--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no such thing as good and bad in…" description: "\"There is no such thing as good and bad in an absolute sense. There is only the good and bad- the harm in terms of happiness and suffering- that our tho..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a35/matthieu-ricard-4004_absolutes_there-is-no-such-thing-as-good-and-bad-i_835302.jpg" --- # There is no such thing as good and bad in an absolute… ![“There is no such thing as good and bad in an absolute sense. There is only the good and bad- the harm in terms of happiness and suffering- that our thoughts and our actions do to ourselves and others.” quote by Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a35/matthieu-ricard-4004_absolutes_there-is-no-such-thing-as-good-and-bad-i_835302.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a35/matthieu-ricard-4004_absolutes_there-is-no-such-thing-as-good-and-bad-i_835302.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a35/matthieu-ricard-4004_absolutes_there-is-no-such-thing-as-good-and-bad-i_835302.jpg) > “There is no such thing as good and bad in an absolute sense. There is only the good and bad- the harm in terms of happiness and suffering- that our thoughts and our actions do to ourselves and others.” [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) ## 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 relative; actions are judged by their impact on happiness and suffering **In simple terms:** Good and bad depend on how they affect wellbeing Key Takeaway Consider the consequences of thoughts and actions on happiness Themes ethics subjectivity wellbeing Mood contemplative balanced Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - decision making - conflict resolution - personal growth - community building Key Concepts utilitarianism Buddhist ethics consequentialism Questions to Reflect On - When does personal happiness conflict with others' suffering? - How can you balance self-interest with compassion? A Different Perspective Absolute moral standards can provide clear guidance in complex dilemmas ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Bad Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-harm-595306/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good and bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-and-bad/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Harm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harm/) [Our actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-actions/) [Our thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-thoughts/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Thing Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-good/) ## Related quotes > [Wisdom and compassion should become the dominating influences that guide our thoughts , our words, and our actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/wisdom-and-compassion-should-become-the-dominating-influences-that/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [Be grateful for every thing good and bad that comes to you. For all things have contributed to your advancement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-blake/be-grateful-for-every-thing-good-and-bad-that-comes-to-you-for-all/) [J. P. Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-blake/) > [We have learned that beneath the surface of an ordinary everyday normal casual conscious existence there lies a vast dynamic world of impulse and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-edmond-jones/we-have-learned-that-beneath-the-surface-of-an-ordinary-everyday/) [Robert Edmond Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-edmond-jones/) > [God's Word must be so strongly fixed in our minds that it becomes the dominant influence in our thoughts, our attitudes, and our actions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/god-s-word-must-be-so-strongly-fixed-in-our-minds-that-it-becomes-the/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [We've been gifted with the power of choice...in our actions, our thoughts, and our words. The quality of our lives gets better or worse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-anderson/we-ve-been-gifted-with-the-power-of-choice-in-our-actions-our/) [Shawn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-anderson/) > [We are many, many people and yet we are one. What we do today with our thinking, what we do tomorrow with our thoughts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/little-crow/we-are-many-many-people-and-yet-we-are-one-what-we-do-today-with-our/) [Little Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/little-crow/) > [The mind is malleable. 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But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-lee-austin/something-can-be-a-good-thing-and-yet-not-a-necessary-thing-it-is/) [Victor Lee Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-lee-austin/) > [Every thing,, good or bad will walk for my good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charis/every-thing-good-or-bad-will-walk-for-my-good/) [Charis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charis/) > [The only thing I'm good at is boxing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-briggs/the-only-thing-i-m-good-at-is-boxing/) [Shannon Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-briggs/) > [What kind of life am i supposed to have without you?You were the one good thing,the only good thing i ever found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/what-kind-of-life-am-i-supposed-to-have-without-you-you-were-the-one/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) ## More by Matthieu Ricard > [Whatever you train, you change your brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/whatever-you-train-you-change-your-brain/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [“I think what everyone should be doing, before it's too late, is committing themselves to what they really want to do with their lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/i-think-what-everyone-should-be-doing-before-it-s-too-late-is/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [Happiness