Universal GroundThe Golden Rule in world religions
The Golden Rule, the idea that you should treat others as you want to be treated, appears in the texts of many of the world’s religions and philosophies. The wording differs. Some versions tell you what to do, others what not to do, and traditions do not all give it the same importance. Scholars also call it the ethic of reciprocity.
What the Golden Rule says in each tradition
| Tradition | The words | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Buddhism | “All men tremble at punishment, all men love life; remember that thou art like unto them, and do not kill, nor cause slaughter.” | Dhammapada 130, trans. Max Müller |
| Christianity | “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.” | Matthew 7:12, King James Version |
| Confucianism | “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.” | Analects, Book XV, trans. James Legge (chapter 23 in Legge, 24 in other editions) |
| Hinduism | “One should never do that to another which one regards as injurious to one’s own self.” | Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva 113, trans. Kisari Mohan Ganguli |
| Islam | “None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself.” | Sahih al-Bukhari 13, narrated by Anas |
| Jainism | “A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated.” | Sutrakritanga 1.11.33, as quoted here |
| Judaism | “That which is hateful to you do not do to another; that is the entire Torah, and the rest is its interpretation. Go study.” | Hillel, Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 31a, William Davidson edition. See also Leviticus 19:18 |
| Sikhism | “No one is my enemy, and no one is a stranger. I get along with everyone.” | Guru Granth Sahib, page 1299, trans. Sant Singh Khalsa. A statement about others, close to the rule rather than the rule itself |
| Bahá’í Faith | “Choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself.” | Bahá’u’lláh, as quoted here |
| Zoroastrianism | “Do not do unto others whatever is injurious to yourself.” | Shayast-na-Shayast 13.29, as quoted here |
Is it really the same rule in every religion?
Not exactly, and it is worth being careful here.
- Do, or do not do. Matthew tells you what to do. Hillel and the Analects tell you what not to do. Some thinkers see that as an important difference, since one asks for action and the other for restraint.
- Who counts. The hadith above is translated with “(Muslim) brother” in this edition, and other translations say only “brother”. Whether a rule covers everyone or a person’s own community is a live question in several traditions.
- How central it is. Some of these lines are the heart of a teaching, as with Hillel. Others are one saying among many. Finding a similar sentence does not show that two religions rank it the same way.
Has anyone tried to build on it?
Yes. Towards a Global Ethic, endorsed by an assembly of 250 religious and spiritual leaders at the 1993 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago, rests on two demands: the Golden Rule, and that every human being must be treated humanely. See what all religions have in common for how scholars read this overlap, including those who think it is overstated.
A shared sentence in old texts is a starting point. It does not tell you whether two living people, one Sikh and one Catholic, say, would mean the same thing by it. That is the conversation Universal Ground is built to start.
Common questions
What is the Golden Rule?
The principle that you should treat others as you would want to be treated. Scholars also call it the ethic of reciprocity.
Which religions have the Golden Rule?
Versions appear in Hindu, Buddhist, Confucian, Jain, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Bahai and Zoroastrian texts, among others. Wording and importance differ from one tradition to another.
Where is the Golden Rule in the Bible?
Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31 in the New Testament. Leviticus 19:18, love your neighbor as yourself, is a closely related teaching in the Hebrew Bible.
Is the Golden Rule in the Quran?
The best-known Islamic version is usually cited from hadith, the recorded sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, such as Sahih al-Bukhari 13, rather than from the Quran.
Who said it first?
No one can say for certain. The Analects of Confucius state it clearly, and related ideas are traced to older sources, including ancient Egypt.