The Golden Rule

The principle known as the Golden Rule – Do unto others what you would have them do unto you – is often thought of as the apex of Jesus’ moral teachings and even of being unique to Christianity, at least by some Christians. However, the Buddha made this same principle one of the cornerstones of his ethics too in the 5th century BCE. It occurs in many places and in many forms throughout the Tipitaka. For example, the Buddha said, ‘All tremble at punishment. Life is dear to all. Put yourself in the place of others and harm none or have them harmed’ (Dhp.130). ‘You should make this inference, “A person who is angry and who speaks angrily is unpleasant and disagreeable to me, so if I were angry and spoke angrily to others I would be unpleasant and disagreeable to them.” Understanding this, one should then think, “I shall neither be angry nor speak angrily.” ’ (M.I,99). ‘Knowing that as I am so are others and as are others so am I, harm none or have them harmed’ (Sn.705).
To make the so-called Golden Rule central to one’s thought and behavior, several prerequisites are necessary. One must be clear about one’s own true welfare; one must be aware of the reactions of others; and one must be detached enough to get out of one’s own feelings and enter into the feelings of others. So paradoxically, true empathy and compassion are preceded by mindfulness and detachment.

Here are some other examples of the Golden Rule predating Jesus and perhaps even the Buddha.

Do not to your neighbor what you would take ill from him. Pittacus, Greece (640-568 BCE), Fragment 10.3.

Avoid doing what you would blame others for doing. Thales, Asia Minor (624-546 BCE).

Never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself. Confucius, China (5th century BCE), Analects XV.24, also at V.12 and VI.30.

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. Lao Tzu, China (5th century BCE. Tao Te Ching, chap. 49.

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. Jewish, Palestine (500-500 BCE), Leviticus, 19:18.

What you wish your neighbors to be to you, such be also to them. Sextus the Pythagorean, Greece (4th century BCE).

Do not do to others what would anger you if done to you by others. Isocrates, Greece (436-338), Nicocles 6.

I will ask you a question. ‘Is sorrow or pain desirable to you ? If you say “yes it is”, it would be a lie. If you say, “No, it is not” you will be expressing the truth. Just as sorrow or pain is not desirable to you, so it is to all which breathe, exist, live or have any essence of life. To you and all, it is undesirable, and painful, and repugnant. The Jain Acaranga Sutra, India (3rd-6th cent CE?).

What thou avoidest suffering thyself seek not to impose on others. Epictetus, Greece (1st cent CE), Encheiridion.

Do to no one what you yourself dislike. Jewish, Palestine, (2nd century BCE), The Book of Tobit 4,15.

Just as pain is not agreeable to you, it is so with others. Knowing this principle of sameness treat other with respect and compassion. The Jain Canon, India (2nd century BCE), Suman Suttam v.150.

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. (2nd century BCE - 3rd century CE). Mahabharata Anusasana Parva, cxiii, v.8

A man should wander about treating all creatures as he would like himself to be treated. Jainism, India (1st cent BCE) Sutrakritanga 1.11,33.

That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole of the Torah; the rest is commentary. Now go and learn. Hillel (1st century BCE) Talmud, Shabbat 31a.