In short: the Buddha's first lesson to his young son was honesty: "I will not tell a lie, even for a joke" (MN 61). Here are four genuine quotes, each with its source.
1. MN 61
"So you should train like this: 'I will not tell a lie, even for a joke.'"
MN 61 · More
2. Dhammapada 224
"Speak the truth, do not be angry, and give when asked, if only a little. By these three means, you may enter the presence of the gods."
Dhammapada 224
3. Dhammapada 176
"When a personage, spurning the hereafter, transgresses in just one thing— lying— there is no evil they would not do."
Dhammapada 176
4. AN 5.198
"It is speech that is timely, true, gentle, beneficial, and loving."
AN 5.198 · More
All quotes are from the early Buddhist texts in Bhikkhu Sujato's translation on SuttaCentral, copied exactly. Last checked: 18 October 2026.
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What did the Buddha say about lying?
'So you should train like this: I will not tell a lie, even for a joke' (MN 61).