ONE FAMILY PLAN
Common Precepts
GOD IS THE CREATOR
“Every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.” (Christianity, Hebrews 3:4)
“This universe hath sprung from the Lord. In him it is established. He is the cause of creation.” (Hinduism, Vishnu Purana 1.1.35)
“All things originate from heaven.” (Confucianism, Li Chi 9.2.8)
“He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.” (Judaism, Jeremiah 10:12)
“Praise be to God, who created the heavens and the earth, and ordained the darkness and the light! He it is who created you.” (Islam, Qur’an 6:1)
“God is ever true. He is the true Lord. He who made this world is and always shall be. Behold! His handiwork attests his greatness.” (Sikhism, The Japji, vol. 1, 212)
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
“As water quenches the thirst of the good and the bad alike, and cleanses them of dust and impurity, so also shall you treat your friend and your foe alike with loving kindness.” (Buddhism, The Ninth Perfection, Sutta-Pitaka, Buddha-Vasama)
“He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Christianity, Matthew 5:45)
“More important is a day of rain than the Resurrection of the Dead, since the Resurrection is for the righteous and not the wicked, whereas rain is for both the righteous and the wicked.” (Judaism, Talmud, Moed-Taanith)
“The earth holds the honest and the wicked. The sun warms the honest and the wicket. The wind blows equally for them. Water cleanses them equally.” (Hinduism, Maha., Shanti Parva (Book 12) LXXIII)
“The highest goodness is like water. Water is beneficent to all things.” (Taoism, TTC 8)
“The rain falls on the just and the unjust.” (Hopi, Native American, Zona)
“My religion is like clouds dropping much rain… some falls in the hollows from which mankind are benefited, some falls on high lands from which benefit is not derived.” (Islam, Hadith)
HONOR THY FATHER AND MOTHER
“For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother.” (Christianity, Matthew 15:4)
“Honor thy Father and Mother. Forget not the favors thou hast received.” (Hinduism, Avaiyar, WR 17)
“Serve and revere your parents. Heaven is spread beneath the feet of mothers everywhere.” (Islam, Hadith)
“To support Father and Mother, To cherish Wife and Child, To follow a peaceful calling, This is the greatest blessing.” (Buddhism, Sutta-Nipata 261)
“If each man would love his parents and show due respect to his elders, the whole empire would enjoy tranquility.” (Confucianism, Mencius 4.1.11)
JUDGE NOT
“Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.” (Christianity, Matthew 7:1)
“Judge not thy neighbor till thou art in his place.” (Judaism, Talmud, Nezekin, Pirke Aboth)
“Judge not thy neighbor.” (Buddhism, Siamese Buddhist Proverbs)
“Follow that which is revealed to thee, and persevere with patience until God shall judge; for he is the best judge.” (Islam, Qur’an 10:109)
“All religions teach that we should love one another, that we should seek out our own shortcomings before we presume to condemn the faults of others… Who are we to judge?” (Baha’i, Abdu’l-Baha, Paris Talks, Part II, November 13, 1911)
BLESSED TO FORGIVE
“The most beautiful thing a man can do is to forgive wrong.” (Judaism, Rokeach , WR 56)
“Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” (Christianity, Mathew 18:21-22)
“He who forgives and makes peace, shall find his reward for it from God.” (Islam, Qur’an 42:40)
“Where there is forgiveness there is God himself.” (Sikhism, Kabir, vol. 6, 302)
“Recompense injury with kindness.” (Taoism, TTC 63)
“Never is hate diminished by hatred; It is only diminished by love-This is an eternal law.” (Buddhism, Dham. 5)
TELL THE TRUTH
“Putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.” (Christianity, Ephesians 4:25)
“Speak ye every man truth to his neighbor; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates.” (Judaism, Zechariah 8:16)
“Him I call indeed a Brahmana who utters true speech, instructive and free from harshness, so that he offends no one.” (Buddhism, Dham. 408)
“Do not clothe the truth with falsehood; do not knowingly conceal the truth.” (Islam, Qur’an 239)
