Lao Tzu Quotes

“Throw away holiness and wisdom, and people will be a hundred times happier. Throw away morality and justice, and people will do the right thing. Throw away industry and profit, and there won't be any thieves. If these three aren't enough, just stay at the center of the circle and let all things take their course.”

“Thus an army without flexibility never wins a battle. A tree that is unbending is easily broken.”

“The more prohibitions you have, the less virtuous people will be. The more weapons you have, the less secure people will be. The more subsidies you have, the less self reliant people will be.”

“heaven is eternal, earth everlasting. they endure this way because they do not live for themselves. in the same way, the wise person puts himself last, and thereby finds himself first, holds himself outside, and thereby remains at the center, abandons himself, and is thereby fulfilled.”

“Must one dread what others dread?”

“The most powerful weapon known is the weapon of blessing. Therefore, a clever person relies on it. He wins with peace, not with war.”

“Care about people's approval and you will be their prisoner.”

“Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. Do not overdo it.”

“The rigid and big belong below. The soft and weak belong above.”

“The great Way is very straight, but people prefer to deviate.”

“Stop thinking, and end your problems.”

“Trustable words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not trustable.”

“When bitter enemies make peace, surely some bitterness remains.”

“The real is empty and the empty real”

“I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.”

“Some have lavish garments, carry sharp swords, and feast on food and drink. They possess more than they can spend. This is called the vanity of robbers. It is certainly not the Way.”

“ALL things in Nature work silently. They come into being and possess nothing. They fulfil their functions and make no claim.”

“When cleverness emerges There is great hypocrisy.”

“The sage knows himself, but does not parade. He cherishes himself, but does not praise himself.”

“Accomplish but do not boast, accomplish without show, accomplish without arrogance, accomplish without grabbing, accomplish without forcing.”

“Use the Light that dwells within you to regain your natural clarity of sight.”

“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.”

“Success is as dangerous as failure. Hope is as hollow as fear.”

“A good door needs no lock, still it can't be opened.”

“Knowing honor, but clinging to disgrace, you become the valley of the world.”