Top 1242 Quotes & Sayings by Laozi

Those who are right do not argue. Those who argue are not right.

People aren't against you; they are for themselves. The most dangerous risk of all - the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later. He who conquers others is strong, he who conquers himself is mighty.

Perfection is the willingness to be imperfect.

If there is to be peace in the world, There must be peace in the nations. If there is to be peace in the nations, There must be peace in the cities. If there is to be peace in the cities, There must be peace between neighbors. If there is to be peace between neighbors, There must be peace in the home. If there is to be peace in the home, There must be peace in the heart.

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. The Tao nourishes by not forcing. By not dominating, the Master leads.

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

Have patience. Wait until the mud settles and the water is clear. Remain unmoving until right action arises by itself.

The sage does not hoard. The more he helps others, the more he benefits himself, Having bestowed all he has on others, he has yet more; having given all he has to others, he is richer still.

The truth is not always beautiful, nor beautiful words the truth.

Once upon a time a man whose ax was missing suspected his neighbor's son. The boy walked like a thief, looked like a thief and spoke like a thief. But the man found his ax while digging in the valley, and the next time he saw his neighbor's son, the boy walked, looked and spoke like any other child.

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

In the end, The treasure of life is missed by those who hold on and gained by those who let go

If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never be truly fulfilled.

Goodness in words creates trust, goodness in thinking creates depth, goodness in giving creates love.

Make your heart like a lake, with calm, still surface, and great depths of kindness.

If you realize that you have enough, you are truly rich.

You cannot receive what you don't give. Outflow determines inflow.

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.

Open yourself to the truth, then trust in your natural responses, and everything will fall into place.

Be still. Stillness reveals the secrets of eternity

In order to eliminate the negative influences, simply ignore them.

Stop thinking, and end your problems.

Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.

New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.

The wise stand out because they see themselves as part of the Whole. They shine because they don't want to impress. They achieve great things because they don't look for recognition. Their wisdom is contained in what they are, not their opinions. They refuse to argue, so no-one argues with them.

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.

Those who know do not talk. Those who talk do not know.

If you correct your mind the rest of your life will fall into place.

Time is a created thing. To say 'I don't have time' is to say 'I don't want to.'

A good person is the bad person's teacher. A bad person is the good person's task.

Be careful what you water your dreams with. Water them with worry and fear and you will produce weeds that choke the life from your dream. Water them with optimism and solutions and you will cultivate success. Always be on the lookout for ways to turn a problem into an opportunity for success. Always be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dream.

Your own positive future begins in this moment. All you have is right now. Every goal is possible from here.

Loss is not as bad as wanting more.

The past has no power to stop you from being present now. Only your grievance about the past can do that. What is grievance? The baggage of old thought and emotion.

Kind words elicit trust. Kind thoughts create depth. Kind deeds bring love.

I have three treasures which I hold and keep. The first is mercy; the second is economy. The third is daring not to be ahead of others. From mercy comes courage; from economy comes generosity; From humility comes leadership.

The world is won by those who let it go.

Sometimes gain comes from losing, and sometimes loss comes from gaining.

To know that you do not know is the best. To pretend to know when you do not know is a disease.

For knowledge, add something every day. For wisdom....subtract.

Empty yourself of everything. Let the mind become still. The ten thousand things rise and fall while the Self watches their return. They grow and flourish and then return to the source. Returning to the source is stillness, which is the way of nature.

. . . Intelligence is not the same thing as wisdom.

There is no illusion great than fear.

Watch your thoughts, they become words. Watch your words, they become actions. Watch your actions, they become habit.

Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.

The master accomplishes more and more by doing less and less until finally he accomplishes everything by doing nothing.

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

Simply see that you are at the center of the universe, and accept all things and beings as parts of your infinite body. When you perceive that an act done to another is done to yourself, you have understood the great truth.

A good manager is best when people barely know that he exists. Not so good when people obey and acclaim him. Worse when they despise him.

If a person seems wicked, do not cast him away. Awaken him with your words, elevate him with your deeds, repay his injury with your kindness. Do not cast him away; cast away his wickedness.

Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it. So the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful. Everyone knows this, but no one can do it.

If you are at peace, you are living in the present.

If the majority doesn't laugh at you, beware that you must be saying something wrong. When the majority thinks you are a fool, only then is there some possibility of you being a wise man.

Doing nothing is better than being busy doing nothing.

When you let go of what you are, you become what you might be.

One who believes in himself has no need to convince others.

Most of the world's religions serve only to strengthen attachments to false concepts such as self and other, life and death, heaven and earth, and so on. Those who become entangled in these false ideas are prevented from perceiving the Integral Oneness.

If you tell me, I will listen. If you show me, I will see. If you let me experience, I will learn!

Let your workings remain a mystery. Just show people the results.

The eye with which you see God is the same eye with which God sees you; one in seeing; one in knowing; one in loving.