--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Religion must affirm, in the clearest…" description: "\"Religion must affirm, in the clearest terms, that morality and ethical values are not mere decorative frills of personal opinion, not subjective supers..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b81/bhikkhu-bodhi-30816_built_religion-must-affirm-in-the-clearest-ter_2789248.jpg" --- # Religion must affirm, in the clearest terms, that morality… ![“Religion must affirm, in the clearest terms, that morality and ethical values are not mere decorative frills of personal opinion, not subjective superstructure, but intrinsic laws of the cosmos built into the heart of reality.” quote by Bhikkhu Bodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b81/bhikkhu-bodhi-30816_built_religion-must-affirm-in-the-clearest-ter_2789248.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b81/bhikkhu-bodhi-30816_built_religion-must-affirm-in-the-clearest-ter_2789248.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b81/bhikkhu-bodhi-30816_built_religion-must-affirm-in-the-clearest-ter_2789248.jpg) > “Religion must affirm, in the clearest terms, that morality and ethical values are not mere decorative frills of personal opinion, not subjective superstructure, but intrinsic laws of the cosmos built into the heart of reality.” [Bhikkhu Bodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Morality is an objective cosmic law, not personal preference, embedded in reality. **In simple terms:** Morality is universal law. Key Takeaway Align actions with cosmic law. Themes ethics objectivity cosmology Mood reflective serious Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - ethical decision making - education - policy drafting Key Concepts Buddhism philosophy metaphysics Questions to Reflect On - How to discern universal ethics? - What if cultures clash? A Different Perspective Defining "cosmic law" can be contentious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Cosmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cosmos/) [Ethical values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethical-values/) [Frills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frills/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Personal Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-opinion/) [Personal opinions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-opinions/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Subjective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjective/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [My personal opinions on any subject are really not relevant, not important, and to the extent that I might inject them, I am acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-trump-barry/my-personal-opinions-on-any-subject-are-really-not-relevant-not/) [Maryanne Trump Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-trump-barry/) > [My personal opinion is that truth, like honesty and non-harmfulness, often are at odds with one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-miller/my-personal-opinion-is-that-truth-like-honesty-and-non-harmfulness/) [Ezra Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-miller/) > [We entered a synagogue which was packed with the greatest stinking bunch of humanity I have ever seen. Either these Displaced Persons never had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/we-entered-a-synagogue-which-was-packed-with-the-greatest-stinking/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [My personal opinion is that guns kill people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-donaldson/my-personal-opinion-is-that-guns-kill-people/) [Sam Donaldson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-donaldson/) > [I mean Dark Phoenix series, the way it was done, they didn't do it justice in the past movies, in my personal opinion. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-miller/i-mean-dark-phoenix-series-the-way-it-was-done-they-didn-t-do-it/) [Timothy Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-miller/) > [A lot of (Kyle's) stories when he was back home in Texas, a lot of his own personal opinions about what he was doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayman-mohyeldin/a-lot-of-kyle-s-stories-when-he-was-back-home-in-texas-a-lot-of-his/) Ayman Mohyeldin > [My personal opinion is, how, if you never hung out with somebody, do you know them so well? I never hung out with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/my-personal-opinion-is-how-if-you-never-hung-out-with-somebody-do-you/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I'm open to doing any kind of role and any kind of genre as long as it's interesting and as long as I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-m-open-to-doing-any-kind-of-role-and-any-kind-of-genre-as-long-as/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [We Americans think we enjoy self-government. We have all the trappings of self-government, like elections. But in reality, we have gradually lost many of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/we-americans-think-we-enjoy-self-government-we-have-all-the-trappings/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [Radical transparency has an enormous impact on our personal lives. We can no longer share thoughts, quips, photos or personal opinions anywhere on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mainwaring/radical-transparency-has-an-enormous-impact-on-our-personal-lives-we/) [Simon Mainwaring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mainwaring/) > [Wisdom is what's left after we've run out of personal opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wisdom-is-what-s-left-after-we-ve-run-out-of-personal-opinions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Here is my personal opinion about prostitution. If men knew how to do it, they wouldn't have to pay for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/here-is-my-personal-opinion-about-prostitution-if-men-knew-how-to-do/) [Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/) > [ We \[ The Kansas\]'re somewhat hard-pressed at this time to imagine any bands that'll be around 40 years from now (and that's our personal opinion). ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ehart/we-the-kansas-re-somewhat-hard-pressed-at-this-time-to-imagine-any/) [Phil Ehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ehart/) > [People who reject transcendent authority can no longer persuade one another through rational arguments; everything is reduced to personal opinion. Debates about ideas thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-colson/people-who-reject-transcendent-authority-can-no-longer-persuade-one/) [Charles Colson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-colson/) > [When I'm writing, I try to think about what would make a song better before worrying about personal opinions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-bridgers/when-i-m-writing-i-try-to-think-about-what-would-make-a-song-better/) [Phoebe Bridgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-bridgers/) ## More by Bhikkhu Bodhi > [“Good friendship, in Buddhism, means considerably more than associating with people that one finds amenable and who share one's interests. It means in effect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/good-friendship-in-buddhism-means-considerably-more-than-associating/) [Bhikkhu Bodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/) > [“Like a lake unruffled by any breeze, the concentrated mind is a faithful reflector that mirrors whatever is placed before it exactly as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/like-a-lake-unruffled-by-any-breeze-the-concentrated-mind-is-a/) [Bhikkhu Bodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/) > [By citing the UN Charter I indicate that the defensive party to the conflict should use only proportionate force, try to avoid civilian casualties,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/by-citing-the-un-charter-i-indicate-that-the-defensive-party-to-the/) [Bhikkhu Bodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/) > [“We have to be prepared and willing to discover what is true even at the cost of our comfort. For real security always lies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/we-have-to-be-prepared-and-willing-to-discover-what-is-true-even-at/) [Bhikkhu Bodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/) > [“Truthful speech provides, in the sphere of interpersonal communication, a parallel to wisdom in the sphere of private understanding.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/truthful-speech-provides-in-the-sphere-of-interpersonal-communication/) [Bhikkhu Bodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/) > [“For the Buddha, the key to liberation is mental purity and correct understanding, and for this reason he rejects the notion that we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/for-the-buddha-the-key-to-liberation-is-mental-purity-and-correct/) [Bhikkhu Bodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/) > [“Mindfulness brings to light experience in its pure immediacy. It reveals the object as it is before it has been plastered over with conceptual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/mindfulness-brings-to-light-experience-in-its-pure-immediacy-it/) [Bhikkhu Bodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/) > [“Samādhi, as wholesome concentration, collects together the ordinarily dispersed and dissipated stream of mental states to induce an inner unification.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/sam-dhi-as-wholesome-concentration-collects-together-the-ordinarily/) [Bhikkhu Bodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/) > [“The mind itself—the seemingly solid, stable mind—dissolves into a stream of cittas flashing in and out of being moment by moment, coming from nowhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/the-mind-itself-the-seemingly-solid-stable-mind-dissolves-into-a/) [Bhikkhu Bodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/) > [“A spiritual tradition is not a shallow stream in which one can wet one’s feet and then beat a quick retreat to the shore.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/a-spiritual-tradition-is-not-a-shallow-stream-in-which-one-can-wet/) [Bhikkhu Bodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/) > [“One-pointedness of mind explains the fact that in any act of consciousness there is a central point of focus, towards which the entire objective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/one-pointedness-of-mind-explains-the-fact-that-in-any-act-of/) [Bhikkhu Bodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/) > [“The choice of a spiritual path is closer to marriage: one wants a partner for life, one whose companionship will prove as trustworthy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/the-choice-of-a-spiritual-path-is-closer-to-marriage-one-wants-a/) [Bhikkhu Bodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/) > [“The Buddha teaches that feeling is an inseparable concomitant of consciousness, since every act of knowing is coloured by some affective tone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/the-buddha-teaches-that-feeling-is-an-inseparable-concomitant-of/) [Bhikkhu Bodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/) > [“Delusion (moha) means mental darkness: the thick coat of insensitivity which blocks out clear understanding.