Morality: world religions

Ethical frameworks in religions

The ethical dimension is considered one of the essential aspects of any religious tradition. The ethical dimension flows out of the doctrinal and scriptural dimensions of a tradition - putting the theory of the belief into daily practice.

Religious ethical frameworks discuss:

the morality of particular actions
the basic orientation, motivation & imagination of a person (conversion; an ethics of the heart; character, humility, gratitude)
the virtues, attitudes and dispositions that should mark the religious person (e.g. faith, hope, justice, compassionate, theological, relational)
the values that should be present in society (e.g. justice, concern for the poor)
the principles that direct our lives (preferential option for the poor, Golden Rule, stewardship)
the concrete norms (e.g. forgiveness, the obligation to tell the truth) that give greater specificity to decision making, conscience formation & discernment.

Christian Morality

For Christians, the Christian scriptures are the basis of their ethical and religious rules for living (e.g. Mk 12:28-31; Mt 5:1-12; 1Cor 13). These contain the principles and values by which Christians must inform their consciences. (See Burke’s Dimensions of Christianity pp 48-50; Pennock’s Being Catholic pp 153-60)

The kingdom of God was at the heart of all of Jesus’ preaching and is at the heart of Christian morality.
In many of Jesus’ parables, what is “good” or “bad” is inverted.
Jesus called people to metanoia – a change of mind or conversion and repentance. Repentance is a major requirement of Christian existence.
Jesus demanded faith, which is the positive side of conversion.
Jesus’ call to discipleship was unique in that he sent out disciples to act in his name. The call to discipleship, therefore, is a call to the imitation of Christ.
For Jesus, God’s will (the law and the prophets) must be done.
All of Jesus’ moral teaching is concentrated in the one commandment of love: the love of God and the love of neighbour. (Mk 12:28-31) Forgiveness is stronger than his ethical demands.
What is of major, if not revolutionary significance in Jesus’ moral teaching, is the assertion that the poor have any place at all in the divine scheme of things. (The judgement of the nations)
The dignity of women, their permanence in the marriage contract and the importance of family life are all significant in Jesus’ preaching. (Jesus’ interactions with women)
In summary, the ethical teaching of the Christian scriptures can be summed up as: imitate Jesus (Mk 10:45); follow his example (Jn 13:15) and love one another as he has loved us (Jn 13:14).

Buddhist morality

Buddhist ethical teaching deals with one way of life for the monks and another for the laity. For Buddhists, morality is only the preliminary stage on the Path of Purity and is a means to an end, but not an end in itself. Conduct, though essential, is itself insufficient to gain one's emancipation. It should be coupled with wisdom or knowledge (pañña). The base of Buddhism is morality and wisdom is its apex.

Buddhists believe that the Buddha does not merely touch the problem of suffering tangentially; he makes it, rather, the very cornerstone of his teaching. He starts the Four Noble Truths that sum up his message with the announcement that life is inseparably tied to something he calls dukkha. The Pali word is often translated as suffering, but it means something deeper than pain and misery. It refers to a basic dissatisfaction running through our lives, the lives of all but the enlightened. This fact of dukkha, the Buddha says, is the only real spiritual problem. The other problems -- the theological and metaphysical questions that have taunted religious thinkers through the centuries -- he gently waves aside as "matters not tending to liberation." What he teaches, he says, is just suffering and the ending of suffering, dukkha and its cessation.

A detailed explanation of each of the steps of the Noble Eightfold Path, which is the Buddha’s program to end dukkha (the Buddhist Moral Code of living), is explained in The Noble Eightfold Path: The way to the end of suffering by Bhikkhu Bodhi © 1995 (approved for use) sourced from the Buddhist Publication Society.

Islamic morality

Islam has laid down some universal fundamental rights for humanity as a whole, which are to be observed and respected under all circumstances. To achieve these rights Islam provides not only legal safeguards but also a very effective moral system. Thus, whatever leads to the welfare of the individual or the society is morally good in Islam and whatever is injurious is morally bad. Islam attaches so much importance to the love of God and love of man that it warns against too much of formalism. More details on the moral system of Islam can be found at:

Islam 101: Moral system of Islam

Islamicity: Pillars of Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam are the foundation of Muslim life and the basis of its moral code:

Shahada or the assertion of faith or belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the prophethood of Muhammad;
Salat or establishment of the daily prayers;
Zakah or concern for and almsgiving to the needy;
Sawm or self-purification through fasting; and
Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca for those who are able.

Jewish morality

Around 2,000 years ago a non-Jew told Hillel, a famous Jewish teacher, that he would convert to Judaism if Hillel could teach him the whole of the Torah in the time he could balance on one leg. Hillel replied… "What is hateful to yourself, do not do to your neighbour. That is the whole Torah; the rest is just commentary. Go and study it."

Almost everything a Jewish person does can become an act of worship. Judaism is a faith of action and Jews believe people should be judged not so much by the intellectual content of their beliefs, but by the way they live their faith - by how much they contribute to the overall holiness of the world.

