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“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”, The Golden Rule, Has been the seed of universal truth that has been the foundation of most if not all of the major and minor religious practices for thousands and thousands of years. It is at the very core of every spiritual practice and the focus of how to walk and talk the spiritual energies within us. And yet, it has become almost a hackneyed expression thrown around in playgrounds rather than a concept we all should be embracing and living our lives in harmony with. Perhaps because it is so simple people don’t recognize the wisdom and power behind the philosophy. These are not just simple words they are the foundation principal supporting a spiritual pathway. Many will study deep, profound works of philosophers long gone in attempts to comprehend the spiritual realms and how to seek them out and experience them, others will sit in class after class for development and awakening of the spiritual energies within. Why do we make it so hard on ourselves? Why do we think we have to struggle and pay out large sums of money to study with those who we perceive to be enlightened in the hopes that enlightenment will rub off? Understanding that this concept, the Golden Rule, applies not only to the physical but the emotional and spiritual as well, that understanding it and then living it is one of the first steps towards that awakening we all seek. There is no secret here, it’s simple, within us all is what we seek …it isn’t out there, it’s in here. You are the teacher and the student, and by embracing this simple phrase you touch in to the foundation of your own personal spiritual journey, after all if it has been good enough for religious philosophies for many thousands of years, quite possible it holds great truth and wisdom and is worth as much study and attention as all the other ways sought for enlightenment. Some times that which is the most simple holds the greatest and most profound truth.
Below are just some of the places that The Golden Rule has appeared over time. I’m sure I’ve missed a lot and if you have any that should be added to the list please share them with me and I’ll add them as well.
Bahá’í Faith: founded in Iran 1844
“Ascribe not to any soul that which thou wouldst not
have ascribed to thee, and say not that which thou doest not.” “Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself.”
Baha’u’llah founder of the Bahá’í 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: founded 3500 BCE
“This is the sum of Dharma [duty]: Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you”. Mahabharata, 5:1517 ”
Buddhism: founded 5th century BCE
“…a state that is not pleasing or delightful to me, how could I
inflict that upon another?” Samyutta NIkaya v. 353
Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.” Udana-Varga 5:18
Christian: founded 33 AD
“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.
“And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to
them likewise.” Luke 6:31, King James Version.
“…and don’t do what you hate…”, Gospel of Thomas 6. The Gospel of Thomas is one of about 40 gospels that were widely accepted among early Christians, but which never made it into the Christian Scriptures (New Testament).
Confucianism: founded 5th or 6th century BCE
“Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to
you” Analects 15:23
“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
“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
Egyptian: founded 3,000 BCE
“He sought for others the good he desired for himself. Let him pass on.”
“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: founded 2000BCE
“This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others what you would not have them do unto you.” Mahabharata 5, 1517
Humanism: 15th century in Europe
“(5) Humanists acknowledge human interdependence, the need for
mutual respect and the kinship of all humanity.”
“(11) Humanists affirm that individual and social problems can
only be resolved by means of human reason, intelligent effort,
critical thinking joined with compassion and a spirit of empathy for
all living beings. ”
“Don’t do things you wouldn’t want to have done to you,
British Humanist Society.
Islam: founded 622 BCE
“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: founded 6th century BCE
“Therefore, neither does he [a sage] cause violence to others
nor does he make others do so.” Acarangasutra 5.101-2.
“In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard all creatures as we regard our own self.”
Lord Mahavira, 24th Tirthankara
“A man should wander about treating all creatures as he
himself would be treated. “Sutrakritanga 1.11.33
Judaism: founded 3500 years ago
“…thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”,
Leviticus 19:18
“What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man. This is the
law: all the rest is commentary.” Talmud, Shabbat 31a.
“And what you hate, do not do to any one.” Tobit 4:15
Native American Spirituality: Judaism:
“…thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”,
Leviticus 19:18
“What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man. This is the
law: all the rest is commentary.” Talmud, Shabbat 31a.
“And what you hate, do not do to any one.” Tobit 4:15
Native American Spirituality:
“Respect for all life is the foundation.” The Great Law of Peace. “All things are our relatives; what we do to everything, we do
to ourselves. All is really One.” Black Elk
“Do not wrong or hate your neighbor. For it is not he who you
wrong, but yourself.” Pima proverb.
Roman Pagan Religion: around 500 BCE
“The law imprinted on the hearts of all
men is to love the members of society as themselves.”
Scientology: founded December 1953
“20: Try to treat others as you would want them to treat you.”
Seneca: founded first century AD
“Treat your inferiors as you would be treated by your superiors,” Epistle 47:11 (Rome; 1st century CE)
Shinto: founded 500 BCE
“The heart of the person before you is a mirror. See there your own form” Munetada Kurozumi
“Be charitable to all beings, love is the representative of God.” Ko-ji-ki Hachiman Kasuga
Sikhism: founded 1450 CE
Compassion-mercy and religion are the support of the entire
world”. Japji Sahib
“Don’t create enmity with anyone as God is within
everyone.” Guru Arjan Devji 259
“No one is my enemy, none a stranger and everyone is my
friend.” Guru Arjan Dev : AG 1299
Sufism: founded 675 CE
“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.
faithful; he is also faithful to the unfaithful: for Virtue is faithful.” Tao Teh Ching, Chapter 49.
Taoism: founded 550 BCE
“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.
“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
Unitarian: 16th century CE
“The inherent worth and dignity of every person;”
“Justice, equity and compassion in human relations…. ”
“The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;”
“We affirm and promote respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.” Unitarianprinciples.
wicca – There is no exhaustive or authoritative source that traces Wicca back through ancient times. Wicca is mainly a 20th century manifestation of ancient nature worship systems based out of northern Europe that existed thousands of years ago.
“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: the Yorùbá are/were exquisite statesmen who spread across the globe in an unprecedented fashion;[11] the reach of their culture is largely due to migration. Some of this movement occurred during periods that pre-date the Egyptian dynasties;
(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: founded 6th century BCE
“That nature alone is good which refrains from doing to another whatsoever is not good for itself.” Dadisten-I-dinik, 94, 5
“That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto
another whatsoever is not good for itself”. Dadistan-i-dinik 94:5
“Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others.”
Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29
Statements from philosophers:
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.