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/delusion-moha-means-mental-darkness-the-thick-coat-of-insensitivity/) [Bhikkhu Bodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/) > [“The tool the Buddha holds out to free the mind from desire is understanding.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/the-tool-the-buddha-holds-out-to-free-the-mind-from-desire-is/) [Bhikkhu Bodhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/) [Explore all 17 Bhikkhu Bodhi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/) ## More Built quotes > [It's really fun and challenging to build things that have never been built before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mason/it-s-really-fun-and-challenging-to-build-things-that-have-never-been/) [Hilary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mason/) > [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/) [Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [Most startups are not just built for the person who is using them. When you do that, every now and then you get really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/most-startups-are-not-just-built-for-the-person-who-is-using-them/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [Call me the rap assassinator / rhymes rugged and built like Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raekwon/call-me-the-rap-assassinator-rhymes-rugged-and-built-like/) [Raekwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raekwon/) > [Do we make ourselves into what we become or is it built into our genes, into the fate spun for us by whatever shapes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-bruchac/do-we-make-ourselves-into-what-we-become-or-is-it-built-into-our/) [Joseph Bruchac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-bruchac/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [The dark ages still reign over all humanity, and the depth and persistence of this domination are only now becoming clear. This Dark Ages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/the-dark-ages-still-reign-over-all-humanity-and-the-depth-and/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [God and I have built an immense fire together. We keep each other happy and warm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hafez/god-and-i-have-built-an-immense-fire-together-we-keep-each-other/) [Hafez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hafez/) > [When we built Roomba, we explicitly designed it to not have a face. We didn't want to think it was cute; we wanted people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-angle/when-we-built-roomba-we-explicitly-designed-it-to-not-have-a-face-we/) [Colin Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-angle/) > [Winning a competition in architecture is a ticket to oblivion. It's just an idea. Ninety-nine per cent never get built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-libeskind/winning-a-competition-in-architecture-is-a-ticket-to-oblivion-it-s/) [Daniel Libeskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-libeskind/) > [Good churches are not built by bad men; at least, there must be probity and enthusiasm somewhere in the society. These minsters were neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/good-churches-are-not-built-by-bad-men-at-least-there-must-be-probity/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Mostly what I'm focused on is finding people who are younger who haven't built companies before but have a good idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hughes/mostly-what-i-m-focused-on-is-finding-people-who-are-younger-who/) [Chris Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hughes/) > [“Imagine what I could have done in ten years. I could have learned to speak Japanese. I could have played every RPG video game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/imagine-what-i-could-have-done-in-ten-years-i-could-have-learned-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 3,164 Built quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Religion must affirm, in the clearest terms, that morality and ethical values are not mere decorative frills of personal opinion, not subjective superstructure, but intrinsic laws of the cosmos built into the heart of reality.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bhikkhu Bodhi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/religion-must-affirm-in-the-clearest-terms-that-morality-and-ethical/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Built" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/religion-must-affirm-in-the-clearest-terms-that-morality-and-ethical/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b81/bhikkhu-bodhi-30816_built_religion-must-affirm-in-the-clearest-ter_2789248.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b81/bhikkhu-bodhi-30816_built_religion-must-affirm-in-the-clearest-ter_2789248.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b81/bhikkhu-bodhi-30816_built_religion-must-affirm-in-the-clearest-ter_2789248.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Religion must affirm, in the clearest terms, that morality and ethical values are not mere decorative frills…” — Bhikkhu Bodhi", "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": "Bhikkhu Bodhi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhikkhu-bodhi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Religion must affirm, in the clearest...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/religion-must-affirm-in-the-clearest-terms-that-morality-and-ethical/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhikkhu-bodhi/religion-must-affirm-in-the-clearest-terms-that-morality-and-ethical/#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 } } ] } ```