Similar Verses in Bible and Chinese Classics 3 On The Golden Rule of Love

For Christians, the golden rule of love as commonly cited is:

Mat 7:12  "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

But I find that there is one even more powerful than that. It is this:

Mat 5:44  But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Mat 5:45  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.

Among the Chinese Classics, we can find the passive equivalent of the golden rule in Confucius Saying in Lun Yu "What you don't want, don't do it to others" 己所不欲，勿施于人”《论语·颜渊篇》. Chinese manners are more passive and do not impose on others. Imposing on others is considered rude.

Confucius was also more restrictive in the second part of 'love your enemy'.  In LunYu 14:34 或曰‘以德報怨、何如’ Someone asked,"What about repaying injury with kindness?"
子曰‘何以報德、以直報怨、以德報德’ Confucius said,"Then how do you repay kindness? Repay injury with straightness (justice) and kindness for kindness".

For the more powerful equivalent of "Love your enemy", we have to go to Lao Zi's Dao De Jing verse 49.

The Chinese version is:

聖人無常心。 以百姓心為心。
善者吾善之。 不善者吾亦善之 德善。
信者吾信之。 不信者吾亦信之、 德信。
聖人在天下歙歙焉， 為天下渾其心。
百姓皆注其耳目， 聖人皆孩之。 

The wise man has not the normal heart for oneself. His heart is for the hearts of the people.
Those that are kind, I am kind to them. Those that are unkind, I am also kind to them. Hence, kindness is gained (i.e. unkindness is transformed by kindness. A stronger translation is - that is the meaning of the virtue of kindness)
Those that are faithful, I am faithful to them. Those that are unfaithful, I am still faithful to them. Faithfulness is obtained. (Bible : 2Ti 2:13  if we are faithless, he remains faithful-- for he cannot deny himself. )
Wise man consider the society and restrict and muddied his own desire.(i.e. no desire for his own)
The people focus their eyes and ears to see and hear. Wise man guide and care for them as children. (See Joh 10:11  I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. . 1Pe 5:2  shepherd the flock of God that is among you)

If we replace the 'wise man' with Jesus, it matches the Bible well.

Lao Zi repeated this in Verse 63 報怨以德  "Repay hatred with kindness"

I must say that Lao Zi did understand the ways of the Creator better the others including the famous Confucius.

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