Taoism Quotes

Only I am clumsy, like drifting on the waves of the sea, without direction.

Lessen selfishness and restrain desires.

The highest virtue is not virtuous. Therefore it has virtue. The lowest virtue holds on to virtue. Therefore it has no virtue.

What has not yet emerged is easy to prevent.

Those who take long steps cannot keep the pace.

From wonder into wonder existence opens.

Those who are self-righteous are not prominent.

Simple, like uncarved wood.

The sage does not strive to be great. Thereby he can accomplish the great.

The highest virtue seems as low as a valley.

By moderation one can be generous.

Those who praise themselves do not prevail.

If you scramble about in search of inner peace, you will lose your inner peace.

Conquering the world and changing it, I do not think it can succeed.

If I have just an ounce of sense, I follow the great Way, and fear only to stray from it.

Excellent warriors are not violent.

Meet the difficult while it is easy.

I do not interfere, and people become rich by themselves.

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

Seek not happiness too greedily and be not fearful of happiness.

He (the Sage) does not show off, therefore he shines.

Violence, even well intentioned, always rebounds upon oneself.

The most fundamental seems fickle.

High and low rest on each other.

Man is ruled by Earth. Earth is ruled by Heaven. Heaven is ruled by the Way. The Way is ruled by itself.

The most eloquent seems to stutter.

Mold clay into a bowl. The empty space makes it useful.

The sage regards things as difficult, and thereby avoids difficulty.

Those who defeat others are strong, those who defeat themselves are mighty.

We hammer wood for a house, but it is the inner space that makes it liveable.

The most straight seems curved.

Harmony is called the eternal. Knowing the eternal is called clarity.

The purest white seems stained.

I have three treasures that I cherish. The first is compassion. The second is moderation. The third is not claiming to be first in the world.

The sage is one with the world, and lives in harmony with it.

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.

He who talks more is sooner exhausted.

The most complete seems lacking. Yet in use it is not exhausted.

The most able seems clumsy.

When there is no more separation between 'this' and 'that,' it is called the still-point of the Tao. At the still point in the center of the circle one can see the infinite in all things.

Abandon wisdom, discard knowledge, and people will benefit a hundredfold.

Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it.

Peace and quiet govern the world.

He who holds on to the Way seeks no excess. Since he lacks excess, he can grow old in no need to be renewed.

Valuing unusual conduct is not as good as being careful about ordinary actions.

If Heaven were not clear it might rend. If Earth were not firm it might crumble.

In dealing with good people one should be magnanimous; in dealing with bad people one should be strict. In dealing with average people one should combine magnanimity and strictness.

Those who know when to halt are unharmed.

Let people return to making knots on ropes, instead of writing.

If people are not afraid of dying, why threaten them with death?