answering those the situation depends on what is the most useful in
questions, on those occasions would not have achieved a particular context. Therefore, the manner of his
his purpose. Buddha, however, deals with those same teaching is contextual, although at all given times what
topics at other appropriate occasions. he speaks is never a lie.

This brings us to the question if the Buddha’s In the Vīmaṃsaka Sutta, MN 47, it is mentioned that
approach to truth is purely based on the truth can only be verified through direct experience.
soteriological and therapeutic concern of ending If this refers to meditative experience, what types of
suffering. We get a glimpse of this in such discourses meditation would lead us to access the truth?
as the Abhayarājakumāra Sutta, MN 58 where Aggacitta: In Vijjābhāgiya Sutta (AN 2.30), the Buddha
it is stated that the Buddha only speaks what is said that both samatha (serenity, stilling the mind)
true, pleasant or unpleasant but useful, and in the and vipassanā (distinct seeing) have a share in vijjā
parable of the arrow in the Cūḷamālunkya Sutta, MN (gnosis). With samatha practice, the mind is developed
63. Does this mean that the Buddha is not interested and passion, a major obstacle in the spiritual quest,
in truth per se but only truth that can lead us to end is abandoned. With vipassanā, paññā (wisdom) is
our suffering? developed and ignorance abandoned. Note that the
term access the truth has to be understood in context:
Aggacitta: Precisely so. He also reiterated this by saying for vipassanā, it means experientially seeing the three
that what he had taught was like the leaves in his hand, characteristics of impermanence, suffering and not-self
compared with what he knew which was like all the due to causality in conditioned phenomena; but for
leaves in the simsapa forest. (5) paññā, it means realizing the Unconditioned, Nibbāna,
the ultimate truth.