Taoism Quotes by Laozi · Page 11

The sage governs by emptying senses and filling bellies.

— Laozi

When the great Tao is abandoned, benevolence and righteousness arise.

— Laozi

True words are not pleasing. Pleasing words are not true.

— Laozi

The Way is the source of all things, good people's treasure and bad people's refuge.

— Laozi

Abandon knowledge and your worries are over.

— Laozi

The sage embraces the one, and is an example to the world.

— Laozi

I have no desire to desire, and people become like the uncarved wood by themselves.

— Laozi

Can you care for the people and rule the country and not be cunning?

— Laozi

When the sage stands above people, they are not oppressed. When he leads people, they are not obstructed. The world will exalt…

— Laozi

Of all things, none does not revere the Way and honor virtue. Reverence of the Way and honoring virtue were not demanded…

— Laozi

When the government is quite unobtrusive, people are indeed pure. When the government is quite prying, people are indeed conniving.

— Laozi

In the pursuit of learning, every day something is acquired. In the pursuit of Tao, every day something is dropped.

— Laozi

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

— Laozi

Approach your own inner life with a loving quality that accepts who you are without trying to change who you are.

— Laozi

If people live in constant fear of death, and if breaking the law is punished by death, then who would dare?

— Laozi

Use justice to rule a country. Use surprise to wage war. Use non-action to govern the world.

— Laozi

Those who know are not learned. Those who are learned do not know.

— Laozi

The Way is eternal. Until your last day, you are free from peril.

— Laozi

Other people have more than they need, I alone seem wanting.

— Laozi

What should be shrunken must first be stretched.

— Laozi

The soft and weak overcome the hard and strong.

— Laozi

Profound virtue is indeed deep and wide. It leads all things back to the great order.

— Laozi

Heaven and Earth are not kind. They regard all things as offerings.

— Laozi

The sage does not act and therefore does not fail, does not seize and therefore does not lose.

— Laozi

Why did the ancients praise the Way? Did they not say it was because you find what you seek and are saved…

— Laozi

When Simplicity is broken up, it is made into instruments. Evolved individuals who employ them, are made into leaders. In this way,…

— Laozi

If a great country yields to a small country, it will conquer the small country. If a small country yields to a…

— Laozi

Being a model to the world, eternal virtue will never falter in you, and you return to the boundless.

— Laozi

In ancient times, those who followed the Way did not try to give people knowledge thereof, but kept them ignorant.

— Laozi

To be brave without compassion, generous without moderation, and rule without refraining from being first in the world, are certain deaths.

— Laozi

The sage acts without taking credit. He accomplishes without dwelling on it. He does not want to display his worth.

— Laozi

He (the sage) is good to those who are good. He is also good to those who are not good. That is…

— Laozi

My words have an origin. My deeds have a sovereign. Truly, because people do not understand this, they do not understand me.

— Laozi

When the uncarved wood is split, its parts are put to use. When the sage is put to use, he becomes the…

— Laozi

Returning to the source is stillness. It is returning to one's fate. Returning to one's fate is eternal.

— Laozi

To bear the country's disgrace is to rule the shrines of soil and grain. To bear the country's misfortunes is to be…

— Laozi

Can you let go of words and ideas, attitudes and expectations? If so, then the Tao will loom into view.

— Laozi