is a state of inner fulfillment, not the gratification of inexhaustible desires for outward things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/happiness-is-a-state-of-inner-fulfillment-not-the-gratification-of/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [At each point in our lives, we are at a crossroads. We are the fruit of our past and we are the architects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/at-each-point-in-our-lives-we-are-at-a-crossroads-we-are-the-fruit-of/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [I don't often get into a bad mood, since it does not help anything and clouds my judgment, but I can certainly see that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/i-don-t-often-get-into-a-bad-mood-since-it-does-not-help-anything-and/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [Happiness can’t be reduced to a few agreeable sensations. Rather, it is a way of being and of experiencing the world—a profound fulfillment that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/happiness-can-t-be-reduced-to-a-few-agreeable-sensations-rather-it-is/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [Peace is not weak. Standing up to a tank is harder than dropping a suicide bomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/peace-is-not-weak-standing-up-to-a-tank-is-harder-than-dropping-a/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [Good and evil exist only in terms of the happiness or suffering they create in ourselves and others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/good-and-evil-exist-only-in-terms-of-the-happiness-or-suffering-they/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [Authentic happiness is not linked to an activity, it is a state of being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/authentic-happiness-is-not-linked-to-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [ When you see those in healthcare who don't get this burn-out, they are very motherly, fatherly, or loving and attentive with the patients. \[These\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/when-you-see-those-in-healthcare-who-don-t-get-this-burn-out-they-are/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [Although the optimist may be a little giddy when foreseeing the future, telling himself that it will all work out in the end when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/although-the-optimist-may-be-a-little-giddy-when-foreseeing-the/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [“There is a possibility for change because all emotions are fleeting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/there-is-a-possibility-for-change-because-all-emotions-are-fleeting/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [When faced with adverse circumstances, if you can do something, do it and there is not need to worry. If you can't do anything,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/when-faced-with-adverse-circumstances-if-you-can-do-something-do-it/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [“The only ‘failure’ of quantum theory is its inability to provide a natural framework for our prejudices.”1”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/the-only-failure-of-quantum-theory-is-its-inability-to-provide-a/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [The mind is malleable. Our life can be greatly transformed by even a minimal change in how we manage our thoughts and perceive and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/the-mind-is-malleable-our-life-can-be-greatly-transformed-by-even-a/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) [Explore all 108 Matthieu Ricard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) ## More Absolutes quotes > [At the centre of the human heart is the longing for an absolute good, a longing which is always there and is never appeased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/at-the-centre-of-the-human-heart-is-the-longing-for-an-absolute-good/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [There is no perfect justice, just as there is no absolute in ethics. 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But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) > [So many times we come to Jesus in worship and ask Him for things that He already IS and has already done... What a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-nockels/so-many-times-we-come-to-jesus-in-worship-and-ask-him-for-things-that/) [Christy Nockels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-nockels/) > [Those are decisions only the Lord will make. I believe the love of God is absolute. He said he gave his son for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/those-are-decisions-only-the-lord-will-make-i-believe-the-love-of-god/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“The Gods know what it is to be eternal, and they love to toy with mortals who use absolutes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/the-gods-know-what-it-is-to-be-eternal-and-they-love-to-toy-with/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [Anarchy is the stepping stone to absolute power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/anarchy-is-the-stepping-stone-to-absolute-power/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [I was asked the other day if I would be interested in the Nobel Prize, but I think that for me it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/i-was-asked-the-other-day-if-i-would-be-interested-in-the-nobel-prize/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [The only "definitive truth" for Buddhism is the absolute negation of any one truth as the Definitive Truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-only-definitive-truth-for-buddhism-is-the-absolute-negation-of/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The nature of the Absolute is neither perceptible nor imperceptible; and with phenomena it is just the same. 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