Lao Tzu Quotes
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The True Person benefits yet expects no reward, does the work and moves on. There is no desire to be considered better than others.
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Failure is the foundation of success: success is the lurking place of failure.
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Nature's way is simple and easy, but men prefer the intricate and artificial.
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In order to contract, It is necessary first to expand. In order to weaken, It is necessary first to strengthen. In order to destroy, It is first necessary to promote. In order to grasp, It is necessary first to give. This is called subtle light. The weak and the tender overcome the hard and the strong.
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The first practice is the practice of undiscriminating virtue: take care of those who are deserving; also, and equally, take care of those who are not. When you extend your virtue in all directions without discriminating, you feet are firmly planted on the path that returns to the Tao.
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Warriors say: I dare not be like the host, but would rather be like the guest. I dare not advance an inch, but would rather retreat a foot.
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Battles are followed by years of famine.
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. . . learn to value what is important today in the subtle realm rather than what appears desirable tomorrow in the worldly realm.
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A follower of the Way (Tao) loses something each day. Loss after loss until arriving at Non Action (Wu Wei).
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He (the sage) is good to those who are good. He is also good to those who are not good. That is the virtue of good.
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We desire to understand the world by giving names to the things we see, but these things are only the effects of something subtle.
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The Tao of the sage is work without effort.
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To know people is wisdom, but to know yourself is enlightenment. to master people takes force, but to master yourself takes strength. to know contentment is wealth, and to live with strength resolve. to never leave whatever you are is to abide, and to die without getting lost- that is to live on and on.
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Only I am clumsy, like drifting on the waves of the sea, without direction.
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Watch your thoughts, they become words.
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I alone have the mind of a fool, and am all muddled and vague. The people are so smart and bright. While I am just dull and confused.
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What has no substance can penetrate what has no opening.
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True words are not pleasing. Pleasing words are not true.
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Peace is our natural state of being.
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A tree as wide as a man's embrace grows from a tiny shoot.