What is the Golden Rule

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. ~ Matthew 7:12

In the year 1963, the American President, in an anti-segregation speech, had made use of the Golden Rule. This was the period when African Americans were being treated badly, when they were not allowed to vote or even eat in the same place as the others. He asked the 'whites' to put themselves in the shoes of the African Americans and try to imagine what they would feel if they were treated in a similar manner. He further said, "Heart of the question is...whether we are going to treat our fellow Americans as we want to be treated." Some of you might have heard about the phrase in the Holy Bible, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" (Matthew 7:12). Some people believed that the Golden Rule originated from Christianity with the particular phrase. But, there is a different story behind it. Let us first see what is the Golden Rule first before we know more about its origin.

The Golden Rule

In simple terms, one can say that the "Rule" is actually the modern concept of Human Rights and it talks about how every human being has the right to receive justified treatment and also has the responsibility to ensure a just and able justice for others. It is an ethical code which states that one should treat others in the same way as one would like others to treat them. The main aim is to promote empathy i.e. feeling what others feel. In order to understand the Rule, the main thing that we all need is knowledge and imagination. The knowledge that we need to have is what effect will our action have on other people while we need to try to imagine what we would feel when we are in the shoes of the other person.

Some people believe that the origin takes place in Christianity. But the earliest form dates back to nearly 3000 BC. Given below are the various Rules from various world religions and also by some of the famous men during those days.

GOLDEN RULES	RELIGION OR PHILOSOPHERS
This is the sum of duty. Do not unto others that which would cause you pain if done to you.	Hinduism
What is hateful to you, do not to our fellow man. That is entire Law, all the rest is commentary.	Judaism
That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto another whatsoever is not good for itself.	Zoroastrianism
Hurt not others in ways that you find hurtful.	Buddhism
Surely it is the maxim of loving kindness, do not unto others that which you would not have done unto you.	Confucianism
One should treat all beings as he himself would be treated.	Jainism
Regard your neighbor's gain as your gain and your neighbor's loss as your loss.	Taoism
Do not do to others that which would anger you if others did it to you.	Socrates
Treat your inferiors as you would be treated by your superiors.	Seneca Tradition
Therefore all things whatsoever you desire that men should do to you, do you even so to them. For this is the Law and the prophets.	Christianity
Be charitable to all beings, love is the representative of God.	Shinto Tradition
No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.	Islam
We obtain salvation by loving our fellow man and God.	Sikhism

How to Incorporate the Rule in Your Life

• The first thing that one needs to follow is empathy, where you feel what others would feel, where you put yourself in someone else's shoes and try to understand how you would feel if someone treated you the same way as you did to the other person.
• Once you realize how bad the person is feeling, you have to practice the ways of reducing the pain of that person.
• Be a friend to all. Behave in a friendly manner with everyone. Yes you will come across people who will not reciprocate your feelings always, but you should not let that pull you down.
• Besides being friendly, one should also try to help all specially those who are in a problem.
• Another major Golden Rule in life is to listen. Many relationships breaks, many problems arises mainly because people do not listen to what others are trying to say. Many problems are solved when you listen. It will not only help you go a long way, but also others.
• See beyond the looks of a person. Do not judge a person on the basis of his/her looks, but on the basis of his nature. Try to see a person as an individual.
• Stop criticizing others. I am sure even you would not like it if someone criticized you in the same manner. Try to think in a positive manner.
• Stop controlling others in a way you would not like others controlling you. No one likes to be controlled by others.
• As Mahatma Gandhi had once said, that one should be the change that they would like to see in the world. Start with yourself first and the world will soon follow.

Now you know what Bible, the Koran, the Gita and other holy books say about this Rule; try to practice them everyday. Only then can one see the world changing for the better. Remember these rules no matter which religion you are following.