Laozi Quotes & Sayings

Make the small big and the few many. — Laozi

Praise and disgrace cause fear. — Laozi

There is no greater offence than harbouring desires. There is no greater disaster than discontent. There is no greater misfortune than wanting more. — Laozi

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. — Laozi

Of the second-rate leaders people speak respectfully saying, "He has done this, he has done that." Of the first-rate leaders, they do not say this. They say, "We have done it all ourselves." — Laozi

Love the whole world as if it were your self; then you will truly care for all things. — Laozi

Virtue in its grandest aspect is neither more nor less than following reason. — Laozi

Complete your task. Seek no reward. Make no claims. Without faltering fully choose to do what you must do. — Laozi

The supreme rulers are hardly known by their subjects. The lesser are loved and praised. The even lesser are feared. The least are despised. — Laozi

Develop the strength of a man, but live as gently as a woman — Laozi

Holding on to the weak is called strength. — Laozi

Distortion upon distortion: ... the more one uses the mind, the more confused one becomes. — Laozi

Good walking leaves no track behind it. — Laozi

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

The sage attends to the belly, and not to what he sees. — Laozi

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

Ancient masters of excellence had a subtle essence, and a depth too profound to comprehend. — Laozi

Pain and happiness are simply conditions of the ego. Forget the ego. — Laozi

The ten thousand things flourish and then each returns to the root from which it came. Returning to the root is stillness. Through stillness each fulfils its destiny. — Laozi

He who walks on tip-toe does not walk on solid ground. — Laozi

Other people are occupied, I alone am unwilling, like the outcast. — Laozi

Taking things lightly must lead to big difficulties. — Laozi

Through return to simple living comes control of desires. In control of desires stillness is attained. In stillness the world is restored. — Laozi

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

If Heaven and Earth are unable to persist, how could man? — Laozi

When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away. This is the path way to Heaven. — Laozi

True humility involves opposites. The truly humble work in silence. Because they do not speak of their accomplishments, credit for them can never be taken away. — Laozi

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

Do you think you can make the world a better place? I do not think you can. It is already perfect. — Laozi

Whatever is flexible and living will tend to grow; whatever is rigid and blocked will wither and die. — Laozi

The Tao's principle is spontaneity. — Laozi

Other people are joyous, like on the feast of the ox, like on the way up to the terrace in the spring. I alone am inert, giving no sign, like a newborn baby who has not learned to smile. — Laozi

Racing and hunting excite man's heart to madness. — Laozi

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. — Laozi

Good words shall gain you honor in the marketplace, but good deeds shall gain you friends among men. — Laozi

The great Way is easy, yet people prefer the side paths. Be aware when things are out of balance. Stay centered within the Tao. — Laozi

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

Better stop short than fill to the brim. Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt. Amass a store of gold and jade, and no one can protect it. — Laozi

Integral wisdom involves a direct participation in every moment: the observer and the observed are dissolved in the light of pure awareness, and no mental concepts or attitudes are present to dim that light. — Laozi

The farther you go, the less you know. — Laozi

Knowing that we don't know it's humility; thinking that we know what we don't know, is sickness. — Laozi

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

All things carry yin and embrace yang. They reach harmony by blending with the vital breath. — Laozi

Supreme good is like water. Water greatly benefits all things, without conflict. It flows through places that people loathe. Thereby it is close to the Way. — Laozi

Accept disgrace willingly ... Accept being unimportant ... Surrender yourself humbly; then you can be trusted to care for all things. Love the world as your own self; then you can truly care for all things. — Laozi

Those who have the courage to dare will perish. Those who have the courage not to dare will live. — Laozi

Greed for enlightenment and immortality is no different than greed for material wealth. It is self-centered and dualistic, and thus an obstacle to true attainment. Therefore these states are never achieved by those who covet them; rather, they are the reward of the virtuous. — Laozi

Going forward seems like retreat ... — Laozi

The softest in the world surpasses the hardest in the world. — Laozi

Weapons are not proper instruments for gentle people; they use them only when they have no other choice. Peace and quiet are what they value. They do not glory in victory. — Laozi

Highest good is like water. Because water excels in benefiting the myriad creatures without contending with them and settles where none would like to be, it comes closest to the way. — Laozi

Praise of power leads to weakness; Love of things leads to loss; The wise one leads by filling people's hearts; He destroys illusion and disturbs those who believe they are wise; He does nothing yet everything happens. — Laozi

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

Stay at the center and let all things take their course. — Laozi

What Heaven detests, who knows why? Even the sage considers it difficult. — Laozi

