Quotes from Tao Te Ching

Lao Tzu ·  160 pages

Rating: (86.2K votes)


“Simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures.
Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the source of being.
Patient with both friends and enemies,
you accord with the way things are.
Compassionate toward yourself,
you reconcile all beings in the world.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“Knowing others is intelligence;
knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength;
mastering yourself is true power.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everyone will respect you.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“The truth is not always beautiful, nor beautiful words the truth.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching



“Do you have the patience to wait until your mud settles and the water is clear?”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“If you understand others you are smart.
If you understand yourself you are illuminated.
If you overcome others you are powerful.
If you overcome yourself you have strength.
If you know how to be satisfied you are rich.
If you can act with vigor, you have a will.
If you don't lose your objectives you can be long-lasting.
If you die without loss, you are eternal.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“The flame that burns Twice as bright burns half as long.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“A leader is best
When people barely know he exists
Of a good leader, who talks little,
When his work is done, his aim fulfilled,
They will say, “We did this ourselves.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“Stop thinking, and end your problems.
What difference between yes and no?
What difference between success and failure?
Must you value what others value,
avoid what others avoid?
How ridiculous!

Other people are excited,
as though they were at a parade.
I alone don't care,
I alone am expressionless,
like an infant before it can smile.

Other people have what they need;
I alone possess nothing.
I alone drift about,
like someone without a home.
I am like an idiot, my mind is so empty.

Other people are bright;
I alone am dark.
Other people are sharp;
I alone am dull.
Other people have purpose;
I alone don't know.
I drift like a wave on the ocean,
I blow as aimless as the wind.

I am different from ordinary people.
I drink from the Great Mother's breasts.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching



“If you try to change it, you will ruin it. Try to hold it, and you will lose it.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“The wise man is one who, knows, what he does not know.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“To understand the limitation of things, desire them.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“Give evil nothing to oppose
and it will disappear by itself.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“all streams flow to the sea because it is lower than they are. humility gives it its power. if you want to govern the people, you must place yourself below them. if you want to lead the people, you must learn how to follow them.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching



“If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to. If you are not afraid of dying, there is nothing you cannot achieve.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“Love

Embracing Tao, you become embraced.
Supple, breathing gently, you become reborn.
Clearing your vision, you become clear.
Nurturing your beloved, you become impartial.
Opening your heart, you become accepted.
Accepting the World, you embrace Tao.
Bearing and nurturing,
Creating but not owning,
Giving without demanding,
Controlling without authority,
This is love.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“The further one goes, the less one knows.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“Close your mouth,
block off your senses,
blunt your sharpness,
untie your knots,
soften your glare,
settle your dust.
This is the primal identity.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers himself is mighty" - Lao-tsu”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching



“When people see some things as beautiful,
other things become ugly.
When people see some things as good,
other things become bad.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“When there is no desire,
all things are at peace.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“Countless words
count less
than the silent balance
between yin and yang”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“Hope and fear are both phantoms that arise from thinking of the self. When we don't see the self as self, what do we have to fear?”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“True words aren't eloquent;
eloquent words aren't true.
Wise men don't need to prove their point;
men who need to prove their point aren't wise.

The Master has no possessions.
The more he does for others,
the happier he is.
The more he gives to others,
the wealthier he is.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching



“Trying to understand is like straining through muddy water. Have the patience to wait! Be still and allow the mud to settle.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“Success is as dangerous as failure.
Hope is as hollow as fear.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“My teachings are easy to understand
and easy to put into practice.
Yet your intellect will never grasp them,
and if you try to practice them,you'll fail.

My teachings are older than the world.
How can you grasp their meaning?

If you want to know me,
Look inside your heart.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


“Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt.”
― Lao Tzu, quote from Tao Te Ching


About the author

Lao Tzu
Born place: China
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Popular quotes

“تنم را دوست می دارم وقتی با تن توست

چرا که چیزی نو می شود

تنت را دوست دارم، آنچه که می کند دوست دارم

چگونه اش را دوست دارم

حس کردن مهره ها و استخوان هایت

را دوست دارم، و لرزش این نرمی سفت را

و آنچه که می خواهم

دوباره و دوباره و دوباره ببوسم

دوست دارم این و آن تو را ببوسم

دوست دارم کرک های هراسان تنت را

نرم نوازش کنم

و آنچه بر گوشت تنمان می رود به هنگام جدا شدن

و چشم هایمان، که خرده های بزرگ عشقند

و احتمالا لرزش تو را در زیر تنم دوست دارم

که اینهمه تازه است

شعری از ای ای کامینگز، برگردان فرشته وزیری نسب*”
― E.E. Cummings, quote from Complete Poems, 1904-1962


“Mr. Walker, you’re new to Mitchell & Madison and a guest here tonight, so maybe you didn’t know, but please allow me to introduce myself. I’m Logan Mitchell, and this is Tate Morrison, and he is my partner.”
― Ella Frank, quote from Take


“Yes, she'll admit that her charm is somewhat artificial. Et alors?”
― quote from How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are: Love, Style, and Bad Habits


“This love, it is a funny thing. It can elevate you to the highest peak and plunge you to a bottomless pit. I”
― Preeti Shenoy, quote from The One You Cannot Have


“What in Bursin’s holy name is that?” he snarled.
If it were possible to die of embarrassment, Martise was sure she wouldn’t survive the next few minutes.  “I was singing.”
His eyebrows rose almost to his hairline.  “Singing.  Is that what you call it?  It sounded like someone was torturing a cat.”
“I thought I might work faster if I sang.”  She wiped the perspiration from her forehead with a gloved hand and regretted the action.  The swipe of citrus oil she’d left on her skin burned.  Cael continued to howl, and a door shut with a bang.
"That will be Gurn coming to rescue us from whatever demon he thinks is attacking."  The branch supporting Silhara creaked as he adjusted his stance and leaned closer to her.  “Tell me something, Martise.”  A leaf slapped him in the eye, and he ripped it off its twig with an irritated snap.  “How is it that a woman, blessed with a voice that could make a man come, sings badly enough to frighten the dead?”
She was saved from having to answer the outlandish question by the quick thud of running footsteps.  Silhara disappeared briefly from view when he bent to greet their visitor.  Unfortunately, his answers to Gurn’s unspoken questions were loud and clear. “That was Martise you heard.  She was…singing.
“Trust me, I’m not jesting.  You can unload your bow.” His next indignant response made her smile.  “No, I wasn’t beating her!  She’s the one tormenting me with that hideous wailing!”
Martise hid her smile when he reappeared before her.  His scowl was ferocious.  “Don’t sing.”  He pointed a finger at her for emphasis.  “You’ve scared my dog, my birds and my servant with your yowling.”  He paused.  “You’ve even managed to scare me.”
― Grace Draven, quote from Master of Crows


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