“Say what is true! Do thy duty. Do not swerve from the truth.” (Hinduism, Taittiriyaka Upanishad 1.10)
“Sincerity is the way of heaven, and to think how to be sincere is the way of a man. Never was there one possessed of complete sincerity who did not move others. Never was there one without sincerity who was able to move others.” (Confucianism, Mencius 4.1.12.2-3)
SLOW TO ANGER
“He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.” (Judaism, Proverbs 14:29)
“Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” (Christianity, Ephesians 4:26)
“He is not strong who throws others down; but he is strong who controls his anger.” (Islam, Hadith)
“Let us cease from wrath and refrain from angry gestures.” (Shintoism, Sayings from the Chronicles of Japan)
“He who holds back rising anger like a rolling chariot, him I call a real driver; others only hold the reins.” (Buddhism, Dham. 222)
HONOR the ELDERS
“He who greets and constantly revers the aged, four things will increase to him; life, beauty, happiness, power.” (Buddhism, Dham. 109)
“With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.” (Judaism, Job 12:12)
“Treat with reverence due to age the elders in your own family.” (Confucianism, Mencius 1.1.7.12)
“Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father.” (Christianity, 1 Timothy 5:1)
“When an elder speaks, be silent and listen.” (Mohawk, Native American, Zona)
“To honor an old man is to show respect for God.” (Islam, Hadith)
ALL THINGS IN MODERATION
“He who possesses moderation is lasting and enduring.” (Taoism, TTC 59)
“Commit no excess; do nothing injurious… pleasures should not be carried to excess.” (Confucianism, Shi King 3.3.2.8.5-6)
He who avoids extremes in eating and fasting, in sleep and waking, and in work and play, he wins balance, peace, and joy.” (Hinduism, Bhagavad Gita 6:16-17)
“Let your moderation be known unto all men.” (Christianity, Philippians 4:5)
“If a man oversteps the limits of moderation, he pollutes his body and mind.” (Shintoism, Inazo Nitobe)
“Observe moderation in all you do, and if that is not possible, try to be near moderation.” (Islam, Hadith)
PRIDE
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Judaism, Proverbs 16:18)
“Pride bringeth loss; humility, increase; this is the way of Heaven. He comes to ruin who says that others do not equal him.” (Confucianism, Shu King 2.2.3)
“Pride is the very gateway to defeat.” (Hinduism, Shatapatha Brahmana, EU 359)
“Be clothed with humility, for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” (Christianity, 1 Peter 5:5)
“Surely God loveth not the proud and boastful.” (Islam, Qur’an 16:24)
“Humility is the root of honor.” (Taoism, TTC 39)
CONTENTMENT
“God provideth everyone with his daily food; why, O man, art thous afraid?” (Sikhism, The Rahiras, Guru Arjan, vol. 1, 254)
“Contentment is the greatest wealth.” (Buddhism, Dham. 204)
“A tranquil mind gives life.” (Judaism, Proverbs 14:30)
“Contentment is the root of happiness, and discontent the root of misery.” (Hinduism, Manu 4.12)
“Every little yielding to anxiety is a step away from the natural heart of man.” (Shintoism, God of Fujiyama)
SPEAK GENTLY
“Don’t speak harshly to anyone, lest others will speak to you in the same way.” (Buddhism, Dham. 133)
“Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” (Christianity, Colossians 4:6)
“Utter not one disagreeable word, since the true Lord is in all men. Distress no one’s heart; every heart is a priceless jewel.” (Sikhism, Bhagats of the Granth Sahib, Shaikh Farid CXXIX, vol. 6, 414)
“Words that cause no woe, words always true, gentle and pleasing words-these mark the true religious speech.” (Hinduism, Bhagavad Gita 7:15)
“Be modest in thy bearing, and speak with words of gentleness.” (Islam, Qur’an 31:17)
“An angry word is like striking with a knife.” (Hopi, Native American, Zona)
“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” (Judaism, Proverbs 25:11)
FAULT FINDING
“The disease of men is that they neglect their own field, and go to weed the fields of others, and that what they require of others is great, while what they lay upon themselves is light.” (Confucianism, Mencius 7.2.32.3)
“He who sees his own faults has no time to see the faults of others.” (Islam, Instructions of Ali Ibn-abi Talib, WR 285)
