Engaging with Truth in the Context of Indic Faiths

A Reflective Guide for Christian Leaders by Rahil Patel

Rethinking How We Talk About Truth

If you’ve ever had a deep conversation with someone from Hindu, Jain, Sikh, or Buddhist backgrounds, you might have noticed something unusual: truth doesn’t always mean the same thing to these groups as it does to Christians.

As Christians, one tends to think about truth as absolute, objective, and ultimately found in Christ. Christians often approach conversations with a framework that assumes people are seeking ultimate truth and that one’s role is to guide them toward Jesus.

That approach works well in many cases – especially when engaging with atheists, Muslims, or secular thinkers, who also deal with truth in propositional or absolute terms. But in the world of Indic religions, truth isn’t necessarily something people are “searching” for in the same way.

Instead, in Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism, truth (Satya) is often seen as something experiential, contextual, or even transcendent beyond words. Truth is not just about “right beliefs” – it’s about self-realisation, divine connection, ethical living, or spiritual liberation.

So, if we try to engage by saying, “Let me explain why Jesus is the truth,” we might miss the point. Not because Jesus isn’t the truth, but because that isn’t necessarily the question being asked.

So how does one engage well? How can Christians respectfully and effectively engage with a different worldview while still faithfully pointing to Christ?

It starts with understanding how the Indic mind sees truth.

How Different Indic Faiths View Truth

1. Truth in Christianity: Jesus as the Ultimate Reality

In the Christian worldview, truth is:

• Absolute – It does not change based on personal perspective.
• Objective – It is real whether someone believes it.
• Revealed by God – We don’t discover it; it is given to us.

Jesus defines truth in personal terms:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

Truth is not just an idea or a principle, it is a person. And this is where conversations with people from Indic faiths can become both challenging and exciting.

Because while Christianity says truth is singular and revealed by God, the Indic traditions often say:

• Truth is vast and multifaceted (Jainism).
• Truth is something to be experienced, not just known (Hinduism & Buddhism).
• Truth is about ethical living, not just belief (Sikhism).

Let’s explore each one.

2. Truth in Hinduism: Eternal, Cosmic, and Experiential

For Hindus, Satya (truth) is not just about being factually correct, it is about aligning with the deeper reality of existence.

Truth is closely tied to Dharma (moral & cosmic order), meaning it is not just about what is right, but about what is harmonious and righteous.

Key Hindu Ideas About Truth

• Truth is eternal (Sanatana) – It exists beyond time and human perception.
• Truth is tied to Dharma – Living truthfully means acting in harmony with the universe.
• Truth is experiential – It must be realised through wisdom, devotion, or self-discipline.

Hinduism is diverse, so different traditions interpret truth differently:

A. Advaita Vedanta (Non-Dualism): Truth as Brahman Alone

Founded by Adi Shankaracharya, this philosophy teaches that truth is oneness with Brahman (the impersonal, formless ultimate reality).

Everything else, including our sense of self, is Maya (illusion).

Realising Brahman is the only true existence is the path to Moksha (liberation).

Illustration:

Think of a wave in the ocean. It appears separate, but it is ultimately just the ocean itself.

Likewise, we seem separate from God, but we are one with Brahman.

B. Bhakti Traditions (Vaishnavism, Shaivism, etc.): Truth as Devotion to God

Here, truth is not an abstract realisation but a deep, personal connection with God. (Note: Not personal in the Christian sense where God ‘knows’ the individual intimately or is involved intricately as in all Indic faiths the being is not made in the image of God).

Krishna, Vishnu, Shiva, or Devi (the Goddess) is seen as the highest reality (Param Satya).

Knowing the truth means surrendering in devotion to God.

Illustration:

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna declares:

“I am the truth, I am the beginning, I am the end.” (Bhagavad Gita 10.32)

(This translation is fairly Christianised (for many reasons) but what the original Sanskrit text translates broadly is that Krishna describes himself as the beginning, middle, and end of creation, but in the context of cyclic cosmic order and divine manifestation, not in the sense of an exclusive monotheistic “Truth” claim like Jesus in John 14:6.

