Lao Tzu Quotes
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Hold on to the ancient Way to master the present, and to learn the distant beginning.
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The sage knows himself, but does not parade. He cherishes himself, but does not praise himself.
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Where there is no conflict, there is no fault.
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Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success. Always be on the lookout for ways to turn a problem into an opportunity for success. Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dream.
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Truly, only acting without thought of one's life is superior to valuing one's life.
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When bitter enemies make peace, surely some bitterness remains.
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The grandest virtue seems deficient.
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The truly great ones rely on substance, and not on surface, hold on to the fruit, and not to the flower.
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Time is a created thing. To say 'I don't have time' is to say 'I don't want to.'
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Let people return to making knots on ropes, instead of writing.
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The usefulness of the pot lies in its emptiness.
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Conquering the world and changing it, I do not think it can succeed.
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People who have to fight for their living and are not afraid to die for it are higher persons than those who, stationed high, are too fat to dare to die.
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The leader is best, When people are hardly aware of his existence, Not so good when people praise his government, Less good when people stand in fear, Worst, when people are contemptuous. Fail to honor people, and they will fail to honor you. But of a good leader, who speaks little, When his work is done, his aim fulfilled, The people say, 'We did it ourselves.'
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Remember: if you can cease all restless activity, your integral nature will appear.
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All streams flow to the sea because it is lower than they are. Humility gives it its power.
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In dwelling, be close to the land. In meditation, go deep in the heart. In dealing with others, be gentle and kind. In speech, be true. In ruling, be just. In daily life, be competent. In action, be aware of the time and the season.
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The purpose of life is the investigation of the Sun, the Moon, and the heavens.
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He does not praise himself - yet he is respectable.
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Approach your own inner life with a loving quality that accepts who you are without trying to change who you are.
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Not knowing of the eternal leads to unfortunate errors.
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He who stands on tiptoe doesn't stand firm. He who rushes ahead doesn't go far. He who tries to shine dims his own light. He who defines himself can't know who he really is. He who has power over others can't empower himself. He who clings to his work will create nothing that endures.
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When good thing are accomplished, it does not claim (or name) them. This is Te, which is close in meaning to power or virtue. It is something within a person, and it is enhanced by following the Tao, or 'that from which nothing can deviate'.
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Words have divided man from woman, one from another, this from that, until only sages know how to put things together. Without words, without even understanding, lovers find each other. The moment of finding is always a surprise, like meeting an old friend never before known.