The Golden Rule Across Traditions

Trace the reciprocity ethic—treating others as you wish to be treated—as it appears across major world religions.

Trail Steps

Confucius & Analects

Confucius teaches: 'Do not impose on others what you do not wish for yourself' (Analects 15.23). This is the foundation of his ethics of reciprocity.

Leviticus & Torah

The Torah commands: 'Love your neighbor as yourself' (Leviticus 19:18), establishing the reciprocity principle in Jewish law and ethics.

Jesus & the Gospels

Jesus teaches: 'So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you' (Matthew 7:12), making it central to Christian ethics.

Muhammad & Hadith

Muhammad states: 'None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself' (Hadith from Nawawi). This is the heart of Islamic ethics.

Buddha & Dhammapada

Buddha teaches: 'All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill' (Dhammapada 129-130).

Bahá'í Writings

Bahá'u'lláh teaches: 'Blessed is he who prefers his brother before himself.' The Bahá'í faith emphasizes treating others with the same compassion you seek.

Synthesis: Universal Morality

Across five centuries and six major traditions, the Golden Rule appears with striking consistency, suggesting it reflects a deep truth about human flourishing and social harmony.

Synthesis

The Golden Rule emerges as a universal moral principle across thousands of years and diverse cultures, suggesting a fundamental human consensus on ethical reciprocity.