Lao Tzu Quotes
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In the highest antiquity, the people did not know that there were rulers. In the next age they loved them and praised them. In the next they feared them; in the next they despised them.
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So the unwanting soul sees what's hidden, and the ever-wanting soul sees only what it wants.
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Observe how endings become beginnings.
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He who, conscious of being strong, is content to be weak, he shall be the paragon of mankind. Being the paragon of mankind, Virtue will never desert him. He returns to the state of a little child.
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Those who have knowledge, don't predict. Those who predict, don't have knowledge.
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Cultivate virtue in the world, and it will be universal.
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He who walks on tip-toe does not walk on solid ground.
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If a great country yields to a small country, it will conquer the small country. If a small country yields to a great country, it will be conquered by the great country.
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When people see some things as beautiful, other things become ugly. When people see some things as good, other things become bad. Being and non-being create each other. Difficult and easy support each other. Long and short define each other. High and low depend on each other. Before and after follow each other. Therefore the Master acts without doing anything and teaches without saying anything. Things arise and she lets them come; things disappear and she lets them go. She has but doesn't possess, acts but doesn't expect. When her work is done, she forgets it. That is why it lasts forever.
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The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.
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Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dream.
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Act without striving. Work without interfering. Find the flavour in what is flavourless.
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The higher the sun ariseth, the less shadow doth he cast; even so the greater is the goodness, the less doth it covet praise; yet cannot avoid its rewards in honours.
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The sage does not act and therefore does not fail, does not seize and therefore does not lose.
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If a person seems wicked, do not cast him away. Awaken him with your words, elevate him with your deeds, repay his injury with your kindness. Do not cast him away; cast away his wickedness.
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If you practice inaction, nothing will be left undone: For the way to acquire lordship over society is by invariably not interfering.
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Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.
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Things flourish, then each returns to its root. Returning to the root is called stillness: Stillness is called return to life, return to life is called the constant; knowing the constant is called enlightenment.
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The sage does not hoard. The more he helps others, the more he benefits himself, The more he gives to others, the more he gets himself. The Way of Heaven does one good but never does one harm. The Way of the sage is to act but not to compete.
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When the government is quite unobtrusive, people are indeed pure. When the government is quite prying, people are indeed conniving.
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From wonder into wonder existence opens.
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People in their handlings of affairs often fail when they are about to succeed. If one remains as careful at the end as he was at the beginning, there will be no failure.
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Water is the softest thing, yet it can penetrate mountains and earth. This shows clearly the principle of softness overcoming hardness.
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See others as yourself. See families as your family. See towns as your town. See countries as your country. See worlds as your world.