Because Jews have made a bargain with God to keep God’s laws, keeping that bargain and doing things in the way that pleases God is an act of worship. And Jews don't only seek to obey the letter of the law - the particular details of each of the Jewish laws - but the spirit of it, too. Religious Jews try to bring holiness into everything they do, by doing it as an act that praises God and honours everything God has done. For such people the whole of their life becomes an act of worship. Being part of a community that follows particular customs and rules helps keep a group of people together and it’s noticeable that the Jewish groups that have been most successful at avoiding assimilation are those that obey the rules most strictly - sometimes called ultra-orthodox Jews.

See: Jewish Virtual Library: Ethics

Hindu morality

Source: Hinduism Today: Twenty Vedic Laws

In Hinduism’s primary scripture we find the keys for living Hindu Dharma in contemporary times. Hinduism has twenty ethical guidelines called yamas and niyamas, "restraints and observances." They are found in the 6,000 to 8,000-year-old Vedas, humanity’s oldest body of scripture. The twenty "do's" and "don'ts" are a common-sense code recorded in the final section of the Vedas, called Upanishads, namely the Shandilya and the Varuha.

The yamas and niyamas have been preserved through the centuries as the foundation, the first and second stage, of the eight-staged practice of yoga. Yet, Hindus consider them to be fundamental to all beings, expected aims of everyone in society and assumed to be fully intact for anyone seeking life's highest aim in the pursuit called yoga.

First are the ten yamas, the “do nots”, which Hindus believe harness the instinctive nature, with its governing impulses of fear, anger, jealousy, selfishness, greed and lust. Second are the ten niyamas, the “do's”, the religious observances that cultivate and bring forth the refined soul qualities, lifting awareness into the consciousness of the higher chakras of love, compassion, selflessness, intelligence and bliss.

The 10 Vedic restraints, Yama

YAMA 1 - Noninjury, Ahimsa: Practice non-injury, not harming others by thought, word or deed, even in your dreams. Live a kindly life, revering all beings as expressions of the One Divine energy.

YAMA 2 - Truthfulness, Satya: Speak only that which is true, kind, helpful and necessary. Admit your failings.

YAMA 3 - Nonstealing, Asteya: Uphold the virtue of non-stealing, neither thieving, coveting nor failing to repay debt.

YAMA 4 - Divine Conduct, Brahmacharya: Practice divine conduct, controlling lust by remaining celibate when single and faithful in marriage. Dress and speak modestly. Shun pornography, sexual humour and violence.

YAMA 5 - Patience, Kshama: Exercise patience. Be agreeable. Don't be in a hurry. Be patient with children and the elderly.

YAMA 6 - Steadfastness, Dhriti: Foster steadfastness, overcoming non-perseverance, fear, indecision and changeableness.

YAMA 7 - Compassion, Daya: Practice compassion, conquering callous, cruel and insensitive feelings toward all beings. See God everywhere. Be kind to people, animals, plants and the Earth itself.

YAMA 8 - Honesty, Arjava: Maintain honesty, renouncing deception and wrongdoing. Act honourably even in hard times. Face and accept your faults without blaming them on others.

YAMA 9 - Moderate Appetite, Mitahara: Be moderate in appetite. Follow a simple diet, avoiding rich or fancy fare.

YAMA 10 - Purity, Saucha: Uphold the ethic of purity, avoiding impurity in mind, body and speech. Maintain a clean, healthy body. Keep a pure, uncluttered home and workplace. Act virtuously. Worship devoutly. Meditate daily.

The 10 Vedic observances, Niyama

NIYAMA 1 - Remorse, Hri: Recognise your errors, confess and make amends. Sincerely apologise to those hurt by your words or deeds.

NIYAMA 2 - Contentment, Santosha: Nurture contentment, seeking joy and serenity in life. Be happy, smile and uplift others.

NIYAMA 3 - Giving, Dana: Be generous to a fault, giving liberally without thought of reward. Feed and give to those in need.

NIYAMA 4 - Faith, Astikya: Cultivate an unshakable faith. Believe firmly in God, Gods, guru and your path to enlightenment.

NIYAMA 5 - Worship, Ishvarapujana: Cultivate devotion through daily worship and meditation. Keep one room of your home as God's shrine.

NIYAMA 6 - Scriptural Listening, Siddhanta Shravana: Eagerly hear the scriptures, study the teachings and listen to the wise of your lineage.

NIYAMA 7 - Cognition, Mati: Strive for knowledge of God, to awaken the light within. Through meditation, cultivate intuition.

NIYAMA 8 - Sacred Vows, Vrata: Embrace religious vows. Honour vows as spiritual contracts with your soul, your community, with God, Gods and guru. Fast periodically. Pilgrimage yearly.

NIYAMA 9 - Recitation, Japa: Chant your holy mantra daily, reciting the sacred sound, word or phrase given by your guru. Let japa quell emotions and quiet the rivers of thought.

NIYAMA 10 - Austerity, Tapas: Practice austerity, serious disciplines, penance and sacrifice. Perform self-denial, giving up cherished possessions, money or time.