Ethic and Moral codes. Divine Laws.
It is said that in order to be free, happy and fulfilled, one should obay the Human and Divine Laws. On this page I gathered a list with the, maybe, most known Divine Laws on this planet. There are many others that are not here, since every land and its people had those guiding over the history. I encourage you to deepen any you feels attracting you.
- The Ten Commandments (Decalogue)
- Origin: Judaism and Christianity
- Description: Revealed by God to Moses on Mount Sinai, the Ten Commandments serve as a foundational moral and ethical code, governing human behavior and one’s relationship with God.
- Key Aspects: Prohibitions against murder, theft, lying, adultery; respect for parents, and worship of only one God.
- Purpose: Establishes a framework for ethical living and a relationship with the divine, promoting justice, respect, and reverence for God.
- The Seven Noahide Laws
- Origin: Judaism (for all humanity)
- Description: According to Jewish tradition, these laws were given by God to Noah after the Flood as universal ethical principles for all people, regardless of faith.
- Key Aspects: Prohibition of idolatry, blasphemy, murder, theft, sexual immorality, and cruelty to animals; the requirement to establish justice systems.
- Purpose: Provides a universal code of morality, encouraging ethical behavior and social justice.
- The Code of Hammurabi
- Origin: Ancient Mesopotamia (Babylon)
- Description: One of the earliest written legal codes, established by King Hammurabi, setting guidelines for justice, social order, and personal responsibility.
- Key Aspects: Principles of justice, accountability, and protection for citizens, including the famous “eye for an eye.”
- Purpose: Maintains social order, promotes justice, and protects rights within the Babylonian empire.
- The Laws of Manu (Manusmriti)
- Origin: Hinduism
- Description: A Hindu ethical and legal code attributed to Manu, detailing moral, social, and spiritual duties.
- Key Aspects: Rules for caste conduct, personal ethics, ritual practices, family roles, and moral responsibilities.
- Purpose: Guides individuals towards harmonious living within Hindu society, balancing personal duty with spiritual growth.
- Dharma in Hinduism and Buddhism
- Origin: Hinduism and Buddhism
- Description: Dharma represents the moral and cosmic law that underpins the universe, emphasizing moral conduct, social roles, and spiritual duties.
- Key Aspects: Respect for social and moral obligations, compassion, balance, and virtuous conduct.
- Purpose: Aligns human actions with universal harmony, supporting spiritual development and social responsibility.
- Mosaic Law (Torah)
- Origin: Judaism
- Description: Mosaic Law includes the 613 mitzvot (commandments) in the Torah, governing nearly every aspect of Jewish religious, social, and ethical life.
- Key Aspects: Ritual purity, Sabbath observance, sacrifices, dietary laws, social justice, and family relationships.
- Purpose: Provides a comprehensive framework that cultivates a relationship with God and upholds justice, compassion, and moral integrity.
- The Five Pillars of Islam
- Origin: Islam
- Description: The Five Pillars form the core practices of Islam, regulating ethical and spiritual life.
- Key Aspects: Declaration of faith (Shahada), prayer (Salah), charity (Zakat), fasting (Sawm), and pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj).
- Purpose: Creates a balanced and devoted life, rooted in worship, charity, self-discipline, and community.
- Sharia (Islamic Law)
- Origin: Islam
- Description: Sharia is a legal framework based on the Quran and Hadith, covering spiritual, social, and economic aspects.
- Key Aspects: Social justice, family rights, commercial ethics, personal conduct, and religious duties.
- Purpose: Guides Muslims in all areas of life, ensuring justice, morality, and social harmony.
- The Noble Eightfold Path
- Origin: Buddhism
- Description: The Eightfold Path outlines the Buddha’s teachings for overcoming suffering and achieving enlightenment.
- Key Aspects: Right understanding, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
- Purpose: Cultivates wisdom, ethical conduct, and mental discipline, leading to liberation from suffering.
- The Laws of Ma’at
- Origin: Ancient Egypt
- Description: Ma’at represents the Egyptian concepts of truth, order, and justice, essential for cosmic and social balance.
- Key Aspects: Honesty, justice, respect for nature, harmony, and reverence for gods.
- Purpose: Living in harmony with divine order, maintaining balance in society and the natural world.
- The Confucian Ethical Code
- Origin: Confucianism (Ancient China)
- Description: Confucianism emphasizes moral virtues like respect, integrity, and responsibility to create a harmonious society.
- Key Aspects: Filial piety, honesty, compassion, and social harmony.
- Purpose: Fosters ethical and social balance, emphasizing familial respect and community responsibility.
- The Thirteen Principles of Faith by Maimonides
- Origin: Judaism
- Description: These principles outline fundamental Jewish beliefs regarding God, prophecy, and the coming of the Messiah.
- Key Aspects: Belief in God, the uniqueness of God, prophecy of Moses, the Torah, and the Messiah.
- Purpose: Establishes a theological foundation that strengthens faith and guides moral and religious observance.
- The Seven Hermetic Principles
- Origin: Hermeticism (from Hermes Trismegistus)
- Description: Found in The Kybalion, these principles explain universal laws governing both the spiritual and physical realms.
- Key Aspects: Mentalism, Correspondence, Vibration, Polarity, Rhythm, Cause and Effect, and Gender.
- Purpose: To understand and align with the laws of the universe for spiritual enlightenment and mastery.
- The Golden Rule
- Origin: Found across multiple religions
- Description: A universal principle of empathy that promotes treating others as one would want to be treated.
