Tibetan Buddhist Lamrim: Equalizing Self with Others

Embracing Universal Compassion: Beyond the Golden Rule to True Altruism.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

Gospel of Mark 12:31

The common interpretation of this passage is to treat others with the same compassion, kindness, and respect that one would want for oneself. Basically, it’s an instruction to follow the Golden Rule.

It’s considered a central ethical teaching in Christianity, reflecting the interconnectedness of human relationships and the value of empathy and love.

The common interpretation does not go far enough, and it does not reflect the literal interpretation of the passage.

Imagine if we were literally our neighbors, with all the self-cherishing and self-important thoughts we reserve for ourselves.

We wouldn’t just consider our neighbors wants and needs and balance them against our own — a balancing act that always tilts in our favor. Instead, we would very carefully consider all our actions in regard to how we could further our neighbors goals and satisfy their needs instead of our own.

Mostly we spend our time and effort considering how we can further our own agenda. What would happen if we abandoned that approach…