Lao Tzu Quotes

“I have the mind of a fool, understanding nothing.”

“When family ties are disturbed, devoted children arise.”

“The people starve because those above them eat too much tax-grain. That is the only reason why they starve.”

“The softest of stuff in the world, penetrates quickly the hardest, insubstantial, it enters where there is no room.”

“A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. A good artist lets his intuition lead him wherever it wants. A good scientist has freed himself of concepts and keeps his mind open to what is.”

“Fame of self: Which matters more? Self or wealth: Which is more precious? Gain or loss: Which is more painful?”

“The True Person avoids extremes, self-indulgence, and extravagance.”

“Failure is the foundation of success: success is the lurking place of failure.”

“Let the country be small, and the inhabitants few.”

“A winner listens, a loser just waits until it is their turn to talk.”

“Make the small big and the few many.”

“The mature person perceives the fruitlessness of rigid, external methodologies; Remembering this, he keeps his attitude unstructured at all times and thus is always free to pursue the Integral Way. He studies the teachings of the masters. He dissolves all concepts of duality. He pours himself out in service to others.”

“The way is light and fluid for the man withno preferences.”

“He who walks on tip-toe does not walk on solid ground.”

“Watch your thoughts, they become words.”

“The past has no power to stop you from being present now. Only your grievance about the past can do that. What is grievance? The baggage of old thought and emotion.”

“People starve. The rulers consume too much with their taxes. That is why people starve.”

“Abandon knowledge and your worries are over.”

“Cultivate virtue in yourself, and it will be true.”

“The more clever and cunning people are, the stranger the events will be.”

“To lead people, walk beside them ... As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honor and praise. The next, the people fear; and the next, the people hate ... When the best leader's work is done the people say, 'We did it ourselves!”

“My words are very easy to understand and very easy to practice; but there is no one in the world who is able to understand and practice them.”

“What is strong and rigid is snapped and laid low. What is flexible and soft will always prevail.”

“There is no greater sin than desire, No greater curse than discontent, No greater misfortune than wanting something for oneself. Therefore he who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.”

“Rule your mind with serenity rather than with force and manipulation.”