--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Human language is too poor to express the…" description: "\"“Human language is too poor to express the real nature of the Absolute Truth or Ultimate Reality which is Nirvana. Language is created and used by mass..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/walpola-rahula-30756_absolute-truth_human-language-is-too-poor-to-express-th_990068.png" --- # Human language is too poor to express the real nature of… ![“Human language is too poor to express the real nature of the Absolute Truth or Ultimate Reality which is Nirvana. Language is created and used by masses of human beings to express things and ideas experienced by their sense organs and their mind. A supramundane experience like that of the Absolute…” quote by Walpola Rahula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/walpola-rahula-30756_absolute-truth_human-language-is-too-poor-to-express-th_990068.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/walpola-rahula-30756_absolute-truth_human-language-is-too-poor-to-express-th_990068.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d0/walpola-rahula-30756_absolute-truth_human-language-is-too-poor-to-express-th_990068.png) > ““Human language is too poor to express the real nature of the Absolute Truth or Ultimate Reality which is Nirvana. Language is created and used by masses of human beings to express things and ideas experienced by their sense organs and their mind. A supramundane experience like that of the Absolute Truth is not of such a category. Therefore there cannot be words to express that experience, just as the fish had no words in his vocabulary to express the nature of the solid land.”” [Walpola Rahula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walpola-rahula/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The ultimate reality transcends language; words cannot capture the ineffable nature of Nirvana. **In simple terms:** Language can’t describe ultimate truth. Key Takeaway Accept limits of verbal expression. Themes spirituality philosophy language Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - meditation - studying Buddhism - teaching philosophy Key Concepts ineffability absolute truth Questions to Reflect On - Can silence convey more than words? - How do you communicate profound experiences? A Different Perspective Some may argue language can hint at the divine. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolute truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolute-truth/) [Human language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-language/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [...an industry which can furnish results identical to nature must be the absolute in art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/an-industry-which-can-furnish-results-identical-to-nature-must-be-the/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [I wish to speak a word for Nature, for absolute Freedom and Wildness, as contrasted with a Freedom and Culture merely civil, - to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-wish-to-speak-a-word-for-nature-for-absolute-freedom-and-wildness/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“CONCEPTS AND IDEAS are incapable of expressing reality as it is. 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Language is a human property, suitable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-abram/human-language-for-us-moderns-has-swung-in-on-itself-turning-its-back/) [David Abram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-abram/) > [The present gives you the opportunity to dive deep into the water of life, or to fly high into the sky of life. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-present-gives-you-the-opportunity-to-dive-deep-into-the-water-of/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [There are very deep and restrictive principles that determine the nature of human language and are rooted in the specific character of the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-very-deep-and-restrictive-principles-that-determine-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The earliest language was body language and, since this language is the language of questions, if we limit the questions, and if we only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-earliest-language-was-body-language-and-since-this-language-is/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) ## More by Walpola Rahula > [Two ideas are psychologically deep-rooted in man: self-protection and self-preservation. For self-protection man has created God, on whom he depends for his own protection,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walpola-rahula/two-ideas-are-psychologically-deep-rooted-in-man-self-protection-and/) [Walpola Rahula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walpola-rahula/) > [The question has often been asked; Is Buddhism a religion or a philosophy? It does not matter what you call it. Buddhism remains what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walpola-rahula/the-question-has-often-been-asked-is-buddhism-a-religion-or-a/) [Walpola Rahula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walpola-rahula/) > [According to the Buddha's teaching the beginning of the life-stream of living beings is unthinkable. THe believer in the creation of life by God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walpola-rahula/according-to-the-buddha-s-teaching-the-beginning-of-the-life-stream/) [Walpola Rahula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walpola-rahula/) > [As long as you are conscious of yourself, you can never concentrate on anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walpola-rahula/as-long-as-you-are-conscious-of-yourself-you-can-never-concentrate-on/) [Walpola Rahula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walpola-rahula/) > [First of all, Buddhism is neither pessimistic nor optimistic. If anything at all, it is realistic, for it takes a realistic view of life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walpola-rahula/first-of-all-buddhism-is-neither-pessimistic-nor-optimistic-if/) [Walpola Rahula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walpola-rahula/) > [It is always a question of knowing and seeing, and not that of believing. The teaching of the Buddha is qualified as ehi-passika, inviting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walpola-rahula/it-is-always-a-question-of-knowing-and-seeing-and-not-that-of/) [Walpola Rahula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walpola-rahula/) > [“Here the four elements of solidity, fluidity, heat and motion have no place; the notions of length and breadth, the subtle and the gross,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walpola-rahula/here-the-four-elements-of-solidity-fluidity-heat-and-motion-have-no/) [Walpola Rahula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walpola-rahula/) > [All great work artistic, poetic, intellectual or spiritual is produced at those moments when creators forget themselves altogether and are free from self-consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walpola-rahula/all-great-work-artistic-poetic-intellectual-or-spiritual-is-produced/) [Walpola Rahula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walpola-rahula/) > [There is no unmoving mover behind the movement. It