WISDOM FROM THE CENTURIES

Wisdom from the centuries has come through in proverbs and belief systems. Principles are basically the same, but are they being practiced now in daily living? Here are some of them with the source shown when known.

BUDDHISM: "Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful." - Udana-Varga, 5:18. Sixth century B.C.

CLASSICAL PAGANISM: "May I do to others as I would they should do unto me." - Plato, Fourth century B.C.

CHRISTIANITY: "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." - Jesus Christ Mathew 7:12.
"You shall love your neighbour as yourself," Matthew 22:39.

CONFUCIANISM: 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 unto others what you would not have them do to you." - Analects, 15:23 Sixth century B.C.

HINDUISM: "Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you, One should not behave toward others in a way which is disagreeable to oneself." - Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva 5:1517 Third century B.C.

ISLAM: "No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother what he desires for himself." - Muhammad, Sixth century B.C.

INDIA - JAINISM: "In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard all creatures as we regard our own self, and should therefore refrain from inflicting upon others such injury as we would appear undesirable to us if inflicted upon ourselves." - Lord Mahavir, Fifth century B.C. 24th Tirthankara.

JUDAISM: "You shall love your neighbour as yourself" - The Torah Lev. 19:18. "What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man; that is the whole Torah; go and learn - RabbiHillel, First century, Talmud, Shabbat 31a.

NATIVE AMERICAN: "Do not condemn your brother until you have walked a mile in his moccasins."

PERSIA - BAHAI: "Lay not on any soul a load which ye would not wish to be laid upon you and desire not for anyone the things you would not desire for yourself." - Baha'ullah, Nineteenth century.

SIKHISM: "Treat others as thou wouldst be treated thyself." Sixteenth century.

TAOISM: "Regard your neighbour's gain as your own gain and regard your neighbour's loss as your own loss."

ZOROASTRIANISM: "Do not do unto others all that which is not well for oneself." - Dadistan-i-Dinik, 94:5 Fifth century B.C.