Lao Tzu Quotes
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How do I know about the world? By what is within me.
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How do I become still? By flowing with the stream.
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Watch your thoughts, they become words.
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Racing and hunting excite man's heart to madness.
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Your name or your body, what is dearer? Your body or your wealth, what is worthier?
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What is well planted will not be uprooted.
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The generals have a saying: "Rather than make the first move it is better to wait and see. Rather than advance an inch it is better to retreat a yard." This is called going forward without advancing, pushing back without using weapons. There is no greater misfortune than underestimating your enemy. Underestimating your enemy means thinking that he is evil. Thus you destroy your three treasures and become an enemy yourself. When two great forces oppose each other, the victory will go to the one that knows how to yield.
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Heaven's Way does not contend, yet it certainly triumphs. It does not speak, yet it certainly answers. It does not summon, yet things come by themselves. It seems to be at rest, yet it certainly has a plan.
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The Way is the source of all things, good people's treasure and bad people's refuge.
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Hear no evil. See no evil. Speak no evil.
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If you fail to honor your people, They will fail to honor you; It is said of a good leader that When the work is done, the aim fulfilled, The people will say, "We did this ourselves."
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The Tao gives birth to One. One gives birth to Two. Two gives birth to Three. Three gives birth to all things. All things have their backs to the female and stand facing the male. When male and female combine, all things achieve harmony. Ordinary men hate solitude. But the Master makes use of it, embracing his aloneness, realizing he is one with the whole universe.
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Harmony is called the eternal. Knowing the eternal is called clarity.
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Sincere words are not fine; fine words are not sincere. Those who are skilled (in the Tao) do not dispute (about it); the disputatious are not skilled in it. Those who know (the Tao) are not extensively learned; the extensively learned do not know it.
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What is and what is not create each other.
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Speaking with kindness creates confidence, thinking with kindness creates profoundness, giving with kindness creates love.
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Happiness perches on misery. Misery crouches beneath happiness.
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...The sage, traveling all day, Does not lose sight of his baggage. Though there are beautiful things to be seen, He remains unattached and calm.
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If lightning is the anger of the gods, then the gods are concerned mostly about trees.
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A good speaker does not stutter.
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A good person is the bad person's teacher. A bad person is the good person's task.
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Empty your mind of all thoughts. Let your heart be at peace. Watch the turmoil of beings, but contemplate their return. Each separate being in the universe returns to the common source. Returning to the source is serenity. If you don't realize the source, you stumble in confusion and sorrow. When you realize where you come from, you naturally become tolerant, disinterested, amused, kindhearted as a grandmother, dignified as a king. Immersed in the wonder of the Tao, you can deal with whatever life brings you, and when death comes, you are ready.
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The virtuous carry out the settlement, but those without virtue pursue their claims.
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The more laws and restrictions there are, The poorer people become. The sharper men's weapons, The more trouble in the land.