Editing Altruism (section)

==Religious viewpoints==
{{See also|Evolutionary origin of religion}}
Most, if not all, of the world's religions promote altruism as a very important moral value. [[Buddhism]], [[Christianity]], [[Hinduism]], [[Islam]], [[Jainism]], [[Judaism]], and [[Sikhism]], etc., place particular emphasis on altruistic morality.

===Buddhism===
[[File:Monks collecting alms - Bun Vat Phu.JPG|thumb|Monks collecting alms]]
Altruism figures prominently in Buddhism. [[Love]] and [[compassion]] are components of all forms of Buddhism, and are focused on all beings equally: love is the wish that all beings be happy, and compassion is the wish that all beings be free from suffering. "Many illnesses can be cured by the one medicine of love and compassion. These qualities are the ultimate source of human happiness, and the need for them lies at the very core of our being" ([[Dalai Lama]]).<ref name="Speech by the Dalai Lama">{{cite web|url=http://www.dalailama.com/page.65.htm|url-status=dead|title=The Medicine of Altruism|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091003223717/http://www.dalailama.com/page.65.htm |archive-date=3 October 2009 }}</ref><ref>The phrase "core of our being" is [[Freudian]]; see {{Cite journal | author = Bettina Bock von Wülfingen | year = 2013 | title = Freud's 'Core of our Being' Between Cytology and Psychoanalysis | journal = Berichte zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte | volume = 36 | pages = 226–244 | doi = 10.1002/bewi.201301604 | issue = 3 | pmid = 32545937 }}</ref>

The notion of altruism is modified in such a world-view, since the belief is that such a practice promotes the practitioner's own happiness: "The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes" (Dalai Lama).<ref name="Speech by the Dalai Lama"/>

In Buddhism, a person's actions cause karma, which consists of consequences proportional to the moral implications of their actions. Deeds considered to be bad are punished, while those considered to be good are rewarded.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lewis |first=Todd |url=https://college.holycross.edu/faculty/tlewis/PDFs/Altruism_in_Classical_Buddhism.pdf |title=Altruism in World Religions |date=2005 |publisher=Georgetown UNiversity Press |editor-last=Neusner |editor-first=Jacob |location=Washington, D.C. |publication-date=2005 |pages=90|chapter=Chapter 5: Altruism in Classical Bhuddism |editor-last2=Chilton |editor-first2=Bruce D}}</ref>

===Jainism===
{{see also|Ahimsa in Jainism}}
[[File:Ahinsa.jpg|thumb|Sculpture depicting the Jain concept of {{transliteration|sa|ahimsa}} (non-injury)]]
The fundamental principles of [[Jainism]] revolve around altruism, not only for other humans but for all sentient beings. Jainism preaches {{transliteration|sa|[[ahimsa]]}} – to live and let live, not harming sentient beings, i.e. uncompromising reverence for all life. The first {{transliteration|sa|[[Tirthankara]]}}, [[Rishabhdev]], introduced the concept of altruism for all living beings, from extending knowledge and experience to others to donation, giving oneself up for others, non-violence, and compassion for all living things.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

The principle of nonviolence seeks to minimize karmas which limit the capabilities of the soul. Jainism views every [[Soul (Jainism)|soul]] as worthy of respect because it has the potential to become {{transliteration|sa|Siddha}} ([[God in Jainism]]). Because all living beings possess a soul, great care and awareness is essential in one's actions. Jainism emphasizes the equality of all life, advocating harmlessness towards all, whether the creatures are great or small. This policy extends even to microscopic organisms. Jainism acknowledges that every person has different capabilities and capacities to practice and therefore accepts different levels of compliance for ascetics and householders.<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Jayendrakumar |first=Shah Riddhi |date=8 May 2014 |title=An Analytical Study of Yogadrstisamyccaya of Acarya Haribhadrasuri |url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/229009 |publisher=Jain Vishwa Bharati University |hdl=10603/229009 |degree=PhD |language=English}}</ref>

===Christianity===
{{Catholic philosophy}}
[[Thomas Aquinas]] interprets the biblical phrase "You should love your neighbour as yourself"<ref>{{Bibleverse|Leviticus|19}} and {{Bibleverse|Matthew|22}}</ref> as meaning that love for ourselves is the exemplar of love for others.<ref>Thomas Aquinas, ''[[Summa Theologica]]'', II:II Quaestio 25, Article 4</ref> Considering that "the love with which a man loves himself is the form and root of friendship", he quotes Aristotle that "the origin of friendly relations with others lies in our relations to ourselves",.<ref>Aristotle, [[Nicomachean Ethics]] IX.4 1166a1</ref> Aquinas concluded that though we are not bound to love others more than ourselves, we naturally seek the [[common good]], the good of the whole, more than any private good, the good of a part. However, he thought we should love God more than ourselves and our neighbours, and more than our bodily life—since the ultimate purpose of loving our neighbour is to share in eternal [[Beatitudes|beatitude]]: a more desirable thing than bodily well-being. In coining the word "altruism", as stated above, [[Auguste Comte|Comte]] was probably opposing this Thomistic doctrine, which is present in some theological schools within Catholicism. The aim and focus of Christian life is a life that glorifies God, while obeying Christ's command to treat others equally, caring for them and understanding that eternity in heaven is what Jesus' Resurrection at Calvary was all about.

