THE UNIFYING
PRINCIPLE OF THE GOLDEN RULE
"Do
unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
If the diverse
cultures throughout the world could agree to live by this simple wisdom,
we could most certainly transform the world as we know it today.
Interestingly, the golden rule is at the heart of the teachings of all of
the great world religions, along with philosophical and humanitarian
traditions.
Bahá'í World Faith: "And if thine eyes be turned towards
justice, choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for
thyself." Epistle to the Son of the Wolf
Brahmanism: "This is the sum of Dharma [duty]: Do naught unto others which
would cause you pain if done to you". Mahabharata, 5:1517 "
Buddhism: Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful."
Udana-Varga 5:18
Christianity: "And as ye would that men should do to
you, do ye also to them likewise." Luke 6:31, King James Version.
Confucianism: "Do not do to others what you do not want
them to do to you" Analects 15:23
Ancient Egyptian: "Do for one who may do for you, that you
may cause him thus to do." The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant, 109
- 110 Translated by R.B. Parkinson. The original dates to 1970 to 1640 BCE
and may be the earliest version ever written.
Hinduism: "One should not behave towards others in a way which is
disagreeable to oneself." Mencius Vii.A.4
Humanism: "Don't do things you wouldn't want to have done to you."
British Humanist Society.
Islam: "None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother
what he wishes for himself." Number 13 of Imam "Al-Nawawi's
Forty Hadiths."
Jainism: "A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself
would be treated. "Sutrakritanga 1.11.33
Judaism: "What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man. This is the
law: all the rest is commentary." Talmud, Shabbat 31a.
Native American Spirituality: "Do not wrong or hate your
neighbor. For it is not he who you wrong, but yourself." Pima
proverb.
Roman Pagan Religion: "The
law imprinted on the hearts of all men is to love the members of society
as themselves."
Shinto: "The heart of the person
before you is a mirror. See there your own form"
Sikhism: "Don't create enmity with anyone as God is within
everyone." Guru Arjan Devji 259
Sufism: "The basis
of Sufism is consideration of the hearts and feelings of others. If you
haven't the will to gladden someone's heart, then at least beware lest you
hurt someone's heart, for on our path, no sin exists but this."
Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh, Master of the Nimatullahi Sufi Order.
Taoism: "Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain, and your
neighbor's loss as your own loss." T'ai
Shang
Kan
Ying P'ien.
Unitarian: "We affirm and promote respect for the interdependent of all
existence of which we are a part." Unitarian principles.
Wicca: "An it harm no one, do what thou wilt" (i.e. do what
ever you will, as long as it harms nobody, including yourself). One's will
is to be carefully thought out in advance of action. This is called the Wiccan
Rede
Yoruba: (
Nigeria
): "One going to take a pointed
stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it
hurts."
Zoroastrianism: "That nature alone is good which refrains
from doing unto another whatsoever is not good for itself".
Dadistan-i-dinik 94:5
Some philosophers’ statements are:
Epictetus: "What you would avoid suffering yourself, seek not to impose on
others." (circa 100 CE)
Kant: "Act as if the maxim of thy action were to become by thy will a
universal law of nature."
Plato: "May I do to others as I would that they should do unto me."
(
Greece
; 4th century BCE)
Socrates: "Do not do to others that which would anger you if others did it
to you." (
Greece
; 5th century BCE)
Seneca: "Treat your inferiors as you would be treated by your superiors,"
Epistle 47:11 (
Rome
; 1st century CE)
Examples from moral/ethical systems are:
Humanism: "...critical intelligence, infused by a sense of human caring,
is the best method that humanity has for resolving problems. Reason should
be balanced with compassion and empathy and the whole person fulfilled."
Humanist Manifesto II; Ethics section.
Scientology: "20: Try to treat others as you would want
them to treat you." This is one of the 21 moral precepts that
form the moral code explained in L. Ron Hubbard's booklet "The Way
to Happiness."
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