Previously, I said that evil is necessary for good to exist. I want to clarify.

Evil is not necessarily evil and good is not necessarily good. In the example of the Churning of the Milky Ocean, I said the stone carving shows the forces of good in a great battle against the forces of evil. This is an enormous over-simplification of the story’s meaning. The Devas are widely accepted as the good guys - and the Asuras, the bad guys. In reality, both groups are badass warriors who are in constant conflict with the opposing group. In the Churning, the two sides agree to work together in an attempt to achieve everlasting life. Both sides get something out of it, but they have to work together to make it happen.

So which side is truly good and which is evil? They both kill for their beliefs. They both have selfish reasons to put aside their differences. Both sides are brutal warriors.

For modern context, take a look at Israel and the Palestinians. They have been immersed in a conflict lasting for centuries over a parcel of land in the West Bank. Both sides believe they have rights to the land. Both sides are in polar opposition. Extremists on both sides employ brutal tactics to achieve their goals: deadly suicide bombings, marketplace attacks, military strikes. And at least for now, both sides have agreed to put aside their differences in a common goal, peace.

So again, which side is good and which is evil? Life isn’t that simple. Nothing is black and white. So while, “evil” must exist in order for “good” to exist, in reality, neither truly exists..