THE GOLDEN RULE: LET THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH

 

        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)

        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, 30

        Buddhist Faith Hurt not others with that which
pains yourself. Udana-Varga

        Christian Faith 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. The Gospel of
Matthew Matt 7:12, Luke 6:31

        Hindu Faith This is the sum of duty: do naught to
others which if done to thee would cause thee pain.
The Mahabharata

        Jewish Faith What is hateful to you, do not to
your fellow men. That is the entire Law; all the rest is
commentary. The Talmud

        Muslim Faith No one of you is a believer until he
desires for his brother that which he desires for
himself. Hadith

        Islam Not one of you is a believer until he loves
for his brother what he loves for himself. Forty
Hadith of an-Nawawi 13

        Do not do unto others what angers you if done to
you by others. Isocrates 436-338 BCE

        An it harm none, do what thou wilt. Wiccan Rede

        some other information from various sources:
Tzu-kung asked, 'Is there a single word which can be
a guide to conduct throughout one's life?' The
Master said, 'It is perhaps the word shu. Do not
impose on others what you yourself do not desire.'
Analects, 15.24

        Refraining from doing what we blame in others.
By Thales Diogenes Laertius, vol I, page 39

        Christianity: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself. There is more to it than that In the book of
Matthew, Chapter 7 verse 12, and says 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. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

        Teacher, which is the great commandment in the
law? Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your
God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and
with all your mind. This is the great and first
commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love
your neighbor as yourself. Christianity. Bible, Matthew
22.36-40

        Buddhism. Sutta Nipata 705 One who you think
should be hit is none else but you. One who you think
should be governed is none else but you. One who you
think should be tortured is none else but you. One
who you think should be enslaved is none else but you.
One who you think should be killed is none else but
you. A sage is ingenuous and leads his life after
comprehending the parity of the killed and the killer.
Therefore, neither does he cause violence to others
nor does he make others do so.

        Judaism and Christianity. Bible, Leviticus 19.18
Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to
them. Christianity. Bible, Matthew 7.12

        Tsekung 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 do to
others what you do not want them to do to you.
Confucianism. Analects 15.23

        A man should wander about treating all
creatures as he himself would be treated. Jainism.
Sutrakritanga 1.11.33

        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. Confucianism.
Mencius VII.A.4

        Hinduism 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 Parva113.8

        Leviticus 19.18: Quoted by Jesus in Matthew
22.36-40. Mencius VII.A.4 and Analects 15.23: Cf.
Analects 6.28.2, p. 975. Comparing oneself to others
in such terms as Just as I am so are they, just as
they are so am I, he should neither kill nor cause
others to kill.

        Jainism. Acarangasutra 5.101-2 The Ariyan
disciple thus reflects, Here am I, fond of my life, not
wanting to die, fond of pleasure and averse from pain.
Suppose someone should rob me of my life... it would
not be a thing pleasing and delightful to me. If I, in
my turn, should rob of his life one fond of his life, not
wanting to die, one fond of pleasure and averse from
pain, it would not be a thing pleasing or delightful to
him. For a state that is not pleasant or delightful to
me must also be to him also; and a state that is not
pleasing or delightful to me, how could I inflict that
upon another? As a result of such reflection he
himself abstains from taking the life of creatures and
he encourages others so to abstain, and speaks in
praise of so abstaining. Buddhism. Samyutta Nikaya
v.353

        A certain heathen came to Shammai and said to
him, Make me a proselyte, on condition that you teach
me the whole Torah while I stand on one foot.
Thereupon he repulsed him with the rod which was in
his hand. When he went to Hillel, he said to him, What
is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor: that is
the whole Torah; all the rest of it is commentary; go
and learn. Judaism. Talmud, Shabbat 31a

        Zoroastrian Faith Whatever is disagreeable to
yourself do not do unto others. Shayast-na-Shayast
13:29