In Chih-i’s discourse of Objects as truth, truth is elaborated in terms of various conceptions of truth. This means that Chih-i’s concern is not merely the issue of truth itself, but also how truth is conceived. This is because truth is objective reality, and the attainment of truth is associated with one’s subjective mind. Therefore, correctly presenting what truth is and addressing various conceptions of truth are equally vital.

The issue of truth itself is laid out by Chih-i in his elaboration of Objects as the Ten Suchnesses, as the Threefold Truth, and as the One Truth. The Ten Suchnesses describe concretely the characteristics of the Ultimate Truth. The Threefold Truth describes the three aspects that constitute the Ultimate Truth. The One Truth is synonymous with the Ultimate Truth, i.e., the One Truth is the Ultimate Truth and Ultimate Truth is the One Truth, which conveys that true reality underlies all dharmas, and can include all categories of Objects as truth. (Vol. 2, Page 131)