Truth or Lie? How to Know Which Spiritual Path Is Right

Introduction: Who’s Telling the Truth?

Have you ever sat down and wondered, “How do I know this religious teacher is telling the truth?” You’re not alone, noble friend. People have been asking this question for centuries. Even during the time of the Buddha, there were loads of spiritual teachers walking around, each claiming to know the ultimate truth. Just like today, back then too, the spiritual marketplace was crowded and confusing.

In ancient India, around 2,600 years ago, six famous religious leaders preached their own philosophies. Alongside them, there were a staggering 62 different ideologies. People didn’t know who to believe. They were puzzled, just like many of us today.

Religions are everywhere some ancient, some new. Everyone says they have the answers. So how do you figure out who’s being real and who’s just talking sweet words?

Let’s take a step back and learn from history particularly from the wise villagers of Kalama, who had the same doubts and went straight to the Buddha with their questions. Before we dive into his reply, I’ll leave space for you to read the Kalama Sutta the Buddha’s profound and rational response.

The Instruction to the Kalamas

(Anguttara Nikaya, Tika Nipata, Mahavagga, Sutta No. 65)

The Kalamas of Kesaputta go to see the Buddha

1. I heard thus. Once the Blessed One, while wandering in the Kosala country with a large community of bhikkhus, entered a town of the Kalama people called Kesaputta. The Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta: "Reverend Gotama, the monk, the son of the Sakyans, has, while wandering in the Kosala country, entered Kesaputta. The good repute of the Reverend Gotama has been spread in this way: Indeed, the Blessed One is thus consummate, fully enlightened, endowed with knowledge and practice, sublime, knower of the worlds, peerless, guide of tamable men, teacher of divine and human beings, which he by himself has through direct knowledge understood clearly. He set forth the Dhamma, good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, possessed of meaning and the letter, and complete in everything; and he proclaims the holy life that is perfectly pure. Seeing such consummate ones is good indeed."

2. Then the Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta went to where the Blessed One was. On arriving there some paid homage to him and sat down on one side; some exchanged greetings with him and after the ending of cordial memorable talk, sat down on one side; some saluted him raising their joined palms and sat down on one side; some announced their name and family and sat down on one side; some without speaking, sat down on one side.

The Kalamas of Kesaputta ask for guidance from the Buddha

3. The Kalamas who were inhabitants of Kesaputta sitting on one side said to the Blessed One: "There are some monks and brahmans, venerable sir, who visit Kesaputta. They expound and explain only their own doctrines; the doctrines of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces. Some other monks and brahmans too, venerable sir, come to Kesaputta. They also expound and explain only their own doctrines; the doctrines of others they despise, revile, and pull to pieces. Venerable sir, there is doubt, there is uncertainty in us concerning them. Which of these reverend monks and brahmans spoke the truth and which falsehood?"

The criterion for rejection

4. "It is proper for you, Kalamas, to doubt, to be uncertain; uncertainty has arisen in you about what is doubtful. Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher.' Kalamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are bad; these things are blamable; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill,' abandon them.

Greed, hate, and delusion

5. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does greed appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" — "For his harm, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being given to greed, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by greed, this man takes life, steals, commits adultery, and tells lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his harm and ill?" — "Yes, venerable sir."

6. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does hate appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" — "For his harm, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being given to hate, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by hate, this man takes life, steals, commits adultery, and tells lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his harm and ill?" — "Yes, venerable sir."

7. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does delusion appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" — "For his harm, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being given to delusion, and being overwhelmed and vanquished mentally by delusion, this man takes life, steals, commits adultery, and tells lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his harm and ill?" — "Yes, venerable sir."

8. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good or bad?" — "Bad, venerable sir" — "Blamable or not blamable?" — "Blamable, venerable sir." — "Censured or praised by the wise?" — "Censured, venerable sir." — "Undertaken and observed, do these things lead to harm and ill, or not? Or how does it strike you?" — "Undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill. Thus it strikes us here."

9. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said thus, 'Come Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, "The monk is our teacher." Kalamas, when you yourselves know: "These things are bad; these things are blamable; these things are censured by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to harm and ill," abandon them.'

The criterion for acceptance

10. "Come, Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, 'The monk is our teacher.' Kalamas, when you yourselves know: 'These things are good; these things are not blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness,' enter on and abide in them.

Absence of greed, hate, and delusion

11. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of greed appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" — "For his benefit, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being not given to greed, and being not overwhelmed and not vanquished mentally by greed, this man does not take life, does not steal, does not commit adultery, and does not tell lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his benefit and happiness?" — "Yes, venerable sir."

12. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of hate appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" — "For his benefit, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being not given to hate, and being not overwhelmed and not vanquished mentally by hate, this man does not take life, does not steal, does not commit adultery, and does not tell lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his benefit and happiness?" _ "Yes, venerable sir."

13. "What do you think, Kalamas? Does absence of delusion appear in a man for his benefit or harm?" — "For his benefit, venerable sir." — "Kalamas, being not given to delusion, and being not overwhelmed and not vanquished mentally by delusion, this man does not take life, does not steal, does not commit adultery, and does not tell lies; he prompts another too, to do likewise. Will that be long for his benefit and happiness?" _ "Yes, venerable sir."

