Abstract:
The purpose of this Thesis is the analytical study of the concept of truth in the philosophy of Theravada Buddhism in order to know the sources, meaning and details of the truth. These will accordingly unravel any problems which arise out of the misunderstanding that the doctrines in Buddist Philosophy are self-contradictory. The result of a study reveals that there are two categories of truth in Theravada Buddhism, one is the truth in the ultimate sense called Paramattha-sacca and another is the truth in conventional level called Sammati-sacca. The ultimate truth or Paramattha-sacca is the truth of things as they really are. They are corporeality and mentality which are devided into Citta, Cetasika, Ru ̅pa. and Nibba ̅na. This category of truth does not base upon perceptions or any determinations of man. Whether there is or is not anybody to know it, this kind of truth still exists as it is for all time. The conventional truth or Sammati-sacca is the truth that bases on the determinations of man and thus it is subject to change. To determine this kind of truth is to build a system of language for both naming every supposed things and using it as an equipment of communication. There are. Two kinds of determination to be created, namely, naming determination and meaning determination and these two are interdependent. This makes language full of utility. Ultimate truth stands on its own essential nature but to explain it we have to use a language which is conventional. Conventional truth is a determination of man; its essential nature is a supposed reality which in turn depends upon the ultimate truth. So, in Buddhist philosophy there are doctrines that are coherent with these two levels of truth for practising, namely, Lokuttaradhamma and Lokiyadhamma. lokuttaradhamma is the teaching for liberation. One who seeks liberation must understand the ultimate truth and strictly follow the Noble Eightfold Path. Lokiyadhamma is the teaching for one who wishes to live a happy life in human society in this world. When we critically examine and understand this two levels of truth, we will find that the Buddha's teachings are by no means contradictary, but are coherent and interdependent. It is as seeing one and the same thing from different angles. understanding of these two truths leads accordingly to a correct and better understanding of Buddhism.