Lao Tzu Quotes

210 Sourced Quotes

Tao invariably takes no action, and yet there is nothing left undone. Reversion is the action of Tao. Weakness is the function of Tao. All things in the world come from being. And being comes from non-being.

Lao Tzu
Great accomplishment seems imperfect,
Yet it does not outlive its usefulness.
Great fullness seems empty,
Yet it cannot be exhausted.

Lao Tzu
If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself, if you want to eliminate the suffering in the world, then eliminate all that is negative in yourself. Truly, the greatest gift you have to give is that of your own self-transformation.

Lao Tzu
A tree that can fill the span of a man's arms grows from a downy tip; A terrace nine stories high rises from level earth; A journey of a thousand miles starts from beneath one's feet.

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

Lao Tzu
My words are easy to understand and easy to perform,
Yet no man under heaven knows them or practices them.

Lao Tzu
The Way begets one; one begets two; two begets three; three begets the myriad creatures.

Lao Tzu
Why is the sea king of a hundred streams? Because it lies below them... If the sage would guide the people, he must serve with humility. If he would lead them, he must follow behind. In this way when the sage rules, the people will not feel oppressed...

Lao Tzu
[The sage] never strives himself for the great, and thereby the great is achieved.

Lao Tzu
Without going outside, you may know the whole world, without looking through the window, you may see the ways of heaven. The farther you go, the less you know. Thus the sage knows without traveling; he sees without looking; he works without doing.

Lao Tzu
Not all spiritual paths lead to the harmonious Oneness. Indeed, most are detours and distractions, nothing more.

Lao Tzu
The sage does not attempt anything very big, and thus achieves greatness.

Lao Tzu
Without going out-of-doors, one can know all he needs to know. Without even looking out of his window, one can grasp the nature of everything. Without going beyond his own nature, one can achieve ultimate wisdom. Therefore, the intelligent man knows all he needs to know without going away, And sees all he needs to see without looking elsewhere, And does all he needs to do wihout undue exertion.

Lao Tzu
Giving birth and nourishing, Bearing yet not possessing, Working yet not taking credit, Leading yet not dominating, This is the Primal Virtue.

Lao Tzu
Why separate your spiritual life and your practical life? To an integral being, there is no such distinction.

Lao Tzu
Mask your brightness. Be at one with the dust of the earth. This is primal union.

Lao Tzu
He who has little will receive. He who has much will be embarrassed.

Lao Tzu
If you see what is small as it sees itself, and accept what is weak for what strength it has, and use what is dim for the light it gives then all will go well. This is called Acting Naturally.

Lao Tzu
The sense organs, which are limited in scope and ability, randomly gather information. This partial information is arranged into judgments, which are based on previous judgments, which are usually based on someone else's foolish ideas. These false concepts and ideas are then stored in a highly selective memory system.

Lao Tzu
Those who know do not speak; Those who speak do not know. Stop up the openings, Close down the doors, Rub off the sharp edges. Unravel all confusion. Harmonize the light, Give up contention: This is called finding the unity of life.

Lao Tzu
To consider this desirable would be to delight in the slaughter of men; and he who delights in the slaughter of men cannot get his will in the kingdom.

Lao Tzu
He who regards the world as he does the fortune of his own body can govern the world. He who loves the world as he does his own body can be entrusted with the world.

Lao Tzu
The tree which fills the arms grew from the tiniest sprout...

Lao Tzu
The one who can dissolve her mind will suddenly discover the Tao at her feet...

Lao Tzu
I will be fond of keeping still, and the people will of themselves become correct.

Lao Tzu
Something mysteriously formed, Born before heaven and earth. In the silence and the void, Standing alone and unchanging, Ever present and in motion.

Lao Tzu
When the intelligent and animal souls are held together in one embrace, they can be kept from separating.

Lao Tzu
Keep your mouth shut, and close up the doors of sight and sound, and as long as you live you will have no vexation. But open your mouth, or become inquisitive, and you will be in trouble all your life long.

Lao Tzu
Knowing ignorance is strength; ignoring knowledge is sickness.

Lao Tzu
Know the white, But keep the black, Be an example to the world! Being an example to the world, Ever true and unwavering, Return to the infinite.

Lao Tzu