--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We say that to 'give up all evil and to…" description: "\"We say that to 'give up all evil and to develop the good' is the heart of the Buddha's teaching. If we only make merit but have not stopped doing bad t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/ajahn-chah-4829_bad-thing_we-say-that-to-give-up-all-evil-and-to-d_2598055.jpg" --- # We say that to 'give up all evil and to develop the good'… ![“We say that to 'give up all evil and to develop the good' is the heart of the Buddha's teaching. If we only make merit but have not stopped doing bad things, then we will never have a day of completion. It is like an overturned bowl which is left outside in the rain. Even if the water is falling…” quote by Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/ajahn-chah-4829_bad-thing_we-say-that-to-give-up-all-evil-and-to-d_2598055.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/ajahn-chah-4829_bad-thing_we-say-that-to-give-up-all-evil-and-to-d_2598055.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/ajahn-chah-4829_bad-thing_we-say-that-to-give-up-all-evil-and-to-d_2598055.jpg) > “We say that to 'give up all evil and to develop the good' is the heart of the Buddha's teaching. If we only make merit but have not stopped doing bad things, then we will never have a day of completion. It is like an overturned bowl which is left outside in the rain. Even if the water is falling right on it, it only touches the outside and not the inside. In this way the bowl will never get full.” [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True moral progress requires both good deeds and the cessation of harmful actions; otherwise virtue remains superficial. **In simple terms:** Good deeds plus stopping harm create true virtue. Key Takeaway Eliminate bad habits while doing good. Themes morality balance spiritual practice Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical teaching When to use this quote - personal growth - spiritual training - daily conduct Key Concepts karma mindfulness ethical consistency Questions to Reflect On - What harmful habits persist despite good actions? - How can you recognize hidden negativity? A Different Perspective Focusing only on good deeds can mask underlying negativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-things/) [Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddha/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-up/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Left out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-out/) [Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rain/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/radical-acceptance-embracing-your-life-with-the-heart-of-a-buddha/) [Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/) > [“Mindfulness, the aware, balanced acceptance of present experience, is at the heart of what the Buddha taught.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-boorstein/mindfulness-the-aware-balanced-acceptance-of-present-experience-is-at-2/) [Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-boorstein/) > [We want today that bright sun of intellectuality joined with the heart of Buddha, the wonderful infinite heart of love and mercy. This union…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/we-want-today-that-bright-sun-of-intellectuality-joined-with-the/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The calligraphy reads, “Pointing directly at your own heart, you find Buddha.” Listening to talks about the dharma, or the teachings of Buddha, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-calligraphy-reads-pointing-directly-at-your-own-heart-you-find/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“The goal of the Buddha’s teaching is Nibbāna (Sanskrit: Nirvāṇa). Literally translated, that means “not burning,” or in other words, the loss of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayya-khema/the-goal-of-the-buddha-s-teaching-is-nibb-na-sanskrit-nirv-a/) [Ayya Khema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayya-khema/) > [It is often said that the Buddha's teaching is only a raft to help you cross the river, a finger pointing to the moon.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/it-is-often-said-that-the-buddha-s-teaching-is-only-a-raft-to-help-2/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [The Buddha's teaching leads us to the realization that we must always strive to harm no sentient being, human or nonhuman, whether or not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norm-phelps/the-buddha-s-teaching-leads-us-to-the-realization-that-we-must-always/) [Norm Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norm-phelps/) > [“...“living in oneness with Buddha’s teaching, is a creative life in which everything becomes meaningful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gyomay-m-kubose/living-in-oneness-with-buddha-s-teaching-is-a-creative-life-in-which/) [Gyomay M. Kubose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gyomay-m-kubose/) > [Without ignoring the objective side of the truth, it has to be subjective as well, Buddha's whole teaching just for you, something you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/without-ignoring-the-objective-side-of-the-truth-it-has-to-be/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [Non-violence is the essence of the entire Buddha's teaching, and the practice of non-violence is the entire essence of the practice of Buddha dharma,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lobsang-tenzin/non-violence-is-the-essence-of-the-entire-buddha-s-teaching-and-the/) [Lobsang Tenzin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lobsang-tenzin/) > [“To help others is the way of Buddha and the teaching of Christianity - in this point the two religions are the same. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shusaku-endo/to-help-others-is-the-way-of-buddha-and-the-teaching-of-christianity/) [Shūsaku Endō](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shusaku-endo/) > [“It is often said that the Buddha’s teaching is only a raft to help you cross the river, a finger pointing to the moon.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/it-is-often-said-that-the-buddha-s-teaching-is-only-a-raft-to-help/) [Thich Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [Buddha's teaching are very simple, you don't have to break your head to understand the message. The part that I like the most from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-martin/buddha-s-teaching-are-very-simple-you-don-t-have-to-break-your-head/) [Ricky Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-martin/) > [Develop a good filing system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/develop-a-good-filing-system/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [Hopefully, as a band, it will grow and develop for a good length of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-dunn/hopefully-as-a-band-it-will-grow-and-develop-for-a-good-length-of-time/) [Trevor Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-dunn/) ## More by Ajahn Chah > [If you have time to be mindful, you have time to meditate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/if-you-have-time-to-be-mindful-you-have-time-to-meditate/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Letting go a little brings a little peace. Letting go a lot brings a lot of peace. Letting go completely brings complete peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/letting-go-a-little-brings-a-little-peace-letting-go-a-lot-brings-a/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Mindfulness is life. Whenever we don’t have mindfulness, when we are heedless, it’s as if we are dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/mindfulness-is-life-whenever-we-don-t-have-mindfulness-when-we-are/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [We don't meditate to see heaven, but to end suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/we-don-t-meditate-to-see-heaven-but-to-end-suffering/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Some people are afraid of generosity. They feel they will be taken advantage of or oppressed. In cultivating generosity, we are only oppressing our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/some-people-are-afraid-of-generosity-they-feel-they-will-be-taken/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Anything which is troubling you, anything which is irritating you, THAT is your teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/anything-which-is-troubling-you-anything-which-is-irritating-you-that/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Know and watch your heart. It's pure but emotions come to colour it. So let your mind be like a tightly woven net to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/know-and-watch-your-heart-it-s-pure-but-emotions-come-to-colour-it-so/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [A woman wanted to know how to deal with anger. I asked when anger arose whose anger it was. She said it was hers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/a-woman-wanted-to-know-how-to-deal-with-anger-i-asked-when-anger/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Sati is life. Whenever we don't have sati, when we are heedless, it's as if we are dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/sati-is-life-whenever-we-don-t-have-sati-when-we-are-heedless-it-s-as/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [In practice, some come to see easily, some with difficulty. But whatever the case, never mind. Difficult or easy, the Buddha said not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/in-practice-some-come-to-see-easily-some-with-difficulty-but-whatever/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [When sitting in meditation, say, "That's not my business!" with every thought that comes by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/when-sitting-in-meditation-say-that-s-not-my-business-with-every/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Proper effort is not the effort to make something particular happen. It is the effort to be aware and awake each moment, the effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/proper-effort-is-not-the-effort-to-make-something-particular-happen/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Regarding this Dhamma, it is not something that we can simply talk about or take another's word for it. We need to develop meditation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/regarding-this-dhamma-it-is-not-something-that-we-can-simply-talk/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [These days people don't search for the Truth. People study simply in order to find knowledge necessary to make a living, raise families and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/these-days-people-don-t-search-for-the-truth-people-study-simply-in/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Things are simply the way they are. They don't give us suffering. Like a thorn: Does a sharp thorn give us suffering? No. