Truth...

The truth cannot be spoken; that which can be spoken is not the truth.

Bowl of Saki, January 6, by Hazrat Inayat Khan

Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:

Truth is that which can never be spoken in words and that which can be spoken in
words is not the truth. The ocean is the ocean; the ocean is not a few drops of
water that one puts in a bottle. Just so truth cannot be limited by words: truth
must be experienced...

...the truth cannot be put into words; all we can do is make an effort to render
the mystery of life intelligible to our minds.

Very often people ask, "What is the nature of truth, is it a theory, a
principle, a philosophy, or a doctrine?" All theories, philosophies, principles,
and doctrines are only a cover over the truth. The ultimate truth is that which
cannot spoken, for words are too inadequate to express it.

There is a well known Eastern legend giving the idea of a soul who had found
truth. There was a wall of laughter and of smiles. This wall existed for ages
and many tried to climb it, but few succeeded. Those who had climbed upon it saw
something beyond, and so interested were they that they smiled, climbed over the
wall and never returned. The people of the town began to wonder what magic could
there be and what attraction, that whoever climbed the wall never returned. So
they called it the wall of mystery. Then they said, 'We must make an enquiry and
send someone who can reach the top, but we must tie him with a rope to hold him
back.' When the man they had thus sent reached the top of the wall, he smiled
and tried to jump over it, but they pulled him back. Still he smiled, and when
the people eagerly asked, 'what did you see there?' he did not answer, he only
smiled.

This is the condition of the seer. The man who in the shrine of his heart has
seen the vision of God, the one who has the realization of truth, can only
smile, for words can never really explain what truth means.