paramarthasatya

Paramarthasatya is a Sanskrit term central to Buddhist philosophy, often translated as "ultimate truth" or "absolute reality." It stands in contrast to samvrtisatya, commonly known as "conventional truth" or "relative reality." While conventional truth refers to the everyday world of appearances, distinctions, and concepts that we experience and interact with, ultimate truth points to the true nature of reality as it is, devoid of these conceptual overlays.

The distinction between paramarthasatya and samvrtisatya is crucial for understanding the path to liberation in Buddhism. Conventional truth is necessary for practical functioning in the world, allowing us to communicate, identify objects, and navigate daily life. However, clinging to conventional truth as the ultimate reality is seen as the root of suffering. This is because conventional reality is impermanent, interdependent, and ultimately empty of inherent existence.

Paramarthasatya, on the other hand, is understood as emptiness (shunyata) in Mahayana Buddhism. It is not a void or nothingness, but rather the absence of self-nature or independent existence in all phenomena. Recognizing ultimate truth involves transcending dualistic thinking and seeing the interconnectedness and impermanence of all things. Through practices such as meditation and philosophical inquiry, Buddhists aim to directly realize paramarthasatya, leading to wisdom, compassion, and liberation from the cycle of suffering.