In short: the Buddha valued truth in speech and in seeing: "Speak the truth, do not be angry, and give when asked, if only a little" (Dhammapada 224). He also taught people to test teachings for themselves, by whether they lead to harm or to welfare (AN 3.65). Here are six genuine quotes on truth, each with its source.
1. 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."
2. Dhammapada 12
"Having known the essential as essential, and the inessential as inessential; they realize the essential, for right thoughts are their habitat."
3. Dhammapada 11
"Thinking the inessential is essential, seeing the essential as inessential; they don't realize the essential, for wrong thoughts are their habitat."
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4. Dhammapada 393
"Not by matted hair or family, or birth is one a brahmin. Those who are truthful and principled: they are pure, they are brahmins."
5. Dhammapada 408
"The words they utter are polished, informative, and true, and don't offend anyone: that's who I declare a brahmin."
6. AN 3.65
"Please, Kālāmas, don't go by oral transmission, don't go by lineage, don't go by testament, don't go by canonical authority, don't rely on logic, don't rely on inference."
The "charter of free inquiry": test it for yourself.
"Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth" is only partly real. See the quote checker.
All quotes are from the early Buddhist texts in Bhikkhu Sujato's translation on SuttaCentral, copied exactly. Last checked: 17 October 2026.
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What did the Buddha say about truth?
'Speak the truth, do not be angry, and give when asked, if only a little' (Dhammapada 224).