--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Truth is the highest virtue, but higher…" description: "\"Truth is the highest virtue, but higher still is truthful living.\" — Guru Nanak" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a0/guru-nanak-7186_character_truth-is-the-highest-virtue-but-higher-s_494959.jpg" --- # Truth is the highest virtue, but higher still is truthful… ![“Truth is the highest virtue, but higher still is truthful living.” quote by Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a0/guru-nanak-7186_character_truth-is-the-highest-virtue-but-higher-s_494959.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a0/guru-nanak-7186_character_truth-is-the-highest-virtue-but-higher-s_494959.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a0/guru-nanak-7186_character_truth-is-the-highest-virtue-but-higher-s_494959.jpg) > “Truth is the highest virtue, but higher still is truthful living.” [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Truth is essential, yet living truthfully is an even higher moral achievement. **In simple terms:** Truthful living surpasses mere truth. Key Takeaway Live honestly in actions and thoughts. Themes morality integrity spirituality Mood contemplative serene Type spiritual ethical When to use this quote - personal relationships - leadership - community service Key Concepts virtue authenticity Questions to Reflect On - What does truthful living mean to you? - How can you embody truth daily? A Different Perspective Truth can be subjective; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truthful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truthful/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) ## Related quotes > [The desire for truth is the highest of all desires, yet, it is still a desire. All desires must be given up for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/the-desire-for-truth-is-the-highest-of-all-desires-yet-it-is-still-a/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [There is no virtue higher than non-injury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/there-is-no-virtue-higher-than-non-injury/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The man or the woman in whom resides greater virtue is the higher; neither the loftiness nor the lowliness of a person lies in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-de-pizan/the-man-or-the-woman-in-whom-resides-greater-virtue-is-the-higher/) [Christine de Pizan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-de-pizan/) > [The highest endeavor of the mind, and the highest virtue, it to understand things by intuition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/the-highest-endeavor-of-the-mind-and-the-highest-virtue-it-to/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [The highest virtue does nothing. Yet, nothing needs to be done. The lowest virtue does everything. Yet, much remains to be done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-highest-virtue-does-nothing-yet-nothing-needs-to-be-done-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [To master the pride of defiant selfhood, that in truth is the highest bliss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/to-master-the-pride-of-defiant-selfhood-that-in-truth-is-the-highest/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Truth is the highest thing that man may keep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/truth-is-the-highest-thing-that-man-may-keep/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [“The gift of truth is the highest gift. The taste of truth is the sweetest taste. The joy of truth is the greatest joy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/the-gift-of-truth-is-the-highest-gift-the-taste-of-truth-is-the/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“The best I offer the world is the truth—my highest gift. What the world does with it is not up to me. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/the-best-i-offer-the-world-is-the-truth-my-highest-gift-what-the/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [But the truth is the highest consideration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-dix/but-the-truth-is-the-highest-consideration/) [Dorothea Dix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-dix/) > [I believe that the highest virtue is to be happy, living in the greatest truth, not submitting to the falsehood of these personaltimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/i-believe-that-the-highest-virtue-is-to-be-happy-living-in-the/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [The highest virtue is always against the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-highest-virtue-is-always-against-the-law/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“waste is the highest virtue one can achieve in an advanced capitalist society”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/waste-is-the-highest-virtue-one-can-achieve-in-an-advanced-capitalist/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“The highest virtue lies in self-learning or self-taught education. For it is the path that all the greatest men or those who have decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/the-highest-virtue-lies-in-self-learning-or-self-taught-education-for/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Humility, the place of entire dependence on God, is, from the very nature of things, the first duty and the highest virtue of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-murray/humility-the-place-of-entire-dependence-on-god-is-from-the-very/) [Andrew Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-murray/) ## More by Guru Nanak > [...O my heart! Love God as the chatrik loves the rain drops, Who even when fountains are full and the land green, Is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/o-my-heart-love-god-as-the-chatrik-loves-the-rain-drops-who-even-when/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [When the purpose of the appointment to ,cohabit with the widow bas been attained in accordance with the law, those two shall behave towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/when-the-purpose-of-the-appointment-to-cohabit-with-the-widow-bas/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [Make of the Silence your to-do tasks, of the compassion your wealth and of the meditation your beggar's bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/make-of-the-silence-your-to-do-tasks-of-the-compassion-your-wealth/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [Be kind to all beings, this is more meritorious than bathing at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage and donating money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/be-kind-to-all-beings-this-is-more-meritorious-than-bathing-at-the/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The Life of the world, the Great Giver, the Architect of karma He Himself grants forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/the-life-of-the-world-the-great-giver-the-architect-of-karma-he/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The widow cries out at the door, The light of my mind has gone out, O my mother, with his death. So cry out,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/the-widow-cries-out-at-the-door-the-light-of-my-mind-has-gone-out-o/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [Those who have loved are those that have found God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/those-who-have-loved-are-those-that-have-found-god/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [No calamity happens to those who eagerly follow auspicious customs and the rule of good conduct, to those who are always careful of purity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/no-calamity-happens-to-those-who-eagerly-follow-auspicious-customs/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [I don't die... He who is merged with the omnipresent is never gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/i-don-t-die-he-who-is-merged-with-the-omnipresent-is-never-gone/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [“Your Mercy is my social status.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/your-mercy-is-my-social-status/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The highest religion is to rise to universal brother hood; aye to consider all creatures your equals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/the-highest-religion-is-to-rise-to-universal-brother-hood-aye-to/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [A man who, ever covetous, displays the flag of virtue, ,who is a hypocrite, a deceiver of the people, intent on doing injury, ,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/a-man-who-ever-covetous-displays-the-flag-of-virtue-who-is-a/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [See the brotherhood of all mankind as the highest order of Yogis; conquer your own mind, and conquer the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/see-the-brotherhood-of-all-mankind-as-the-highest-order-of-yogis/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [God is one, but he has innumerable forms. He is the creator of all and He himself takes the human form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/god-is-one-but-he-has-innumerable-forms-he-is-the-creator-of-all-and/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) [Explore all 94 Guru Nanak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. 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But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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