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/things-are-simply-the-way-they-are-they-don-t-give-us-suffering-like/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) [Explore all 105 Ajahn Chah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) ## More Bad thing quotes > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/) [Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/) > [I think the people I talk about are generally so stupid that they don't even know I'm saying bad things about them. I've run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/i-think-the-people-i-talk-about-are-generally-so-stupid-that-they-don/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I'm not going to pretend that bad things don't happen. I just hope my daughter has enough understanding that when they do, just give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-krasinski/i-m-not-going-to-pretend-that-bad-things-don-t-happen-i-just-hope-my/) [John Krasinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-krasinski/) > [I've heard some pretty bad things in my life. I'm just one of those people I've gotten to a point where I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-bush/i-ve-heard-some-pretty-bad-things-in-my-life-i-m-just-one-of-those/) [Sophia Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-bush/) > [Like everybody, you get nights where you feel completely depressed. You start thinking about all the bad things and think about the glass half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/like-everybody-you-get-nights-where-you-feel-completely-depressed-you/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [Be Thankful for all things in life. Even for the bad things. SOMETIMES the worst situations in life turn out to be the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-thankful-for-all-things-in-life-even-for-the-bad-things-sometimes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In my business, you should be very strong in mind. You have to be sure about yourself and about your work and your career,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina-shayk/in-my-business-you-should-be-very-strong-in-mind-you-have-to-be-sure/) [Irina Shayk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina-shayk/) > [“I don’t know why I latched onto the idea of being friends, but it sits right with my gut. I want Hartley in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-watt/i-don-t-know-why-i-latched-onto-the-idea-of-being-friends-but-it-sits/) [Erin Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-watt/) > [I'm just grateful to people who are willing to admit how bad things feel for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-furman/i-m-just-grateful-to-people-who-are-willing-to-admit-how-bad-things/) [Ezra Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-furman/) > [I love it when television is shot in a cinematic way and I think to aspire to that is no bad thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-rhys/i-love-it-when-television-is-shot-in-a-cinematic-way-and-i-think-to/) [Matthew Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-rhys/) > [“Dear Delphine, When you are older I want you to find Chinua Achebe. I want you to read Things Fall Apart. Don't be hardheaded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-williams-garcia/dear-delphine-when-you-are-older-i-want-you-to-find-chinua-achebe-i/) [Rita Williams-Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-williams-garcia/) > [Lobbying is not a bad thing. I'm not trying to say that we shouldn't have lobbyists or we shouldn't have lobbying to petition our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/lobbying-is-not-a-bad-thing-i-m-not-trying-to-say-that-we-shouldn-t/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) > [In life, we don't know why things happen. I believe God is not responsible for the bad things that happen to you. Sometimes I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-brannaman/in-life-we-don-t-know-why-things-happen-i-believe-god-is-not/) [Buck Brannaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-brannaman/) Browse all 2,889 Bad thing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We say that to 'give up all evil and to develop the good' is the heart of the Buddha's teaching. If we only make merit but have not stopped doing bad things, then we will never have a day of completion. It is like an overturned bowl which is left outside in the rain. Even if the water is falling right on it, it only touches the outside and not the inside. In this way the bowl will never get full.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ajahn Chah" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/we-say-that-to-give-up-all-evil-and-to-develop-the-good-is-the-heart/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad thing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/we-say-that-to-give-up-all-evil-and-to-develop-the-good-is-the-heart/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/ajahn-chah-4829_bad-thing_we-say-that-to-give-up-all-evil-and-to-d_2598055.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/ajahn-chah-4829_bad-thing_we-say-that-to-give-up-all-evil-and-to-d_2598055.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ee/ajahn-chah-4829_bad-thing_we-say-that-to-give-up-all-evil-and-to-d_2598055.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We say that to 'give up all evil and to develop the good' is the heart of the Buddha's teaching. If we only…” — Ajahn Chah", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ajahn Chah", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We say that to 'give up...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/we-say-that-to-give-up-all-evil-and-to-develop-the-good-is-the-heart/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/we-say-that-to-give-up-all-evil-and-to-develop-the-good-is-the-heart/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```