Act of Truth / Sacca-kiriya
Literal Meaning
A solemn asseveration of truth
Etymology & Sanskrit Root
Pali 'sacca' (truth) + 'kiriya' (act, deed): a formal declaration of a true fact or virtue, spoken as a kind of vow.
Spiritual Insight & Context
In the Jataka tales, speaking an Act of Truth, a solemn statement of one's own genuine virtue or of a plain fact, is held to summon real protective power precisely because the words spoken are completely true, not because of any separate ritual or spell.