The phrase “I am the Truth” is not explicitly there, though Krishna does identify with spiritual wisdom (adhyatmavidya) and ultimate reality.

The phrase “I am the end” is also part of a broader context as Krishna is not claiming to be the final revelation of truth, but rather the eternal presence within creation.)

C. Karma Yoga and Dharma: Truth as Righteous Action

Truth is not just knowledge, but action.

Truthful living means upholding righteousness (Dharma), speaking with integrity, and fulfilling one’s duty.

Example: The Hindu incarnation Rama in the epic Ramayana (like Iliad and Odyssey) is called Satya-Sandha (one devoted to truth) because he keeps his promises, even at great personal cost.

How This Shapes Conversations with Hindus:

• “What does truth mean to you?”
• “Do you believe truth is something to be discovered or something revealed by God?”
• “Is truth about knowledge, devotion, or righteous action?”
• If you had an experiential encounter with Christ, would that resemble truth to you?”

A Gentle Bridge to Christ:

Many Hindus respect Jesus as a great teacher but may not see Him as the exclusive truth.

So, a question: “Jesus didn’t just teach truth, He said He IS the truth. What do you think that means?” Or “If I say, would you like to ‘meet’ Jesus? What would that mean to you?”

3. Truth in Jainism: A Multifaceted and Non-Absolutist Approach

Jainism (6th Century BC) offers one of the most unique views of truth in the world. It teaches that truth is always partial and dependent on perspective. This is known as Anekantavada (the doctrine of many-sided truth).

Key Jain Ideas About Truth

• Truth is complex and multifaceted – No single perspective fully grasps it.
• Truth must be approached with humility – Avoiding dogmatic statements is essential as this is seen as arrogant.
• Truth must be spoken carefully – It should never cause harm (Ahimsa).

Two Key Jain Philosophies on Truth

Anekantavada (Many-Sidedness): No one has the full truth, so we must respect multiple perspectives.

Syadvada (Conditional Statements): Every statement should be qualified with “from one perspective…” because truth depends on context.

Illustration:

The Blind Men and the Elephant – The source of this story has its origins in Jainism which later spread to Buddhism, Hinduism, Sufism and became popularised in the west by the American poet Godfrey Saxe (19th Century).

Several blind men touch different parts of an elephant.

One touches the trunk and says, “An elephant is like a snake.”

Another touches the leg and says, “No, an elephant is like a tree.”

Another touches the ear and says, “No, it is like a fan.”

Each perspective is partially true, but incomplete.

How This Shapes Conversations with Jains

• “Do you think truth is something absolute or something that depends on perspective?”
• “Can ultimate truth be known, or is it always partial?”
• “How would you feel if Jesus offered a deep satisfaction of ‘complete’ truth?”

A Gentle Bridge to Christ:

Jains value non-dogmatic, careful speech, so instead of making bold claims, try:

“What if truth is not just a concept, but a person you can know?”

4. Truth in Sikhism: A Lived Reality

For Sikhs, truth (Satya) is not just a concept, it is something that must be lived out.

In Sikhism, truth is deeply tied to God (Ik Onkar), righteous living, and social justice. The goal is not just to know truth but to embody it through devotion, honesty, and selfless service.

“Truth is high, but higher still is truthful living.”

This statement from Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, captures the Sikh view well: truth is not just about knowing what is right, it is about living it.

Key Sikh Ideas About Truth

• Truth is linked to God (Ik Onkar) – The ultimate reality.
• Truth must be lived out – Honesty, ethical work, and justice.
• Truth is about integrity – Not just beliefs, but how one treats others.

Sikhism does not separate spiritual truth from practical truth as they are one and the same.

Three Ways Sikhs Experience Truth

Kirat Karni (Honest Living): Sikhs are expected to work hard and earn an honest livelihood without deception. Truthful living means integrity in business, family, and community.