14. "What do you think, Kalamas? Are these things good or bad?" — "Good, venerable sir." — "Blamable or not blamable?" — "Not blamable, venerable sir." — "Censured or praised by the wise?" — "Praised, venerable sir." — "Undertaken and observed, do these things lead to benefit and happiness, or not? Or how does it strike you?" — "Undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness. Thus it strikes us here."

15. "Therefore, did we say, Kalamas, what was said thus, 'Come Kalamas. Do not go upon what has been acquired by repeated hearing; nor upon tradition; nor upon rumor; nor upon what is in a scripture; nor upon surmise; nor upon an axiom; nor upon specious reasoning; nor upon a bias towards a notion that has been pondered over; nor upon another's seeming ability; nor upon the consideration, "The monk is our teacher." Kalamas, when you yourselves know: "These things are good; these things are not blamable; these things are praised by the wise; undertaken and observed, these things lead to benefit and happiness," enter on and abide in them.'

The Four Exalted Dwellings

16. "The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who in this way is devoid of coveting, devoid of ill will, undeluded, clearly comprehending and mindful, dwells, having pervaded, with the thought of amity, one quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the fourth; so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded because of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere, the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of amity that is free of hate or malice.

"He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of compassion, one quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the fourth; so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded because of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere, the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of compassion that is free of hate or malice.

"He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of gladness, one quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the fourth; so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded because of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere, the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of gladness that is free of hate or malice.

"He lives, having pervaded, with the thought of equanimity, one quarter; likewise the second; likewise the third; likewise the fourth; so above, below, and across; he dwells, having pervaded because of the existence in it of all living beings, everywhere, the entire world, with the great, exalted, boundless thought of equanimity that is free of hate or malice.

The Four Solaces

17. "The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who has such a hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a purified mind, is one by whom four solaces are found here and now.

"'Suppose there is a hereafter and there is a fruit, result, of deeds done well or ill. Then it is possible that at the dissolution of the body after death, I shall arise in the heavenly world, which is possessed of the state of bliss.' This is the first solace found by him.

"'Suppose there is no hereafter and there is no fruit, no result, of deeds done well or ill. Yet in this world, here and now, free from hatred, free from malice, safe and sound, and happy, I keep myself.' This is the second solace found by him.

"'Suppose evil (results) befall an evil-doer. I, however, think of doing evil to no one. Then, how can ill (results) affect me who do no evil deed?' This is the third solace found by him.

"'Suppose evil (results) do not befall an evil-doer. Then I see myself purified in any case.' This is the fourth solace found by him.

"The disciple of the Noble Ones, Kalamas, who has such a hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a purified mind, is one by whom, here and now, these four solaces are found."

"So it is, Blessed One. So it is, Sublime one. The disciple of the Noble Ones, venerable sir, who has such a hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a purified mind, is one by whom, here and now, four solaces are found.

"'Suppose evil (results) befall an evil-doer. I, however, think of doing evil to no one. Then, how can ill (results) affect me who do no evil deed?' This is the third solace found by him.

"'Suppose evil (results) do not befall an evil-doer. Then I see myself purified in any case.' This is the fourth solace found by him.

"The disciple of the Noble Ones, venerable sir, who has such a hate-free mind, such a malice-free mind, such an undefiled mind, and such a purified mind, is one by whom, here and now, these four solaces are found.

"Marvelous, venerable sir! Marvelous, venerable sir! As if, venerable sir, a person were to turn face upwards what is upside down, or to uncover the concealed, or to point the way to one who is lost or to carry a lamp in the darkness, thinking, 'Those who have eyes will see visible objects,' so has the Dhamma been set forth in many ways by the Blessed One. We, venerable sir, go to the Blessed One for refuge, to the Dhamma for refuge, and to the Community of Bhikkhus for refuge. Venerable sir, may the Blessed One regard us as lay followers who have gone for refuge for life, from today."

Truth Isn’t Told, It’s Tested

What the Kalama Sutta teaches us is super relevant in today’s world. You don’t have to blindly accept anything even if it comes from someone famous, respected, or in robes. Buddha didn’t say, “Trust me.” He said, "Investigate. Experience. Understand."

So, how can we apply this timeless wisdom today? Let’s break it down step by step.

1. Don’t Believe Just Because It's Tradition

Many of us grow up following a religion because our parents did. That’s natural. But the Buddha told the Kalamas: Don’t accept something just because it’s passed down.

Think of it like this: If your family has always eaten a certain dish, does that mean it's the healthiest? Not necessarily. You need to taste, test, and see for yourself.

2. Don’t Believe Just Because It's Written in a Book

Sacred texts are important, no doubt. But even if something is in a book, doesn’t mean it's beyond question. Books were written by humans, copied by humans, and interpreted by humans.

Imagine following a GPS blindly it might send you into a lake if you don’t pay attention to the real road. Similarly, don’t drive your life by scripture alone. Understand the road first.

