Golden Rule In Different Traditions

The Golden Rule

The Golden Rule is a teaching of righteousness and compassion that seems to be shared by the many religious traditions of the World:

Baha’i

Lay not on any soul a load that you would not wish to be laid upon you, and desire not for anyone the things you would not desire for yourself.

            --Baha’ullah, Gleanings

Buddhism

Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.

--Udana Varga 5:18

Christianity

“But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.  To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also;  and from him who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt.  Give to every one who begs from you;  and of him who takes away from your goods do not ask them again.  And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.”

--Luke 6:27 - 31

Confucianism

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

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

Hinduism

One should never do that to another which one regards as injurious to one’s own self.  This, in brief, is the rule of Dharma.  Other behaviour is due to selfish desires.

            --Mahabharata (Anusasana Parva, Section CXIII, Verse 8)

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.

            --Al Nawawi’s Forty Hadith 13

Jainism

In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard all creatures as we regard our own self.

            --Lord Mahavira, 24^th Tirthankara

Judaism

When a foreigner comes to live in your land, do not insult or discriminate against him.  The foreigner who becomes a citizen must be treated exactly the same as a native-born person.  You must love him just as much as you love yourself.  You must remember that you were once foreigners in Egypt.  I am Adonai.

--Vayikra 19:33 - 34

Mohism

If people regarded other people’s families in the same way that they regard their own, who then would incite their own family to attack that of another?  For one would do for others as one would do for oneself.

            --Mozi, Mozi Chapter 16

Native American Spirituality

All things are our relatives;  what we do to everything, we do to ourselves.  All is really One.

            --Black Elk

Roman Pagan Religion

The law imprinted on the hearts of all men is to love the members of society as themselves.

Scientology

Try to treat others as you would want them to treat you.

            --The Way to Happiness

Shinto

The heart of the person before you is a mirror.  See there your own form.

            --Munetada Kurozumi

Sikhism

Don’t create enmity with anyone as God is within everyone.

            --Guru Arjan Devji 259

Taoism

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 Te Ching, Chapter 49

Yoruba (Nigeria)

One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby 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

Philosophers

May I do to others as I would that they should do unto me.

--Plato

Do not do to others that which would anger you if others did it to you.

--Socrates

Act as if the maxim of thy action were to become by thy will a universal law of nature.

--Kant