There is one golden thread, one teaching, one dharma, that is so universal, so deeply etched in the soul of man, that every belief system, every ancient culture, philosopher and prophet teach the same rule:
To love all of mankind as you do yourself, to treat others as you would expect to be treated.
We choose to be separatist, spiritually egocentric, believing our path, our belief alone is the right path, the right belief. All pathways are correct if they awaken us to our responsibility to mankind and our contribution to living in peace and harmony. It is the very reason we cannot come together as a people, every person believes their way is the right way.
If all of the teachings of all of the ancients, of all religions have this one fundamental thread – ‘to love each other’ , to do to/for each other as we would have done to/for ourselves then why is it we cannot live in harmony? We are too proud to accept the need to change, to work together and to unite in PEACE, accepting that there are many paths to PEACE and practicing tolerance for those whose paths are different to ours.
We all desire PEACE. The reason we are here at this moment in time is as givers of this gift of PEACE and LOVE.
In the teachings of many religious and ancient texts, below, the message is the same, a golden thread of LOVE and PEACE uniting us all.
JESUS CHRIST:
“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 mind and with all your soul… and You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”
(Jesus Christ, Matthew 22:36-40)
BUDDHISM:
“Hurt not others with that which pains yourself or in ways that you yourself would find hurtful. One should seek for others the happiness one desires for one’s self”
(Udana-Varqa, 5:18)
HINDUISM:
“This is the sum of duty: do naught unto others that which would cause pain if done unto you.”
(Mahabharata 5:1517)
“Do not to others what ye do not wish done to yourself; and wish for others too, what ye desire and long for, for yourself. This is the whole of Dharma, heed it well.”
(The Celestial Song, 2:65)
ZOROASTRIANISM:
“That nature ONLY is good when it shall NOT DO unto another whatever is not good for its own self.”
(Dadistan-i-Dinik, 94:5)
“Whatsoever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others.”
(Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29)
That which is good for all and any one, for whomsoever – that is good for me. What I hold good for self, I should for all. Only Law Universal, is true Law.”
(Zoroaster, Yasana-Gathas)
JAINIST:
“A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated.”
(Sutrakritanga 1.11.33)
SIKH:
“Precious like jewels are the minds of all. To hurt them is not at all good. If thou desirest thy Beloved, then hurt thou not anyone’s heart.”
(Guru Aranj Devji 259, Guru Granth Sahib)
CONFUCIANISM:
“Do not unto others what you would not have them do unto you.”
(Analects, 15:23)
“If one strives to treat others as he would be treated by them, he will come near the perfect life.”
(Book of Meng Tzu)
WESTERN SCHOOLS:
“What you wish your neighbours to be to you, such be also to them.”
(Pythagorean)
“We should conduct ourselves toward others as we would have them act toward us.”
(Aristotle, from Plato and Socrates)
“Avoid doing what you would blame others for doing.”
(Thales)
“Do not to your neighbour what you would take ill from him.”
(Pittacus)
“Cherish reciprocal benevolence, which will make you as anxious for another’s welfare as your own”
(Aristippus of Cyrene).
“Act toward others as you desire them to act toward you”
(Socrates)
TAO:
“Pity the misfortunes of others; rejoice in the well-being of others; help those who are in want; save men in danger; rejoice at the success of others; and sympathise with their reverses, even as though YOU WERE in their place.”
NATIVE AMERICAN:
“Do not kill or injure your neighbour, for it is not him that you injure, you injure yourself. But do good to him, therefore add to his days of happiness as you add to your own. Do not wrong or hate your neighbour, for it is not him that you wrong, you wrong yourself. But love him, for The Great Spirit (Moneto) loves him also as he loves you.”
(Shawnee)
“Respect for all life is the foundation.”
(The Great Law of Peace)
AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION:
“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)
ISLAM:
“Not one of you is a believer until he desires for another that which he desires for himself.”
(Muhammad, 40 Hadith of an-Nawawi 13)
“Do unto all men as you would they should do unto you, and reject for them that which you would reject for yourself.”
(Mishkat-el-Masabih)
JUDAISM:
“What is hateful to you, DO NOT do to your fellow man. That is the law: all the rest is commentary.”
(Talmud, Shabbat 31a)
“Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.”
(Moses, Leviticus 19:18)
BAHA’I WORLD FAITH:
“Lay not on any soul a load which ye would not wish to be laid on you, and desire not for any one the things ye would not desire for yourselves.”
(Baha’u’llah, Gleanings LXVI, p. 128)
“Choose for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself.”
(Baha’u’llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 30)
CHRISTIANITY:
“All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.”
(Matthew 7:12)
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
(Luke 6:31)