Many biblical authors draw a strong connection between love of others and love of God. [[John 1:4]] states that for one to love God one must love his fellow man, and that hatred of one's fellow man is the same as hatred of God. [[Thomas Jay Oord]] has argued in several books that altruism is but one possible form of love. An altruistic action is not always a loving action. Oord defines altruism as acting for the other's good, and he agrees with feminists who note that sometimes love requires acting for one's own good when the other's demands undermine overall well-being.

German philosopher [[Max Scheler]] distinguishes two ways in which the strong can help the weak. One way is a sincere expression of Christian love, "motivated by a powerful feeling of security, strength, and inner salvation, of the invincible fullness of one's own life and existence".<ref name=Ressentiment>{{cite book|last=Scheler|first=Max|title=Ressentiment|year=1961}}</ref>{{rp|88–89}} Another way is merely "one of the many modern substitutes for love,... nothing but the urge to turn away from oneself and to lose oneself in other people's business".{{r|Ressentiment|pages=95–96}} At its worst, Scheler says, "love for the small, the poor, the weak, and the oppressed is really disguised hatred, repressed envy, an impulse to detract, etc., directed against the opposite phenomena: wealth, strength, power, largesse."{{r|Ressentiment|pages=96–97}}

===Islam===
In the [[Arabic language]], "{{transliteration|ar|'iythar}}" (إيثار) means "preferring others to oneself".<ref>'iythar [https://translate.google.com/?sl=ar&tl=en&text=%D8%A5%D9%8A%D8%AB%D8%A7%D8%B1&op=translate Google Translate]</ref>

On the topic of donating blood to non-Muslims (a controversial topic within the faith), the [[Shia Islam|Shia]] religious professor, [[Fadhil al-Milani]] has provided theological evidence that makes it positively justifiable. In fact, he considers it a form of religious sacrifice and ''ithar'' (altruism).<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Schmiedel|first1=Ulrich|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HJhMDwAAQBAJ&q=fadhil+al-milani&pg=PA296|title=Religion in the European Refugee Crisis|last2=Smith|first2=Graeme|date=15 February 2018|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-3-319-67961-7|pages=295–96}}</ref>

For [[Sufism|Sufis]], 'iythar means devotion to others through complete forgetfulness of one's own concerns, where concern for others is deemed as a demand made by [[God in Islam|God]] on the human body, considered to be property of God alone. The importance of 'iythar (also known as {{transliteration|ar|īthār}}) lies in sacrifice for the sake of the greater good; [[Islam]] considers those practicing {{transliteration|ar|īthār}} as abiding by the highest degree of nobility.<ref>{{cite book| first = M. Fethullah|last=Gülen| title = Key Concepts in the Practice of Sufism: Emerald Hills of the Heart| year = 2004| publisher = Fountain| location = Rutherford, N.J.| isbn = 978-1-932099-75-1| pages = 10–11 }}</ref>
This is similar to the notion of [[chivalry in Islam|chivalry]]. A constant concern for God results in a careful attitude towards people, animals, and other things in this world.<ref name="Neusner2005">{{cite book| last = Neusner| first = Jacob Eds| title = Altruism in World Religions| year = 2005| publisher = Georgetown Univ. Press| location = Washington, D.C.| isbn = 978-1-58901-065-9| pages = 79–80 }}</ref>

===Judaism===
Judaism defines altruism as the desired goal of creation.{{Cn|date=November 2024}} Rabbi [[Abraham Isaac Kook]] stated that love is the most important attribute in humanity.<ref>{{cite book |first2=Ben Zion |last2=Bokser |last1=Kook |first1=Abraham Isaac| title = Abraham Isaac Kook: The lights of penitence, The moral principles, Lights of holiness, essays, letters, and poems|url=https://archive.org/details/abrahamisaackook00benz |url-access=registration | year = 1978| publisher = Paulist Press| isbn = 978-0-8091-2159-5| pages = [https://archive.org/details/abrahamisaackook00benz/page/135 135–136]}}</ref> Love is defined as [[Tzedakah|bestowal]], or giving, which is the intention of altruism. This can be altruism towards humanity that leads to altruism towards the creator or God. [[Kabbalah]] defines God as the force of giving in [[existence]]. Rabbi [[Moshe Chaim Luzzatto]] focused on the "purpose of creation" and how the will of God was to bring creation into perfection and adhesion with this force of giving.<ref>{{cite book| last = Luzzatto| first = Moshe Ḥayyim| title = The way of God| year = 1997| publisher = Feldheim Publishers| isbn = 978-0-87306-769-0| pages = 37–38}}</ref>

