lilithu
The Devil's Advocate
from the Christian tradition:
You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5.43-48)
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12.21)
from the Jewish tradition:
Aid an enemy before you aid a friend, to subdue hatred. (Tosefta, Baba Metzia 2.26)
God said, "Resemble Me; just as I repay good for evil so do you also repay good for evil." (Exodus Rabbah 26.2)
from the Islamic tradition:
It may be that God will ordain love between you and those whom you hold as enemies. For God has power over all things; and God is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. (Qur'an 60.7)
The good deed and the evil deed are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one which is better, then lo!, he between whom and you there was enmity shall become as though he were a bosom friend. (Qur'an 41.34)
from the Sikh tradition:
What kind of love is this that to another can shift? Says Nanak, True lovers are those who are forever absorbed in the Beloved. Whoever discriminates between treatment held good or bad, Is not a true lover--he rather is caught in calculations. (Adi Granth, Asa-ki-Var, M.2, p. 474)
from the Hindu tradition:
A superior being does not render evil for evil; this is a maxim one should observe; the ornament of virtuous persons is their conduct. One should never harm the wicked or the good or even criminals meriting death. A noble soul will ever exercise compassion even towards those who enjoy injuring others or those of cruel deeds when they are actually committing them--for who is without fault? (Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda 115)
from the Jain tradition:
My Lord! Others have fallen back in showing compassion to their benefactors as you have shown compassion even to your malefactors. All this is unparalleled. (Vitaragastava 14.5)
Man should subvert anger by forgiveness, subdue pride by modesty, overcome hypocrisy with simplicity, and greed by contentment. (Samanasuttam 136)
from the Buddhist tradition:
"He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me!" In those who harbor such thoughts hatred is not appeased.
"He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me!" In those who do not harbor such thoughts hatred is appeased.
Hatreds never cease through hatred in this world; through love alone they cease. This is an eternal law. (Dhammapada 3-5)
Conquer anger by love. Conquer evil by good. Conquer the stingy by giving. Conquer the liar by truth. (Dhammapada 223)
I should be like the sun, shining universally on all without seeking thanks or reward, able to take care of all sentient beings even if they are bad, never giving up on my vows on this account, not abandoning all sentient beings because one sentient being is evil. (Garland Sutra 23)
from the Taoist tradition:
The sage has no fixed [personal] ideas.
He regards the people's ideas as his own.
I treat those who are good with goodness,
And I also treat those who are not good with goodness.
Thus goodness is attained.
I am honest with those who are honest,
And I am also honest with those who are dishonest.
Thus honesty is attained. (Tao te Ching 49)
Do good to him who has done you an injury. (Tao te Ching 63)
from the Confucian tradition:
Of the adage, Only a good man knows how to like people, knows how to dislike them, Confucius said, "He whose heart is in the smallest degree set upon Goodness will dislike no one." (Analects 4.3-4)
You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5.43-48)
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12.21)
from the Jewish tradition:
Aid an enemy before you aid a friend, to subdue hatred. (Tosefta, Baba Metzia 2.26)
God said, "Resemble Me; just as I repay good for evil so do you also repay good for evil." (Exodus Rabbah 26.2)
from the Islamic tradition:
It may be that God will ordain love between you and those whom you hold as enemies. For God has power over all things; and God is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. (Qur'an 60.7)
The good deed and the evil deed are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one which is better, then lo!, he between whom and you there was enmity shall become as though he were a bosom friend. (Qur'an 41.34)
from the Sikh tradition:
What kind of love is this that to another can shift? Says Nanak, True lovers are those who are forever absorbed in the Beloved. Whoever discriminates between treatment held good or bad, Is not a true lover--he rather is caught in calculations. (Adi Granth, Asa-ki-Var, M.2, p. 474)
from the Hindu tradition:
A superior being does not render evil for evil; this is a maxim one should observe; the ornament of virtuous persons is their conduct. One should never harm the wicked or the good or even criminals meriting death. A noble soul will ever exercise compassion even towards those who enjoy injuring others or those of cruel deeds when they are actually committing them--for who is without fault? (Ramayana, Yuddha Kanda 115)
from the Jain tradition:
My Lord! Others have fallen back in showing compassion to their benefactors as you have shown compassion even to your malefactors. All this is unparalleled. (Vitaragastava 14.5)
Man should subvert anger by forgiveness, subdue pride by modesty, overcome hypocrisy with simplicity, and greed by contentment. (Samanasuttam 136)
from the Buddhist tradition:
"He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me!" In those who harbor such thoughts hatred is not appeased.
"He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me!" In those who do not harbor such thoughts hatred is appeased.
Hatreds never cease through hatred in this world; through love alone they cease. This is an eternal law. (Dhammapada 3-5)
Conquer anger by love. Conquer evil by good. Conquer the stingy by giving. Conquer the liar by truth. (Dhammapada 223)
I should be like the sun, shining universally on all without seeking thanks or reward, able to take care of all sentient beings even if they are bad, never giving up on my vows on this account, not abandoning all sentient beings because one sentient being is evil. (Garland Sutra 23)
from the Taoist tradition:
The sage has no fixed [personal] ideas.
He regards the people's ideas as his own.
I treat those who are good with goodness,
And I also treat those who are not good with goodness.
Thus goodness is attained.
I am honest with those who are honest,
And I am also honest with those who are dishonest.
Thus honesty is attained. (Tao te Ching 49)
Do good to him who has done you an injury. (Tao te Ching 63)
from the Confucian tradition:
Of the adage, Only a good man knows how to like people, knows how to dislike them, Confucius said, "He whose heart is in the smallest degree set upon Goodness will dislike no one." (Analects 4.3-4)