- Key Aspects: Compassion, empathy, and moral reciprocity.
- Purpose: Fosters kindness and respect in human relationships.
- The Four Noble Truths
- Origin: Buddhism
- Description: Core Buddhist teachings on the nature of suffering and the path to liberation.
- Key Aspects: Suffering exists, it has a cause, it can end, and there is a path to end it.
- Purpose: Understanding and overcoming suffering for a peaceful and enlightened life.
- Ahimsa (Non-violence)
- Origin: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism
- Description: Commitment to non-violence in thought, word, and deed.
- Key Aspects: Compassion, respect for all life, kindness.
- Purpose: Cultivates peace, compassion, and respect for living beings.
- The Principle of Karma
- Origin: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism
- Description: The law of cause and effect regarding one’s actions.
- Key Aspects: Good actions bring positive results; negative actions bring suffering.
- Purpose: Encourages ethical behavior and spiritual growth through understanding the consequences of one’s actions.
- The Four Agreements
- Origin: Toltec Wisdom (Mexico)
- Description: Practical wisdom for personal empowerment.
- Key Aspects: Be impeccable with your word, don’t take anything personally, don’t make assumptions, and always do your best.
- Purpose: Achieves inner freedom and harmony through personal responsibility and awareness.
- Natural Law (Stoicism)
- Origin: Ancient Greece and Rome
- Description: Stoicism promotes living according to nature and reason, advocating resilience, wisdom, and virtue.
- Key Aspects: Wisdom, courage, justice, and moderation.
- Purpose: Develops inner strength, moral virtue, and alignment with natural order.
- The Nine Noble Virtues
- Origin: Nordic Paganism
- Description: Values drawn from Norse mythology for a balanced, honorable life.
- Key Aspects: Courage, truth, honor, fidelity, discipline, hospitality, self-reliance, industriousness, perseverance.
- Purpose: Promotes resilience, independence, and respect within a community-oriented worldview.
- The Bushido Code
- Origin: Japan (Samurai culture)
- Description: The code of conduct for samurai, based on virtues like honor, loyalty, and integrity.
- Key Aspects: Integrity, courage, compassion, respect, honesty, honor, loyalty.
- Purpose: Cultivates a disciplined, honorable life dedicated to loyalty and moral integrity.
- Shinto Principles (The Way of the Kami)
- Origin: Japan (Shintoism)
- Description: Shinto principles emphasize respect for nature and ancestral spirits (kami).
- Key Aspects: Reverence for kami, harmony with nature, sincerity, and ritual worship.
- Purpose: Living in harmony with nature and respecting spiritual entities.
- Inca Spiritual Principles
- Origin: South America (Inca culture)
- Description: An ethical code based on reciprocity and profound respect for Pachamama (Mother Earth). Inca principles stress harmony between people and nature.
- Key Aspects: Honesty, truth, labor, respect for nature and community.
- Purpose: Maintains community integrity and natural balance, honoring the Earth and fostering respectful, responsible relationships.
- Admapu (Traditional Law of the Mapuche)
- Origin: South America (Mapuche culture, Chile and Argentina)
- Description: Admapu represents the traditional ethical and social code of the Mapuche people, focusing on balance with nature and community values.
- Key Aspects: Reciprocity, respect for nature, loyalty, honor, and community support.
- Purpose: Supports Mapuche values, respect for nature, and harmony with the environment, along with mutual support among community members.
- Suma Qamaña (Aymara – “Living Well”)
- Origin: South America (Aymara culture, Bolivia)
- Description: Suma Qamaña means “living well,” emphasizing harmonious living within the community and balance with nature. This principle promotes a holistic lifestyle focused on collective well-being.
- Key Aspects: Collective well-being, sustainability, equality, reciprocity, and balance.
- Purpose: Encourages a life based on social balance and protecting natural resources for future generations, emphasizing harmony and respect within the community.
- The 'Legile Belagine' - 'The Beautiful Laws'
- Origin: Dacian Culture (Ancient Romania)
- Description: The Belagine, or “Beautiful Laws,” were a set of unwritten sacred principles, attributed to the Dacians, promoting a balanced life, respect for nature, and community harmony.
- Key Aspects: Respect for nature, community loyalty, honesty, integrity, balance, self-discipline, reverence for the divine, and courage.
- Purpose: Cultivates a virtuous life, resilience, and connection to nature and the divine, maintaining a harmonious society aligned with cosmic laws.
- Tri Hita Karana (The Three Causes of Harmony)
- Origin: Bali, Indonesia
- Description: Tri Hita Karana is a Balinese concept meaning “The Three Causes of Harmony” and describes a life philosophy based on balance between humans, nature, and the divine.
- Key Aspects:
- Parahyangan: Harmony with the divine through prayer and ritual.
- Pawongan: Harmony with people, promoting harmonious relationships in the community.
- Palemahan: Harmony with nature, including protection and respect for the environment.
- Purpose: Maintains balance among spiritual, social, and natural forces, creating a peaceful and prosperous life for individuals and communities.
The list above provides an overview of spiritual, ethical, and cultural codes from various traditions around the world, each contributing unique perspectives on living harmoniously with oneself, others, and nature. These codes emphasize fundamental human values, promoting peace, respect, and a balanced life aligned with natural and divine laws.
They are the so-called 'DIVINE LAWS'. To deepen them, I recommend individual study, starting from authentic, verified sources and paths.