Lao Tzu Quotes

Lao Tzu comes across as a grand, philosophical guide on spirituality, Taoism and leadership.

61 quotes

1. The Tao that can be expressed is not the eternal Tao; The name that can be defined is not the unchanging name. Non-existence is called the antecedent of heaven and earth; Existence is the mother of all things. From eternal non-existence, therefore, we serenely observe the mysterious beginning of the Universe; From eternal existence we clearly see the apparent distinctions. These two are the same in source and become different when manifested. This sameness is called profundity. Infinite profundity is the gate whence comes the beginning of all parts of the Universe.

2. The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao; The name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth. The named is the mother of ten thousand things. Ever desireless, one can see the mystery. Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations. These two spring from the same source but differ in name; this appears as darkness. Darkness within darkness. The gate to all mystery.

3. The tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao The name that can be named is not the eternal Name. The unnameable is the eternally real. Naming is the origin of all particular things. Free from desire, you realize the mystery. Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations. Yet mystery and manifestations arise from the same source. This source is called darkness. Darkness within darkness. The gateway to all understanding.

4. The tao that can be described is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be spoken is not the eternal Name. The nameless is the boundary of Heaven and Earth. The named is the mother of creation. Freed from desire, you can see the hidden mystery. By having desire, you can only see what is visibly real. Yet mystery and reality emerge from the same source. This source is called darkness. Darkness born from darkness. The beginning of all understanding.

5. The Tao is like a well: used but never used up. It is like the eternal void: filled with infinite possibilities. It is hidden but always present. I don't know who gave birth to it. It is older than God.

6. The Tao is like a bellows: it is empty yet infinitely capable. The more you use it, the more it produces; the more you talk of it, the less you understand.

7. The Tao is called the Great Mother: empty yet inexhaustible, it gives birth to infinite worlds.

8. The universe is deathless; Is deathless because, having no finite self, it stays infinite. A sound man by not advancing himself stays the further ahead of himself, By not confining himself to himself sustains himself outside himself: By never being an end in himself he endlessly becomes himself.

9. A leader is best when people barely know that he exists, not so good when people obey and acclaim him, worst when they despise him. Fail to honor people, They fail to honor you. But of a good leader, who talks little, when his work is done, his aims fulfilled, they will all say, 'We did this ourselves.'

10. Since before time and space were, the Tao is. It is beyond is and is not. How do I know this is true? I look inside myself and see.

11. There is a thing inherent and natural, Which existed before heaven and earth. Motionless and fathomless, It stands alone and never changes; It pervades everywhere and never becomes exhausted. It may be regarded as the Mother of the Universe. I do not know its name. If I am forced to give it a name, I call it Tao, and I name it as supreme.

12. Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.

13. Scholars of the highest class, when they hear about the Tao, take it and practice it earnestly. Scholars of the middle class, when they hear of it, take it half earnestly. Scholars of the lowest class, when they hear of it, laugh at it. Without the laughter, there would be no Tao.

14. 'Block the passages, shut the doors, And till the end your strength shall not fail. Open up the passages, increase your doings, And till your last day no help shall come to you.'

15. He who knows does not speak; he who speaks does not know.

16. The more laws and order are made prominent, the more thieves and robbers there will be.

17. The mark of a moderate man is freedom from his own ideas. Tolerant like the sky, all-pervading like sunlight, firm like a mountain, supple like a tree in the wind, he has no destination in view and makes use of anything life happens to bring his way.

18. Governing a large country is like frying a small fish.

19. 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.

20. A true traveller has no fixed plan, and is not intent on arriving.

21. Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength; loving someone deeply gives you courage.

22. By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try, the world is beyond the winning.

23. Governing a large country is like frying a small fish. You spoil it with too much poking.

24. He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.

25. He who obtains has little; he who scatters has much.

26. I am not at all interested in immortality, only in the taste of tea.

27. The true free living human-being is the one that achieves his dream without depending on someone.

28. To lead people walk behind them.

29. To see things in the seed, that is genius.

30. When a nation is filled with strife, then do patriots flourish.

31. When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you.

32. When the center does not hold, the circle falls apart. [References 'The Second Coming' by William Butler Yeats]

33. The wise man looks into space and does not regard the small as too little, not the great as too big, for he knows that, there is no limit to dimensions.

34. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. - This is was commonly mistakely to be discribed as Laozi's, but this is a rumor.

35. A man with outward courage dares to die; a man with inner courage dares to live.

36. He who conquers others is strong; He who conquers himself is mighty.

37. To realize that you do not understand is a virtue; Not to realize that you do not understand is a defect.

38. Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment.

39. Those who have knowledge, don't predict. Those who predict, don't have knowledge.

40. Sincere words are not fine; fine words are not sincere.

41. If you would take, you must first give, this is the beginning of intelligence.

42. To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.

43. Man takes his law from the Earth; the Earth takes its law from Heaven; Heaven takes its law from the Tao. The law of the Tao is its being what it is.

44. He who talks more is sooner exhausted.

45. Heaven is long-enduring, and earth continues long. The reason why heaven and earth are able to endure and continue thus long is because they do not live of, or for, themselves.

46. When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everyone will respect you.

47. To know when you have enough is to be rich beyond measure.

48. There is a time for being ahead, a time for being behind; a time for being in motion, a time for being at rest; a time for being vigorous, a time for being exhausted; a time for being safe, a time for being in danger.

49. What the caterpillar calls the end the rest of the world calls a butterfly.

50. The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.

51. The journey of a thousand leagues begins with a single step.

52. Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend. Non-being is the greatest joy.

53. Those who know don't speak and those who speak don't know.

54. When the best leader's work is done the people say, 'We did it ourselves.'

55. Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. Do not overdo it.

56. Stop trying to leave, and you will arrive.

57. One can not reflect in streaming water. Only those who know internal peace can give it to others.

58. Respond intelligently even to unintelligent treatment.

59. Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.

60. I do not concern myself with gods and spirits either good or evil nor do I serve any.

61. Failure is the foundation of success, and the means by which it is achieved.