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Common religious concepts- the golden rule
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One of the universal religious concepts that binds all religions is what is known as the "golden rule" or the "Ethic of Reciprocity". Virtually every religion states the same belief as a foundation of behaviour for all followers.
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Here are some examples: |
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Brahmanism |
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"This is the sum of duty: Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you". Mahabharata, 5:1517 |
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Buddhism |
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"...a state that is not pleasing or delightful to me, how could I inflict that upon another?" Samyutta NIkaya v. 353 |
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Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful." Udana-Varga 5:18 |
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Christianity |
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"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." Matthew 7:12, King James Version. |
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"And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise." Luke 6:31, King James Version. |
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Confucianism |
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"Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you" Analects 15:23 |
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"Tse-kung asked, 'Is there one word that can serve as a principle of conduct for life?' Confucius replied, 'It is the word 'shu' -- reciprocity. Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.'" Doctrine of the Mean 13.3 |
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"Try your best to treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself, and you will find that this is the shortest way to benevolence." Mencius VII.A.4 |
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Ancient Egyptian |
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"Do for one who may do for you, that you may cause him thus to do." The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant, 1970 to 1640 BCE |
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Hinduism |
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"One should not behave towards others in a way which is disagreeable to oneself." Mencius Vii.A.4 |
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"This is the sum of the Dharma [duty]: do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you." Mahabharata 5:1517 |
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Islam |
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"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." |
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Judaism |
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"...thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.", Leviticus 19:18 |
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"What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man. This is the law: all the rest is commentary." Talmud, Shabbat 31a. |
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"And what you hate, do not do to any one." Tobit 4:15 6 |
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Native American Spirituality |
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"Respect for all life is the foundation." The Great Law of Peace |
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"All things are our relatives; what we do to everything, we do to ourselves. All is really One." Black Elk |
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Roman Pagan Religion |
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"The law imprinted on the hearts of all men is to love the members of society as themselves." |
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Taoism |
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"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. |
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"The sage has no interest of his own, but takes the interests of the people as his own. He is kind to the kind; he is also kind to the unkind: for Virtue is kind. He is faithful to the faithful; he is also faithful to the unfaithful: for Virtue is faithful." Tao Teh Ching, Chapter 49 |
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Wicca |
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"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 |
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Philosopher statements on the golden rule |
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Plato |
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"May I do to others as I would that they should do unto me." (Greece; 4th century BCE) |
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Socrates |
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"Do not do to others that which would anger you if others did it to you." (Greece; 5th century BCE) |
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