Lao Tzu Quotes
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The sage acts without taking credit. He accomplishes without dwelling on it. He does not want to display his worth.
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Abandon benevolence, discard duty, and people will return to the family ties.
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Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it. So the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful. Everyone knows this, but no one can do it.
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In the Golden Age, Rulers were unknown. In the following age Rulers were loved and praised. Next came the age When rulers were feared. Finally the age When rulers are hated.
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Man takes his law from the Earth; the Earth takes its law from Heaven; Heaven takes its law from the Tao. The law of the Tao is its being what it is.
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The wise man puts himself last and finds himself first.
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When a nation is filled with strife, then do patriots flourish.
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From now back to antiquity, its (Tao's) name has not been lost. Thereby, see the origin of all.
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First, we must do our own personal work, then we tend the necessary work of our family, then our community, then the world.
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My words have an origin. My deeds have a sovereign. Truly, because people do not understand this, they do not understand me.
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Yet mystery and imagination arise from the same source. This source is called darkness ... Darkness within darkness, the gateway to all understanding.
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The real key to health and happiness and success is self knowledge.
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The sage attends to the belly, and not to what he sees.
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Therefore, if a great kingdom humbles itself before a small kingdom, it shall make that small kingdom its prize. And if a small kingdom humbles itself before a great kingdom, it shall win over that great kingdom. Thus the one humbles itself in order to attain, the other attains because it is humble. If the great kingdom has no further desire than to bring men together and to nourish them, the small kingdom will have no further desire than to enter the service of the other. But in order that both may have their desire, the great one must learn humility.
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Rule a kingdom as though you were cooking a small fish - don't overdo it.
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The superior leader keeps informed about everything but interferes hardly at all.
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Be humble and you will remain entire. The sages do not display themselves, therefore they shine. They do not approve themselves, therefore they are noted. They do not praise themselves, therefore they have merit. They do not glory in themselves, therefore they excel.
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When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you.
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A multitude of words is tiresome, unlike remaining centered.
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The heavy is the root of the light. The unmoved is the source of all movement. Thus the Master travels all day without leaving home. However splendid the views, she stays serenely in herself. Why should the lord of the country flit about like a fool? If you let yourself be blown to and fro, you lose touch with your root. If you let restlessness move you, you lose touch with who you are.
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The more clever and cunning people are, the stranger the events will be.
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The softest of stuff in the world, penetrates quickly the hardest, insubstantial, it enters where there is no room.
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To know you have enough is to be rich.
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If you never assume importance, you never lose it.