How to Read “Good and evil are like water and waves”
zen-aku wa sui-ha no go-to-shi
Meaning of “Good and evil are like water and waves”
“Good and evil are like water and waves” teaches that the boundary between good and evil is vague, like waves on water. The difference between them is only slight.
What appears to be a good action can lead to bad results. The opposite is also true. Something that seems bad can lead to good outcomes.
The distinction between good people and bad people is not absolute either. When circumstances or perspectives change, our evaluation of good and evil can change too.
This proverb warns against judging things simply as good or evil. It points out the danger of judging others one-sidedly or treating your own righteousness as absolute.
Today, people quote this saying when thinking about complex ethical problems. It’s also used to explain the importance of tolerance toward others.
The wisdom here is that we need to be careful when judging good and evil. We should maintain a humble attitude.
Origin and Etymology
The exact source of this proverb is unclear. However, we can make interesting observations from how the phrase is constructed.
The expression “water and waves” beautifully represents the relationship between good and evil. Waves on water have peaks and valleys that appear alternately.
If we see the peaks as good and the valleys as evil, both are always side by side. They differ only slightly in position.
Waves constantly move. What was a peak becomes a valley. What was a valley becomes a peak. This fluidity symbolizes the vague boundary between good and evil.
Buddhist thought may have influenced this proverb. Buddhism views good and evil not as fixed but as changing according to causes and conditions.
The same action can be good or evil depending on the situation and motivation. This relative view of good and evil matches the fluidity of water and waves perfectly.
We can also point to the influence of Chinese Taoist philosophy and its relativism. A similar expression says “fortune and misfortune are like twisted rope.”
Eastern thought has a tradition of not separating opposing concepts rigidly. Instead, it sees them as transforming into each other. This proverb likely emerged from such philosophical ground.
Usage Examples
- I had labeled that person as evil, but good and evil are like water and waves—how we see someone changes with our perspective
- What I did with good intentions ended up hurting someone; good and evil are like water and waves, so I shouldn’t treat my judgment as absolute
Universal Wisdom
The universal wisdom in “Good and evil are like water and waves” offers deep insight into the imperfection of human judgment.
We all see things from our own viewpoint and judge what is good or evil. But is that judgment truly absolute?
Looking back at history, what one era considered right often became wrong in another era. This happens frequently.
What one culture sees as good, another culture may see as evil. Even at the individual level, what we believed was right in youth can seem questionable as we gain experience.
This proverb has been passed down through generations because humans have always faced the difficult task of judging good and evil.
We need standards of good and evil to maintain society. Yet we also know these standards are not absolute. Within this contradiction, our ancestors discovered the importance of humility and tolerance.
Recognizing that the boundary between good and evil is fluid like water and waves serves as a warning against self-righteous justice. At the same time, it expresses deep compassion for humanity.
Because no one can make perfect judgments, we need to forgive and understand each other. This wisdom may hold even greater meaning in our modern age of deepening conflict and division.
When AI Hears This
Water flow has critical points. When you slowly open a faucet, water flows clear and quiet.
But the moment it exceeds a certain speed, it suddenly turns white and turbulent. The boundary is determined by a value called the Reynolds number.
Above about 2,300, flow suddenly changes from laminar to turbulent. Near this transition point, the flow state becomes extremely unstable.
Just a slight change in speed or a tiny scratch in the pipe completely changes how water behaves.
Judging good and evil has the same structure. Consider the act of lying. In normal times, it’s evil.
But if you’re hiding refugees from Nazis and someone asks “Is anyone here?”, lying becomes good. This reversal isn’t an emotional issue.
It’s a phase transition determined by the entire system’s state. When context as an initial condition changes slightly, the same action receives opposite evaluations.
More interesting is that prediction becomes extremely difficult near critical points. Just as water waves have intermediate states where you can’t tell if they’re laminar or turbulent, actions on the boundary line of good and evil cannot be judged by anyone.
Euthanasia and self-defense exist precisely in this region. Fluid dynamics teaches us that good and evil are not fixed properties.
They are variables that depend on the dynamic state of the entire system.
Lessons for Today
This proverb teaches modern people the importance of having the courage to suspend judgment.
In our age of widespread social media, everyone can instantly express opinions and judge others as good or evil. However, making hasty judgments with limited information often creates misunderstanding and conflict.
The teaching that good and evil are like water and waves shows the value of having the humility to admit “I don’t know.”
Don’t rush to make things black and white. Have the patience to view things from multiple perspectives. Don’t treat your own sense of justice as absolute. Listen to different opinions too.
These attitudes are especially needed in modern society.
This teaching also shows us tolerance toward ourselves. When you realize a past judgment was wrong, you don’t need to blame yourself too much.
Since the boundary between good and evil is vague, no one can make perfect judgments. What matters is having the flexibility to correct mistakes when you notice them.
When you’re about to judge someone, remember these words. Is that judgment truly certain?
Might it be worth waiting a bit longer and thinking a bit more? That one pause might create better understanding and relationships.
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