also: みょうたい
noun
profound truth; cardinal principle; key insight
A literary or philosophical term for a deep, essential truth or the key to understanding something. Often used in Buddhist or scholarly contexts.
この経典には仏教の妙諦が説かれている。
This sutra expounds the profound truths of Buddhism.
彼の言葉に人生の妙諦を感じた。
I felt the cardinal principle of life in his words.
真理 is a general word for 'truth', while 妙諦 emphasizes a wondrous, profound, or essential truth, often with a religious or philosophical nuance.
極意 refers to the deepest secrets or essence of an art or discipline, whereas 妙諦 is more about a sublime truth or principle, often in a broader spiritual sense.
From 妙 (myō, 'wondrous, exquisite') + 諦 (tei/tai, 'truth, principle'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the compound is used in Buddhist and philosophical texts to denote a profound, sublime truth.