Modern [[Kabbalah]] developed by Rabbi [[Yehuda Ashlag]], in his writings about the [[future generation]], focuses on how society could achieve an altruistic social framework.<ref name=Ashlag>{{cite book| last = Ashlag| first = Yehuda| title = Building the Future Society| url = http://www.kabbalah.info/eng/content/view/frame/3811?/eng/content/view/full/3811&main| year = 2006| publisher = Laitman Kabbalah Publishers| location = Thornhill, Canada| isbn = 978-965-7065-34-1 }}</ref>{{rp|120–130}} Ashlag proposed that such a framework is the purpose of creation, and everything that happens is to raise humanity to the level of altruism, love for one another. Ashlag focused on society and its relation to [[divinity]].{{r|Ashlag|pages = 175–180 }}

===Sikhism===
Altruism is essential to the [[Sikhism|Sikh]] religion. The central faith in Sikhism is that the greatest deed anyone can do is to imbibe and live the godly qualities such as love, affection, sacrifice, patience, harmony, and truthfulness. {{transliteration|sa|[[Sevā]]}}, or [[selfless service]] to the community for its own sake, is an important concept in Sikhism.<ref name="DictofSikhism">{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/APopularDictionaryOfSikhism |title=A Popular Dictionary of Sikhism |publisher=Curzon Press|author1=Cole, W. Owen |author2=Sambhi, Piara Singh |pages=[https://archive.org/details/APopularDictionaryOfSikhism/page/n46 38]–39, 84 |date=1990|access-date=2 December 2018}}</ref>

The fifth [[Guru]], [[Guru Arjan|Guru Arjun]], sacrificed his life to uphold "22 carats of pure truth, the greatest gift to humanity", according to the [[Guru Granth Sahib]]. The ninth Guru, [[Tegh Bahadur]], sacrificed his life to protect weak and defenseless people against atrocity.

In the late seventeenth century, [[Guru Gobind Singh]] (the tenth Guru in Sikhism), was at war with the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] rulers to protect the people of different faiths when a fellow Sikh, [[Bhai Kanhaiya]], attended the troops of the enemy.<ref name="GobindSingh">{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofthesikh025030mbp/page/n7 |title=A History of the Sikhs |publisher=Oxford University Press|first= Joseph Davey|last= Cunningham |date=1918 |page=ix |access-date=30 November 2018}}</ref> He gave water to both friends and foes who were wounded on the battlefield. Some of the enemy began to fight again and some Sikh warriors were annoyed by Bhai Kanhaiya as he was helping their enemy. Sikh soldiers brought Bhai Kanhaiya before Guru Gobind Singh, and complained of his action that they considered counterproductive to their struggle on the battlefield. "What were you doing, and why?" asked the Guru. "I was giving water to the wounded because I saw your face in all of them", replied Bhai Kanhaiya. The Guru responded, "Then you should also give them ointment to heal their wounds. You were practicing what you were coached in the house of the Guru."

Under the tutelage of the Guru, Bhai Kanhaiya subsequently founded a volunteer corps for altruism, which is still engaged today in doing good to others and in training new recruits for this service.<ref>{{cite book| first = O. P.|last= Ralhan| title = The great gurus of the Sikhs| year = 1997| publisher = Anmol Publications Pvt Ltd.| location = New Delhi| isbn = 978-81-7488-479-4| page = 253 }}</ref>

===Hinduism===
In Hinduism, selflessness ({{transliteration|sa|Atmatyag}}), love ({{transliteration|sa|Prema}}), kindness ({{transliteration|sa|Daya}}), and forgiveness ({{transliteration|sa|Kshama}}) are considered as the highest acts of humanity or "{{transliteration|sa|Manushyattva}}". Giving alms to the beggars or poor people is considered as a divine act or "{{transliteration|sa|Punya}}" and Hindus believe it will free their souls from guilt or "{{transliteration|sa|Paapa}}" and will led them to heaven or "{{transliteration|sa|Swarga}}" in afterlife. Altruism is also the central act of various Hindu mythology and religious poems and songs. Mass donation of clothes to poor people ({{transliteration|sa|Vastraseva}}), or blood donation camp or mass food donation ({{transliteration|sa|Annaseva}}) for poor people is common in various Hindu religious ceremonies.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

The [[Bhagavad Gita]] supports the doctrine of karma yoga (achieving oneness with God through action) and [[Nishkama Karma]] or action without expectation or desire for personal gain which can be said to encompass altruism. Altruistic acts are generally celebrated and well received in Hindu literature and are central to Hindu morality.<ref>Sivananda, Swami. ''Phaladhikaranam, Topic 8'', Sutras 38–41.</ref>