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

Take [preventive] action before things happen. Establish order before disorder has begun. — Laozi

The world's beginning is its mother. To have found the mother is also to know the children. Although you know the children, cling to the mother. Until your last day you will not be harmed. — Laozi

Can you open and close the gate of Heaven and act like a woman? — Laozi

Moderation means prevention. Prevention means achieving much virtue. — Laozi

Words have divided man from woman,
one from another, this from that,
until only sages know how to put things together.
Without words, without even understanding,
lovers find each other.
The moment of finding is always a surprise,
like meeting an old friend never before known. — Laozi

Hold on to the center and make up your mind to rejoice in this paradise called life. — Laozi

The more sharp weapons people have in a country, the bigger the disorder will be. — Laozi

Marriage is three parts love and seven parts forgiveness of sins. — Laozi

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

The highest virtue does nothing. Yet, nothing needs to be done. The lowest virtue does everything. Yet, much remains to be done. — Laozi

The Way is hidden and nameless. Still only the Way nourishes and completes. — Laozi

Having reached a high level of realization (or having accomplished anything in life), don't get excited or puffed up with pride but remain calm, humble, and in "perfect equanimity" if you want to continue in this deep state of consciousness. — Laozi

When the effective leader is finished with his work, the people say it happened naturally. — Laozi

I am wearied, as if I lacked a home to go to. — Laozi

Do you think that you can clear your mind by sitting constantly in silent meditation? This makes your mind narrow, not clear. Integral awareness is fluid and adaptable, present in all places and at all times. That is true meditation ... The Tao is clear and simple, and it doesn't avoid the world. — Laozi

Good leaders reach solutions, and then stop. They do not dare to rely on force. — Laozi

When the Way is lost there is virtue. When virtue is lost there is benevolence. When benevolence is lost there is righteousness. When righteousness is lost there are rituals. — Laozi

Things flourish, then each returns to its root. Returning to the root is called stillness: Stillness is called return to life, return to life is called the constant; knowing the constant is called enlightenment. — Laozi

Those who are unswerving have resolve — Laozi

He who regards many things easy will find many difficulties. Therefore the sage regards things difficult, and consequently never has difficulties. — Laozi

See others as yourself. See families as your family. See towns as your town. See countries as your country. See worlds as your world. — Laozi

The wise does not think that only he is right -thus he knows the truth. — Laozi

When you extend your goodwill in every direction, regardless of circumstances, you begin to see that we are all one. — Laozi

By moderation one can be generous. — Laozi

Excellent soldiers are not furious. — Laozi

One's own self or material goods, which has more worth?
Loss (of self) or possession (of goods), which is the greater evil?
He who loves most, spends most,
He who hoards much loses much — Laozi

The greatest virtue is to follow the Way utterly. — Laozi

The great image lacks shape. — Laozi

People are born soft and weak. They die hard and stiff. — Laozi

Can you step back from your own mind and thus understand all things? — Laozi

We go from birth to death. Three out of ten follow life. Three out of ten follow death. People who rush from birth to death are also three out of ten. Why is that so? Because they want to make too much of life. — Laozi

Do nothing, and leave nothing undone. ["Doing nothing" is what happens when the doer disappears, it isn't something that one does or chooses not to do.] — Laozi

To produce things and to rear them,
To produce, but not to take possession of them,
To act, but not to rely on one's own ability,
To lead them, but not to master them -
This is called profound and secret virtue. — Laozi

The Tao is unpredictable to those that live according to plans. Only those who have no agenda are in harmony with the Tao. — Laozi

As for the "proper way:" it is the beginning of disorder. — Laozi

Truly, only those who see illness as illness can avoid illness. — Laozi

Don't impose your will through manipulation of aggressive emotions and actions. — Laozi

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

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. — Laozi

Therefore: In dwelling, choose modest quarters, in thinking, value stillness, in dealing with others, be kind, in choosing words, be sincere, in leading, be just, in working, be competent, in acting, choose the correct timing. Follow these words and there will be no error. — Laozi

People take death lightly. They expect too much of life. That is why people take death lightly. — Laozi

Before healing others, heal yourself — Laozi

In order to contract, It is necessary first to expand. In order to weaken, It is necessary first to strengthen. In order to destroy, It is first necessary to promote. In order to grasp, It is necessary first to give. This is called subtle light. The weak and the tender overcome the hard and the strong. — Laozi

The usefulness of a pot comes from its emptiness. — Laozi