is only movement. It is not correct to say that life is moving, but life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walpola-rahula/there-is-no-unmoving-mover-behind-the-movement-it-is-only-movement-it/) [Walpola Rahula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walpola-rahula/) > [“What we call life...is the combination of the Five Aggregates, a combination of physical and mental energies. These are constantly changing; they do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walpola-rahula/what-we-call-life-is-the-combination-of-the-five-aggregates-a/) [Walpola Rahula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walpola-rahula/) > [“To be attached to one thing (to a certain view) and to look down upon other things (views) as inferior—this the wise men call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walpola-rahula/to-be-attached-to-one-thing-to-a-certain-view-and-to-look-down-upon/) [Walpola Rahula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walpola-rahula/) > [If by the expression "not practical" you mean "not easy," you are right. Definitely it is not easy. Yet it should be tried. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walpola-rahula/if-by-the-expression-not-practical-you-mean-not-easy-you-are-right/) [Walpola Rahula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walpola-rahula/) > [“We must admit that very often we are afraid or ashamed to look at our own minds. So we prefer to avoid it. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walpola-rahula/we-must-admit-that-very-often-we-are-afraid-or-ashamed-to-look-at-our/) [Walpola Rahula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walpola-rahula/) > [“…When the secret is discovered, when the Truth is seen, all the forces which feverishly produce the continuity of samsara in illusion become calm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walpola-rahula/when-the-secret-is-discovered-when-the-truth-is-seen-all-the-forces/) [Walpola Rahula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walpola-rahula/) > [“All great work—artistic, poetic, intellectual or spiritual—is produced at those moments when its creators are lost completely in their actions, when they forget themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walpola-rahula/all-great-work-artistic-poetic-intellectual-or-spiritual-is-produced-2/) [Walpola Rahula](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walpola-rahula/) [Explore all 17 Walpola Rahula quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walpola-rahula/) ## More Absolute truth quotes > [“I know quite well why I became a historian… It was because dissension was frowned upon when I was a child: 'Don't argue, Claudia,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-lively/i-know-quite-well-why-i-became-a-historian-it-was-because-dissension/) [Penelope Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-lively/) > [“When you’ve tired of me,” she said softly, precisely, “Apollo will still be my brother. Will still be there for me.” “I’ll never tire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hoyt/when-you-ve-tired-of-me-she-said-softly-precisely-apollo-will-still/) [Elizabeth Hoyt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hoyt/) > [The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the crowning proof of Christianity. If the resurrection did not take place, then Christianity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-m-morris/the-bodily-resurrection-of-jesus-christ-from-the-dead-is-the-crowning/) [Henry M. Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-m-morris/) > [“I think adults forget just how much faith teenagers can have in them, just how willing to believe that adults, by virtue of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/i-think-adults-forget-just-how-much-faith-teenagers-can-have-in-them/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [The Absolute Truth of Knowledge is precisely non-Knowledge. If this Mirror called Knowledge remains in the phase where nothing is reflected in it, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/the-absolute-truth-of-knowledge-is-precisely-non-knowledge-if-this/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [Let every one of us cultivate, in every word that issues from our mouth, absolute truth. I say cultivate, because to very few people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/let-every-one-of-us-cultivate-in-every-word-that-issues-from-our/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) > [Who can know what love means at the feet of the absolute truth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/who-can-know-what-love-means-at-the-feet-of-the-absolute-truth/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [When I say that a thing is true, I mean that I cannot help believing it... But...I do not venture to assume that my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/when-i-say-that-a-thing-is-true-i-mean-that-i-cannot-help-believing/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) > [ATTRIBUTES OF GOD Because God is spirit...I will seek intimate fellowship with Him. Because God is all-powerful...He can help me with anything. Because God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-william-r-bright/attributes-of-god-because-god-is-spirit-i-will-seek-intimate/) Dr William R Bright > [“Somehow I feel that a person who thinks he has discovered the absolute truth will not be someone I know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-joseph/somehow-i-feel-that-a-person-who-thinks-he-has-discovered-the/) [Manu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-joseph/) > [“Leave science out of it and live in accordance with a non-scientific absolute truth. This has been the strategy of liberal humanism, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/leave-science-out-of-it-and-live-in-accordance-with-a-non-scientific/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [If I'd written all the truth I knew for the past ten years, about 600 people - including me - would be rotting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/if-i-d-written-all-the-truth-i-knew-for-the-past-ten-years-about-600/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Only when we realize that there is no eternal, unchanging truth or absolute truth can we arouse in ourselves a sense of intellectual responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hu-shih/only-when-we-realize-that-there-is-no-eternal-unchanging-truth-or/) [Hu Shih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hu-shih/) > [Nobody in this world possesses absolute truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/nobody-in-this-world-possesses-absolute-truth/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It isn’t the absolute truth about life and death, but the thing that helps us to live and confront the challenges of day-to-day life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-isn-t-the-absolute-truth-about-life-and-death-but-the-thing-that/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) [Browse all 317 Absolute truth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolute-truth/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Human language is too poor to express the real nature of the Absolute Truth or Ultimate Reality which is Nirvana. 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