What goes around, comes around
The Golden Rule
Every faith on the planet has its own version of the ethic of reciprocity. It is often regarded as the most concise and general principle of ethics.
Choose the verbiage you prefer:
- African Traditional Religions: One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts. (Yoruba Proverb, Nigeria)
- BAHA'I':
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, 30 )
- BUDDHISM: Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful. (Udana-Varga 5:18)
- CHRISTIANITY: All things whatsoever ye would that man should do to you, do ye even so to them. (Matthew 7:12) ALSO: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
(Matthew 22.40)
- CONFUCIANISM: Surely it is the maxim of loving-kindness: Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you. (Analects 15:23) ALSO: 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)
- HINDUISM: This is the sum of duty: Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you. (Mahabharata 5:1517)
ALSO: One should not behave towards others in a way which is disagreeable to oneself. This is the essence of morality. All other activities are due to selfish desire. (Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva 113.8)
- ISLAM: No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself. (Sunnah; Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 13)
- 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 fellowman. That is the entire law; all the rest is commentary. (Talmud, Shabbat 31a)
- 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)
- WICCA: Three-fold Law (a.k.a. the Law of Return) The law states that:
"All good that a person does to another returns three fold in this life; harm is also returned three fold."
ALSO:
The Wiccan Rede: This is the main rule of behavior:
"An it harm none, do what thou wilt."
- ZOROASTRIANISM: Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others. (Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29)
"Kindness to all living things is the true religion." - Buddha
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Created: 2000
Last revision: 23 April 2004