Naam Japna (Devotion to God): Truth is found through meditation on God’s name, chanting & prayer, and remembering Ik Onkar.

Vand Chakna (Social Justice & Generosity): Truth is about justice and equality. This is why Sikhs emphasise service (Seva), feeding the poor (Langar), and standing up for the oppressed.

How This Shapes Conversations with Sikhs

• “How do you see truth shaping the way you live?”
• “Does Kiran Karni, shape the heart and help mitigate evil thoughts and desires”?
• “Is truth something earned through action, or something given by God?”
• “Where did you get the idea of Justice and equality?” (It came from Christianity into Sikhism which helped push back on the Hindu caste system)

A Gentle Bridge to Christ:

Sikhs already believe truth must be lived out. The key difference is that Christianity teaches that we can never fully “live” the truth on our own because we need grace.

“What if truth is not something we achieve, but something revealed by God in Jesus?”

5. Truth in Buddhism: A Path to Liberation

In Buddhism, truth is not about factual accuracy or correspondence with reality, it is about overcoming suffering and reaching enlightenment.

Buddhist truth is pragmatic; it is considered valuable only if it helps people find peace. It is helpful to understand, however, that in all four Indic contexts, peace is understood primarily as the absence of chaos, not the presence of a person as in Christ. Detachment leads to peace which inadvertently requires a somewhat desensitised heart towards suffering, both on a personal and global scale..

Key Buddhist Ideas About Truth

• Truth is pragmatic – It matters only if it leads to liberation from suffering.
• Truth is about perception – Ultimate truth is realising that all things are impermanent (different understanding of perception to Jainism).
• Truth is found in the Four Noble Truths – The path to Nirvana.

The Four Noble Truths: The Core of Buddhist Truth

Dukkha (Suffering): Life is full of suffering and impermanence.

Samudaya (Cause of Suffering): Suffering is caused by attachment and craving.

Nirodha (Cessation of Suffering): The way to end suffering is to let go of desires. It is helpful to know that this concept of “letting go” in Buddhism is not to be confused with “Surrendering things (matters of life) to Christ.” The first assumes that desires, problems and suffering are not a part of a person and so one should ‘allow’ to ‘let them go.’ The latter involves recognising that sin and suffering are part of the human condition, and that by surrendering to Christ, one can receive redemption and restoration, along with peace and grace amid it all.

Magga (The Path): The Eightfold Path (right speech, right actions, right mindfulness, etc.) leads to Nirvana.

For Buddhists, truth is not about doctrine but finding freedom from suffering.

Two Levels of Truth in Buddhism

Paramarthika Satya (Ultimate Truth): The deeper reality that all things are impermanent and lack inherent selfhood (Anatman). Anatman means “no-self” which means even the soul is forever changing and is impermanent.

Samvriti Satya (Conventional Truth): The relative, everyday truths we use in life (e.g., “I am a teacher” or “This is my book”).

A Buddhist might say: “The self exists in a conventional sense, but ultimately, there is no permanent ‘I’.”

How This Shapes Conversations with Buddhists

• “Is truth something external or something discovered through experience?”
• “How do you see truth in relation to suffering and peace?”

A Gentle Bridge to Christ:

Rather than arguing about absolute truth, a better approach is to talk about peace and liberation.

“Jesus came to bring ultimate peace, not just in this life but eternally. What do you think of His words, ‘Come to me, all who are weary, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28)?”

Final Thoughts: Practical Ways to Engage with Indic Faiths About Truth

With a clearer understanding of how different Indic traditions see truth, how can Christians engage meaningfully with friends from these backgrounds?

1. Start with Open-Ended Questions

Instead of starting with statements, start with questions.

• “What does truth mean to you?”
• “Is truth something absolute or personal for you?”
• “How does truth shape your daily life?”
• “When you ‘search’ for truth, how is that practiced?” (Using the term ‘Practice’ is better to understand the heart and mind than asking “what do you believe?)”

These questions will encourage listening and understanding of the Indic framework before introducing Christ.

