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Love & Service to Others
is the Seed and Substance of every World Religion.
Buddhism
“Compassion and love are not mere luxuries. As the source both of inner and
external peace, they are fundamental to the continued survival of our
species.”
(His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama)
“May all sentient beings have happiness and its causes,
May all sentient beings be free of suffering and its causes,
May all sentient beings never be separated from bliss without suffering,
May all sentient beings be in equanimity, free of bias, attachment and
anger.”
(The four immeasurables of Buddhism,
also known as the Brahma Viharas (Skt.) are found
in one brief and beautiful prayer.)
“Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find
hurtful.”
(Udana-Varga 5:1)
Christianity
“And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test,
saying, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ He
said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? How do you read
it?’ And he answered,
‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your
soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as
yourself.’ And he said to him, ‘You have answered correctly; do
this, and you will live.’"
(Luke 10:25-28 English Standard Version)
“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also
to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
(Matthew 7:12 English Standard Version)
Confucianism
“Do not do to others what you would not like yourself.
Then there will be no resentment against you, either in the family or in the
state.”
(Analects 12:2)
“The superior man is one who practices benevolence
regardless of family background.” (Analects of Confucius)
“Fan Ch'ih asked about
benevolence. The Master said, ‘It is to love all men.’ He asked
about knowledge. The Master said, ‘It is to know all men.’ Fan Ch'ih
did not immediately understand these answers.”
(Analects chapter 1)
Hinduism
“This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others what you
would not have them do unto you.”
(Mahabharata 5,1517)
“Desire for the well being of all beings and benevolence
in the form of almsgiving were encouraged especially when done with no
expectation of rewards at least in this life.” (Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami)
“All Hindu texts teach mercy, compassion, and
benevolence.” (A.L. Basham, The
Wonder that was India 1967, p. 339).
Islam
“No one of you is a believer until he desires for his
brother that which he desires for himself.”
(Sunnah)
“The Prophet said: 'Charity is a necessity for every Muslim.
' He was asked: 'What if a person has nothing?' The Prophet replied: 'He
should work with his own hands for his benefit and then give something out of
such earnings in charity.' The Companions asked: 'What if he is not able to
work?' The Prophet said: 'He should help poor and needy persons.' The
Companions further asked 'What if he cannot do even that?' The Prophet said
'He should urge others to do good.' The Companions said 'What if he lacks
that also?' The Prophet said 'He should check himself from doing evil. That
is also charity.'” (Sayings
of Mohammed)
Jainism
Karunä Bhavana (Virtue
of Compassion)
“A feeling of self-affliction (suffering) produced in our
heart, on seeing the various types of miseries and calamities suffered by
other creatures is known as karunä
(compassion) bhavana. In this karuna
bhavana we should show compassion to those who are
in distress, need and to those who are weak, sick and helpless. Since we have
accepted everyone as a friend, we can not just stand on the side walk and let
them suffer. We should help them and should offer them support. One should
try to remove their sorrows and agonies. One should make all efforts in these
directions…
When we see someone is homeless, poor, sick or in need of
something, the feeling we get to help is called material compassion. By
helping the needy materially, we are able to reduce their material
sufferings.”
(Jain Principles, Traditions, and Practices)
Judaism
“The Lord has told you, human, what is good; he has told
you what he wants from you: to do what is right to other people, love being
kind to others, and live humbly, obeying your God.” (Micah 6:8 English Standard Version)
“What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellowman. This
is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary.”
(Talmud, Shabbat 3id)
Sikhism
“All people are children of the same Father. Do not divide them into Hindus and
Muslims (ie. different faiths).”
(Guru Nanak, founder of Sikhism)
"The same Lord, our common Father-Mother, is reflected in
every human being. We can love Him in any language and by any name, the way
we may address our mother as Mom, Mommy, or Mumma. The
best way to worship God and to please Him is to sincerely serve ALL people
irrespective of their faith, caste, color, or race. Hurting anyone's mind
displeases God." (Guru Nanak) [Underline emphasis mine]
"O God, in Your Name, shower Your blessings on
everyone." (Sikh prayer
prayed aloud at least twice a day.)
Taoism
The three treasures of Taoism are Compassion, Moderation, and
Humility.
The first of the Three Treasures is ci, literally translated as
‘compassion, tenderness, love, mercy, kindness, gentleness,
benevolence.’”
(Tao Te Ching Chapter 67)
“Regard your neighbor’s gain as your gain, and your
neighbor’s loss as your own loss.”
(Tai Shang Kan Yin P’ien)
Zoroastrianism
“That nature alone is good which refrains from doing
another whatsoever is not good for itself.”
(Dadisten-I-dinik, 94:5)
“I, with my appreciation and convictions choose for myself
to be a worshipper of Omniscient God and a Zarathushtrian.
I appreciate Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds. I appreciate the
Good Religion of worshipping Omniscient God, which overthrow yokes yet
sheaths swords, teaches self-reliance and is righteous." (Part of the prayer of the initiate
into Zoroastrianism.)
“A follower of Zarathushtra
should be wise, vigilant, self-reliant, active, creative, progressive,
peaceful, honourable, tolerant and above all, kind
and loving. A Zarathushtrian loves God and God's
creation.” (An Introduction to Daenâ Vanuhi (The Good Religion) of Asho
Zarathushtra, edited by Shapour Suren-Pahlav)
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