‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ … ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’  — Matthew, 25:40, 45.

All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.  All tremble at violence; life is dear to all. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.  — Dhammapada, 10:129-130.

* Mahayana amendment.  We understand “the least of these brothers and sisters” to include all sentient beings — seen and unseen, known, unknown, and unknowable.

Hōkyōintō, Yasakaji Temple, Matsuyama, Japan.     July 1, 2012. The Hōkyōin Darani Sutra gathers relics of “all the Buddhas of the past, present, and future.”