2. Recognise that the pursuit of truth may have different levels of significance.

Many Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists aren’t actively seeking an “ultimate truth” in the way a Christian might expect. Instead, they might be pursuing wisdom, spiritual harmony, righteous action, or inner peace. That means a statement like “Jesus is the only truth” may not immediately resonate. Instead, a better bridge might be:

 “Jesus didn’t just teach truth – He said He IS the truth. What do you think that means?”

3. Emphasise That Truth is a Person, Not Just a Concept

Rather than debating abstract truth, it is more helpful to emphasise that truth is someone we can know and who can know us deeply and intimately.

A Jain might say:

“Truth is always relative.”

“But what if truth is not just a concept but a person you can know?”

A Sikh might say:

“Truth is about how we live.”

“What if truth is not something we achieve but someone who changes us?”

A Buddhist might say:

“Truth is about overcoming suffering.”

“Jesus came to bring lasting peace. This is not just freedom from suffering but eternal joy.”

4. Respect the Indic Framework Before Explaining Christ.

Rather than pushing a Western philosophical framework onto the conversation, it is important and respectful to meet the Indic heart and mind where it currently is.

If someone sees truth as devotion (Hinduism), righteous action (Sikhism), or liberation from suffering (Buddhism), start from there before explaining how Jesus can fulfil their deepest longing.

5. Recognise the Differences While Still Building Bridges

Concept	Christianity	Hinduism	Jainism	Sikhism	Buddhism
Nature of Truth	Absolute, unchanging, personal (God).	Eternal principle, tied to Dharma, cosmic and cyclic.	Relative, multifaceted (Anekantavada)	Divine and ethical truth.	Pragmatic, leading to liberation.
Ultimate Truth	Jesus Christ, God’s Word.	Brahman (supreme reality) or devotion to a deity.	No single absolute truth.	God (Ik Onkar).	Nirvana, emptiness.
Path to Truth	Divine revelation, faith in Christ.	Self-realization, wisdom, meditation, devotion.	Logical analysis, non-violence.	Devotion, righteous living.	Meditation, mindfulness, insight.

Final Thoughts

The goal is not just to explain Christianity but to help people see how Jesus can meet their deepest spiritual longings.

So rather than asking:

“How can I prove Jesus is the truth?”

Try asking:

“How does Jesus fulfil what this person is truly seeking?”

Because at the end of the day, truth isn’t just an idea, it’s a person.

 

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Further Reading:

Much of the material in this piece has been drawn from discussions and tutorials with Sanskrit scholars during my time studying and living as a Hindu monk. To aid further investigation, I have compiled a list of references below, offering accessible resources in the English language. Note: English can and does distort certain concepts at times. Also, I cannot claim to be an ‘expert’ in Jainism, Sikhism or Buddhism but as the 4 blend and blur in many ways it is not so hard to see the differences, nuances and similarities. On that note, I have provided credible further reading if required.

Primary Religious Texts

Hinduism (most English versions are fine but here’s a start)

1. Bhagavad Gita – A Hindu scripture where Krishna teaches Arjuna about truth (Satya), duty (Dharma), and devotion (Bhakti).

Key References:

• Chapter 10 (Vibhuti Yoga): Krishna declares his divine manifestations.
• Chapter 4 (Jnana Yoga): Truth as self-realisation through wisdom.
• Recommended Translations:
• Bhagavad Gita: A New Translation, Stephen Mitchell (2000)
• The Bhagavad Gita According to Gandhi, Mahadev Desai (2016)

2. Upanishads – Philosophical texts exploring Brahman (ultimate reality) and Atman (self).
   Key Reference:

• Chandogya Upanishad 6.2.1: “Tat Tvam Asi” (“You are That”) – Truth as self-realisation.
• Recommended Translations:
• The Upanishads, Eknath Easwaran (2007)
• The Principal Upanishads, S. Radhakrishnan (1953)

3. Vedas (Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, Atharvaveda) – Ancient Hindu scriptures, foundational for truth and cosmic order (Rta).
   Key Reference:

