I say that all are calling on the same God...it is not good to feel that my religion is true and the other religions are false. All seek the same object. A mother prepares dishes to suit the stomachs of her children....God has made religions to suit different aspirants, times and countries. All doctrines are only so many paths.
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There are many different religions to bring comfort and happiness to humanity in much the same way as there are particular treatments for different diseases. For, all religions endeavour in their own way to help living beings avoid misery and gain happiness. And, although we can find causes for preferring certain interpretations of religious truths, there is much greater cause for unity, stemming from the human heart. Each religion works in its own way to lessen human suffering and contribute to world civilization. Conversion is not the point. For instance, I do not think of converting others to Buddhism or merely furthering the Buddhist cause. Rather, I try to think of how I as a Buddhist humanitarian can contribute to human happiness.
While pointing out the fundamental similarities between world religions, I do not advocate one particular religion at the expense of all others, nor do I seek a new 'world religion.' All the different religions of the world are needed to enrich human experience and world civilization. Our human minds, being of different calibre and disposition, need different approaches to peace and happiness. It is just like food. Certain people find Christianity more appealing, others prefer Buddhism because there is no creator in it and everything depends upon your own actions. We can make similar arguments for other religions as well. Thus, the point is clear: humanity needs all the world's religions to suit the ways of life, diverse spiritual needs, and inherited national traditions of individual human beings.
It is from this perspective that I welcome efforts being made in various parts of the world for better understanding among religions. The need for this is particularly urgent now. If all religions make the betterment of humanity their main concern, then they can easily work together in harmony for world peace. Interfaith understanding will bring about the unity necessary for all religions to work together. However, although this is indeed an important step, we must remember that there are no quick or easy solutions. We cannot hide the doctrinal differences that exist among various faiths, nor can we hope to replace the existing religions by a new universal belief. Each religion has its own distinctive contributions to make, and each in its own way is suitable to a particular group of people as they understand life. The world needs them all.
There are two primary tasks facing religious practitioners who are concerned with world peace. First, we must promote better interfaith understanding so as to create a workable degree of unity among all religions. This may be achieved in part by respecting each other's beliefs and by emphasizing our common concern for human well-being. Second, we must bring about a viable consensus on basic spiritual values that touch every human heart and enhance general human happiness. This means we must emphasize the common denominator of all world religions -- humanitarian ideals. These two steps will enable us to act both individually and together to create the necessary spiritual conditions for world peace.
We practitioners of different faiths can work together for world peace when we view different religions as essentially instruments to develop a good heart -- love and respect for others, a true sense of community. The most important thing is to look at the purpose of religion and not at the details of theology or metaphysics, which can lead to mere intellectualism. I believe that all the major religions of the world can contribute to world peace and work together for the benefit of humanity if we put aside subtle metaphysical differences, which are really the internal business of each religion.
Despite the progressive secularization brought about by worldwide modernization and despite systematic attempts in some parts of the world to destroy spiritual values, the vast majority of humanity continues to believe in one religion or another. The undying faith in religion, evident even under irreligious political systems, clearly demonstrates the potency of religion as such. This spiritual energy and power can be purposefully used to bring about the spiritual conditions necessary for world peace. Religious leaders and humanitarians all over the world have a special role to play in this respect.
Whether we will be able to achieve world peace or not, we have no choice but to work towards that goal. If our minds are dominated by anger, we will lose the best part of human intelligence -- wisdom, the ability to decide between right and wrong. Anger is one of the most serious problems facing the world today.
I have written the above lines To tell my constant feeling. Whenever I meet even a 'foreigner', I have always the same feeling: 'I am meeting another member of the human family.' This attitude has deepened My affection and respect for all beings. May this natural wish be My small contribution to world peace. I pray for a more friendly, More caring, and more understanding Human family on this planet. To all who dislike suffering, Who cherish lasting happiness -- This is my heartfelt appeal.
© Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama [1984] Excerpt from booklet entitled: A Human Approach to World Peace
Ascribe not to any soul that which thou wouldst not have ascribed to thee, and say not that which thou doest not....Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself.
And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself.
Buddhism:
A state that is not pleasing or delightful to me, how could I inflict that upon another?
Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.
Christianity:
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.
Confucianism:
Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you
Hinduism:
One should not behave towards others in a way which is disagreeable to oneself
This is the sum of duty: do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you.
Humanism:
Humanists acknowledge human interdependence, the need for mutual respect and the kinship of all humanity.
Humanists affirm that individual and social problems can only be resolved by means of human reason, intelligent effort, critical thinking joined with compassion and a spirit of empathy for all living beings.
Islam:
Not one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself
Jainism:
In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard all creatures as we regard our own self.
A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated.
Judaism:
..thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man. This is the law: all the rest is commentary.
Native American Spirituality:
Respect for all life is the foundation.
Roman Pagan Religion:
The law imprinted on the hearts of all men is to love the members of society as themselves
Shinto:
The heart of the person before you is a mirror. See there your own form
Sikhism:
Compassion-mercy and religion are the support of the entire world.
Don't create enmity with anyone as God is within everyone.
No one is my enemy, none a stranger and everyone is my friend.
Treat others as thou wouldst be treated thyself.
Sufism:
The basis of Sufism is consideration of the hearts and feelings of others. If you haven't the will to gladden someone's heart, then at least beware lest you hurt someone's heart, for on our path, no sin exists but this.
Taoism:
Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain, and your neighbor's loss as your own loss.
I am good to the man who is good to me, likewise, I am also good to the bad man.
Unitarian:
We affirm and promote respect for the interdependent of all existence of which we are a part
Wicca:
An it harm no one, do what thou wilt
Yoruba: (Nigeria):
One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts.
Zoroastrianism:
That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto another whatsoever is not good for itself.
Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others.
Non-religious:
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