3. Don’t Believe Just Because the Speaker is Popular

Just because someone has thousands of followers or appears on TV doesn’t mean they speak the truth. In the time of Buddha, Nigantanataputta (leader of Jains) and Makkhali Gosala (fatalist philosopher) had large followings too but were they right?

Think of social media influencers today. Fame doesn’t always equal truth.

4. Test Through Personal Experience

This is the heart of the Kalama Sutta. The Buddha advised: Only accept what you have personally seen to lead to well-being, peace, and happiness both for you and others.

It’s like tasting the food yourself. You don’t need someone to tell you if it’s sweet or salty you know from experience.

5. Check If It Leads to Greed, Hatred, or Delusion

Truth should lead to clarity, compassion, and calmness not confusion, arrogance, or hatred. Ask yourself:

Does this teaching make me more peaceful?
Does it reduce my anger or increase it?
Does it make me look down on others?

If it boosts ego and pride, it’s probably a red flag.

6. Observe the Teacher’s Behavior

A true teacher lives what they preach. They don’t demand blind obedience, money, or worship. They stay humble, open to questions, and guide with kindness.

Imagine a chef who never eats his own cooking. Would you trust him?

7. Be Free to Question

Any teaching that shuts down questions is suspicious. The Buddha welcomed questions even from skeptics. Truth doesn’t fear inquiry.

If someone says, “Don’t question this, just believe,” it’s like being told to wear a blindfold in a dark forest.

8. See If the Teaching Promotes Self-Reliance

Genuine spiritual paths empower you. They don’t make you dependent forever. A good teacher helps you walk your own path, not follow theirs forever.

Like a coach who trains you to win, not one who wants you to stay weak so you keep hiring him.

9. Ask: Is This Universal or Cultural?

Some teachings are tied to specific cultures and might not apply universally. But true wisdom transcends language, race, or nationality.

Love, compassion, patience these are global. Superstitions, rituals, and fear-based rules? Not so much.

10. Is It Based on Fear or Freedom?

Fear is a common tool for manipulation. Some leaders say you’ll burn, suffer, or get cursed if you don’t follow them. Buddha never used fear he used wisdom, reason, and love.

Imagine a parent guiding with kindness vs. one who uses threats. Which one do you trust?

11. Are You Becoming a Better Human Being?

At the end of the day, the right teaching should make you:

Kinder
More aware
Less angry
Less selfish
More mindful

That’s the real test. If you’re not growing as a person, something’s off.

12. The Kalama Sutta is Not Just Buddhist—It’s Universal

Though it comes from Buddha’s teachings, the message of the Kalama Sutta applies to all humans. No matter your religion or background, it tells you: Don’t follow blindly. Use your brain. Use your heart. Use your experience.

13. Even Buddha Said: Don’t Follow Me Blindly

Crazy, right? The founder of one of the world’s biggest spiritual traditions said not to follow him blindly. That’s a sign of a real truth-seeker.

He was more like a scientist saying, “Here’s the method. Try it out. See if it works for you.”

14. Confidence Comes from Clarity

Many people fear letting go of traditional beliefs because it makes them feel lost. But true confidence comes not from rigid belief but from clear understanding.

It’s like walking a path in daylight versus in fog. Truth is light.

15. The Truth is Not Exclusive to One Religion

Here’s the biggie: No religion owns the truth. Truth is bigger than any label. You’ll find bits of truth in many paths but only by examining, questioning, and living mindfully, can you recognize it.

Conclusion: Don’t Be a Follower—Be a Seeker

In today’s chaotic world of online gurus, religious debates, and spiritual salesmen, the Kalama Sutta is a breath of fresh air. It reminds us that truth isn’t a brand name, and real wisdom encourages exploration, not control.

So don’t be afraid to question. Test teachings like a goldsmith tests gold by rubbing, cutting, and burning. Keep what brings peace and clarity. Let go of what brings fear and confusion.

You're not alone on this path. Millions are waking up and asking these same questions. Be bold. Be wise. Be compassionate.

Because in the end, truth isn’t something you follow it’s something you live.

FAQs

1. How can I know if a religious scholar is lying or telling the truth?
Observe their teachings, personal behavior, and whether they encourage questioning and personal experience. Truth uplifts; lies usually manipulate.

2. What is the Kalama Sutta?
A discourse from the Buddha where he encourages people not to accept teachings blindly but to examine them through personal experience and logic.

3. Why are there so many religions if there is one truth?
Religions often form around cultural, historical, and personal interpretations of truth. The essence may be similar, but the expression varies.

4. Should I stop following my religion if I have doubts?
Not necessarily. Use those doubts to dig deeper. Doubts can lead to clarity when approached with an open mind and heart.

5. What if a religious teacher tells me not to question them?
That’s a red flag. Any genuine path or teacher will welcome honest questions and support your journey, not control it.

Truth or Lie? How to Know Which Spiritual Path Is Right | Calm Mind

Truth or Lie? How to Know Which Spiritual Path Is Right

Introduction: Who’s Telling the Truth?