• Rigveda 10.190.1: Truth is tied to Dharma (cosmic order).
  Recommended Translation:
• The Rigveda: The Earliest Religious Poetry of India, Stephanie W. Jamison & Joel P. Brereton (2014)

4. Ramayana & Mahabharata – Hindu epics exploring righteousness and divine truth.
   Key References:

• Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda: Rama as “Satya-Sandha” (devoted to truth).
• Mahabharata – Bhishma Parva: Krishna’s discourse on Dharma and truth.
  Recommended Translations:
• The Ramayana: A Modern Retelling, Ramesh Menon (2001)
• The Mahabharata, John D. Smith (2009)

Jainism

5. Tattvartha Sutra – A Jain text explaining Anekantavada (many-sided truth).
   Key Reference:

• Chapter 1: Truth as relative and dependent on perception.
• Recommended Translation:
• Tattvartha Sutra: That Which Is, Umasvati, trans. Nathmal Tatia (1994)

6. Acaranga Sutra – A Jain scripture emphasizing truth (Satya) and non-violence (Ahimsa).
   Key Reference:

• Book 1, Lecture 4: The Jain vow of truth-speaking.
  Recommended Translation:
• The Akaranga Sutra, Hermann Jacobi (1884)

Sikhism

7. Guru Granth Sahib – The central Sikh scripture, emphasising truthful living.
   Key Reference:

• Japji Sahib (First Hymn): “Truth is high, but higher still is truthful living.”
  Recommended Studies:
• The Sikh Religion, Vol. 1-6, Max Arthur Macauliffe (1909)
• The Essence of the Guru Granth Sahib – Pashaura Singh (2005)

8. Japji Sahib (composed by Guru Nanak) – A foundational Sikh text on truth and divine reality.
   Recommended Translation:

• Japji: The Path of Devotion, Kirpal Singh (1992)

Buddhism

9. Dhammapada – A collection of Buddha’s teachings on truth and ethical living.
   Key Reference:

• Verses 277-279: “All conditioned things are impermanent; realising this is the path to truth.”
  Recommended Translation:
• The Dhammapada, Eknath Easwaran (2007)

10. Pali Canon (Tipitaka) – Early Buddhist scriptures on the Four Noble Truths.
    Key Reference:

• Samyutta Nikaya 56.11: The Buddha’s first sermon on the Four Noble Truths.
  Recommended Study:
• In the Buddha’s Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon, Bhikkhu Bodhi (2005)

The Holy Bible (Christianity)

Key Verses on Truth:

• John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
• John 17:17: “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
• Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all who are weary, and I will give you rest.”

Academic & Theological Works

Comparative Religion & Indic Thought

11. Gavin Flood – An Introduction to Hinduism (1996) – A scholarly overview of Hindu thought.
    Key Reference: Chapter 2: Cosmic and experiential truth.
12. John E. Cort – Jains in the World (2001) – A study on Jain Anekantavada (many-sided truth).
    Key Reference: Chapter 4: Jain logic of truth.
13. Arvind-Pal Singh Mandair – Sikhism: A Guide for the Perplexed (2013) – Sikh views on truth and reality.
    Key Reference: Chapter 3: Divine and ethical truth.
14. Thich Nhat Hanh – The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching (1999) – A Buddhist perspective on truth as a path to enlightenment.
    Key Reference: Chapter 4: The Four Noble Truths.

Christian Engagement with Indic Faiths

15. Vishal Mangalwadi – The Book That Made Your World (2011) – Biblical truth vs. Hindu and Buddhist worldviews.
    Key Reference: Chapter 7: Truth and transformation.

16. Lesslie Newbigin – The Gospel in a Pluralist Society (1989) – Christian engagement with multiple truth claims.
    Key Reference: Chapter 8: Christianity and pluralism.
17. Francis X. Clooney, S.J. – Hindu God, Christian God (2001) – Comparative theology of truth in Christianity and Hinduism.
    Key Reference: Chapter 5: Knowing God in both traditions.