Lao Tzu Quotes
-
The fourth (of the four cardinal virtues) is supportiveness: this manifests as service to others without expectation of reward. (Paraphrased: Such service is not a mere conforming to some external rule of behavior, but instead a manifestation of your original nature).
-
Those who know do not talk. Those who talk do not know.
-
The value of teaching without words and accomplishing without action is understood by few in the world.
-
The sage honors his part of the settlement, but does not exact his due from others.
-
In stillness the muddied water returns to clarity.
-
The best soldier does not attack. The superior fighter succeeds without violence. The greatest conqueror wins without struggle. The most successful manager leads without dictating. This is intelligent non aggressiveness.
-
The sage avoids extremity, excess, and extravagance.
-
Do not make them (people) weary at their work. If you do not make them weary, they will not be weary of you.
-
If you never assume importance, you never lose it.
-
To delight in conquest is to delight in slaughter.
-
The rigid and big belong below. The soft and weak belong above.
-
The past has no power to stop you from being present now. Only your grievance about the past can do that. What is grievance? The baggage of old thought and emotion.
-
Weapons are instruments of fear; they are not a wise man's tools. He uses them only when he has no choice.
-
Be truly whole, and all things will return to you.
-
Stillness is the ruler of haste.
-
That which offers no resistance, overcomes the hardest substances.
-
The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal Name.
-
Does one scent appeal more than another? Do you prefer this flavor, or that feeling? Is your practice sacred and your work profane? Then your mind is separated: from itself, from oneness, from the Tao.
-
To conquer others is to have power, to conquer yourself is to know the way.
-
A multitude of words is tiresome, unlike remaining centered.
-
Moderation means prevention. Prevention means achieving much virtue.
-
The people suffer from famine because of the multitude of taxes consumed by their superiors. It is through this that they suffer famine.
-
From now back to antiquity, its (Tao's) name has not been lost. Thereby, see the origin of all.
-
I have three treasures that I cherish. The first is compassion. The second is moderation. The third is not claiming to be first in the world.