“Find fault with thyself rather than with others.” (Shintoism, Precepts of Jyegasu)
“Wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.” (Christianity, Romans 2:1)
“How couldst thou forget thine own faults and busy thyself with the faults of others?” (Baha’i, Baha’u’llah)
“To attempt to correct another person’s virtue while one’s own virtue is clouded, is to set one’s own virtue a task for which it is inadequate.” (Taoism, Kwang-Tze EU 542)
GIVING
“Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.” (Christianity, Matthew 5:42)
“The Prophet said: ‘Give in charity and do not withhold it, otherwise Allah will withhold it back from you.” (Islam, Hadith)
“He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will He pay him again.” (Judaism, Proverbs 19:17)
“As a full jar overflowing pours out the liquid and keeps back nothing, even so shall your charity be without reserve-as a jar overturned.” (Buddhism, The First Perfection, Sutta-Pitaka, Buddha Vasma)
“Bounteous is he who gives to the beggar who comes to him in want of food and feeble.” (Hinduism, Rig Veda 10.10.5.3)
“Charity belongs to the most honorable nobility of Heaven, and is the quiet home where man should dwell.” (Confucianism, Mencius 2.1.7.2)
HOSPITALITY
“Neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers.” (Judaism, Exodus 22:21)
“Hospitality should be shown to even one’s foe when he comes to one’s house.” (Hinduism, Maha., Anusasana Parva, VII)
“Then consider that visiting friends are a necessary custom, whatever they be, on foot, or mounted. And if it be an enemy, this act of kindness is still good, for many an enemy by kindness becomes a friend.” (Islam, Masnavi, WR 281)
“Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (Christianity, Hebrews 13:1-2)
“In all the world there is no such thing as a stranger.” (Shintoism, Kurozumi Kyo/Konko Kyo)
FROM THE HEART
“A gift is pure when it is given from the heart… and when nothing is expected in return.” (Hinduism, Bhagavad Gita 17:20)
“If you give alms publicly, it is well; but it is better to give them secretly. God knows what you do.” (Islam, Qur’an 2:273)
“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.” (Christianity, Matthew 6:1)
“True charity is practiced in secret. The best type of charity is where the person who gives does not know who receives it; and the person who receives does not know who gave it.” (Judaism, Talmud, Nezekin, Baba Bathra)
“Extend your help without seeking reward. Give to others and do not regret or begrudge your liberality. Those who are thus are good.” (Taoism, T’ao Shang Kan Ying P’ien, WR 111)
GOOD WORKS
“The virtuous man delights and rejoices when he sees the good results of his own work.” (Buddhism, Dham. 16)
“Let a person continually take pleasure in truth, in justice, in laudable practices and in purity.” (Hinduism, Manu 4.175)
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” (Christianity, Matthew 5:6)
“Better than the one who knows what is right is he who loves what is right.” (Confucianism, Analects 6:18)
“A man asked the Prophet what was the mark whereby a man might know the reality of his faith. He said, ‘If thou derive pleasure from the good which thou hast done, and be grieved for the evil which thou hast committed, thou art a true believer.’” (Islam, Hadith)
“But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” (Judaism, Psalm 1:2)
PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Christianity, Philippians 4:7)
“His mind becomes calm. His word and deed are calm. Such is the state of tranquility of one who has attained Nirvana through the realization of truth.” (Buddhism, Dham. 96)
“He who has inner joy, who has inner gladness, has found the inner Light. He has become one with infinite peace.” (Hinduism, Bhagavad Gita 5:24)
“For them will be a Home of Peace with their Lord: He will be their Friend, because they practiced righteousness.” (Islam, Qur’an 6:127)
“The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” (Judaism, Numbers 6:24-26)
“Those whose hearts are in a state of calmness give forth a divine radiance by which they know truth.” (Taoism, Kwang Tze 23.7)
