Lao Tzu Quotes
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He does not struggle with anyone - thus no one can vanquish him.
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Other people are joyous, like on the feast of the ox, like on the way up to the terrace in the spring. I alone am inert, giving no sign, like a newborn baby who has not learned to smile.
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Man is ruled by Earth. Earth is ruled by Heaven. Heaven is ruled by the Way. The Way is ruled by itself.
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If you worry more for others' beliefs, then you will be their slave.
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The purpose of life is the investigation of the Sun, the Moon, and the heavens.
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By not claiming to be first in the world one can rule.
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Care about people's approval and you will be their prisoner.
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The sense organs, which are limited in scope and ability, randomly gather information. This partial information is arranged into judgments, which are based on previous judgments, which are usually based on someone else's foolish ideas. These false concepts and ideas are then stored in a highly selective memory system.
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Just as the value of a house lies in its location, The value of a mind lies in its depth, The value of giving lies in the presence of a generous spirit, The value of words lies in their reliability.
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A tree as wide as a man's embrace grows from a tiny shoot.
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When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven.
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Do you think you can make the world a better place? I do not think you can. It is already perfect.
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Hold on to the ancient Way to master the present, and to learn the distant beginning.
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Throw away sacredness and wisdom and people will be one hundred times happier.
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Do not attempt to conquer the world with force, for force only causes resistance.
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People turn their eyes and ears to him (the sage), and the sage cares for them like his own children.
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When bitter enemies make peace, surely some bitterness remains.
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Quarrel with a friend - and you are both wrong.
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Nothing in the world is as soft and yielding as water. Yet for dissolving the hard and inflexible, nothing can surpass it. The soft overcomes the hard; the gentle overcomes the rigid. Everyone knows this is true, but few can put it into practice. Therefore the Master remains serene in the midst of sorrow. Evil cannot enter his heart. Because he has given up helping, he is people's greatest help. True words seem paradoxical.
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It (Tao) is eternally without desire. So, it can be called small. All things return to it, although it does not make itself their ruler. So, it can be called great.
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Those who know are not learned. Those who are learned do not know.
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Be who you are, and go the whole way.
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The tree which needs two arms to span its girth sprang from the tiniest shoot. Yon tower, nine stories high, rose from a little mound of earth. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
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The reason why rivers and seas are able to be lords over a hundred mountain streams, is that they know how to keep below them. That is why they are able to reign over all the mountain streams.