430+ EXCLUSIVE Lao Tzu Quotes That Will Make You Wiser

Laozi, also known as Lao Tzu or Lao Tze, was legendary Chinese philosopher and writer. He is believed the founder of Chinese Taoism, a philosophy that advocates living a simple life. Lao Tzu quotes are full of wisdom which is hard to be put into words.

The Teachings of Lao Tzu and his timeless philosophical sayings can teach us a lot about life, love and happiness. They are both practical and deep.

If you’re searching for positive life quotes to share with the people you love or just want to feel inspired yourself, browse through an amazing collection of best Confucius quotes, Alan Watts sayings and Dalai Lama quotes about love.

Top 10 Lao Tzu Quotes

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. – Lao Tzu

When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. – Lao Tzu

When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everyone will respect you. – Lao Tzu

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love. – Lao Tzu

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. – Lao Tzu

He who conquers others is strong; He who conquers himself is mighty. – Lao Tzu

A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves. – Lao Tzu

He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough. – Lao Tzu

The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness. – Lao Tzu

Truthful words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not truthful. Good words are not persuasive; persuasive words are not good. – Lao Tzu

Best Lao Tzu Quotes

Lao Tzu has traditionally been regarded as the author of the Tao Te Ching, an ancient Chinese text that describes the Tao (or Dao) as the source of all existence. Deep Lao Tzu quotes will give you inspiration for returning to nature, seeking calm, and living in the moment. Also, inspirational Sun Tzu quotes will make you fearless.

A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving. – Lao Tzu

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. – Lao Tzu

Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it. – Lao Tzu

Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power. – Lao Tzu

Act without striving. Work without interfering. Find the flavor in what is flavorless. – Lao Tzu

Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment. – Lao Tzu

To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders. – Lao Tzu

I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. – Lao Tzu

All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy, and great things in that which is small. – Lao Tzu

Silence is a source of great strength. – Lao Tzu

Ambition has one heel nailed in well, though she stretches her fingers to touch the heavens. – Lao Tzu

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. – Lao Tzu

An ant on the move does more than a dozing ox. – Lao Tzu

Anticipate the difficult by managing the easy. – Lao Tzu

If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading. – Lao Tzu

If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place. – Lao Tzu

The best fighter is never angry. – Lao Tzu

At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are, and you know what you want. – Lao Tzu

A scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar. – Lao Tzu

A man with outward courage dares to die: a man with inner courage dares to live. – Lao Tzu

Be Content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you. – Lao Tzu

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

Be the chief but never the lord. – Lao Tzu

If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. if you are at peace, you are living in the present. – Lao Tzu

Because of a great love, one is courageous. – Lao Tzu

Stop thinking and end your problems. – Lao Tzu

New beginnings are disguised as painful endings. – Lao Tzu

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. – Lao Tzu

Manifest plainness, embrace simplicity, reduce selfishness, have few desires. – Lao Tzu

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

Do not look only at yourself, and you will see much. Do not justify yourself, and you will be distinguished. Do not brag, and you will have merit. Do not be prideful, and your work will endure. – Lao Tzu

Great acts are made up of small deeds. – Lao Tzu

Few things under heaven bring more benefit than the lessons learned from silence and the actions taken without striving. – Lao Tzu

Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt. – Lao Tzu

He who is contented is rich. – Lao Tzu

For the wise man looks into space and he knows there is no limited dimensions. – Lao Tzu

From caring comes courage. – Lao Tzu

From wonder into wonder existence opens. – Lao Tzu

The heart that gives, gathers. – Lao Tzu

Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. Do not overdo it. – Lao Tzu

Confidence is the greatest friend. – Lao Tzu

Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish – too much handling will spoil it. – Lao Tzu

Great indeed is the sublimity of the Creative, to which all beings owe their beginning, and which permeates all heaven. – Lao Tzu

Wasting energy to obtain rare objects only impedes one’s growth. – Lao Tzu

Be still like a mountain, and flow like a great river. – Lao Tzu

Act without expectation. – Lao Tzu

He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still. – Lao Tzu

Use the light that is within you to revert to your natural clearness of sight. – Lao Tzu

He who does not trust enough, Will not be trusted. – Lao Tzu

Watch your thoughts, they become your words. Watch your words, they become your actions. Watch your actions, they become your habits. Watch your habits, they become your character. Watch your character, it becomes your destiny. – Lao Tzu

He who knows himself is enlightened. – Lao Tzu

To avoid disappointment, know what is sufficient. To avoid trouble, know when to stop. If you are able to do this, you will last a long time. – Lao Tzu

Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is the key to it. – Lao Tzu

He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know. – Lao Tzu

Empty yourself of everything – let the mind become still. – Lao Tzu

He who obtains has little. He who scatters has much. – Lao Tzu

He who talks more is sooner exhausted. – Lao Tzu

He, who rushes ahead, does not go far.
He, who tries to shine, dims his own light.
He, who defines himself, can’t know who he really is.
He, who knows, does not speak. He, who speaks, does not know. – Lao Tzu

Top Lao Tzu Quotes on Life, Love and Happiness

Greatest Lao Tzu quotes will give you insight and timeless wisdom about knowing yourself, so you can live a meaningful life with love and happiness.

• Life and death are one thread, the same line viewed from different sides. – Lao Tzu
• Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend. Non-being is the greatest joy. – Lao Tzu
• The truth is not always beautiful, nor beautiful words the truth. – Lao Tzu
• How could man rejoice in victory and delight in the slaughter of men? – Lao Tzu
• Who acts in stillness finds stillness in his life. – Lao Tzu
• I do not concern myself with gods and spirits either good or evil nor do I serve any. – Lao Tzu
• 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. – Lao Tzu
• If the Great Way perishes there will morality and duty. When cleverness and knowledge arise, great lies will flourish. When relatives fall out with one another there will be filial duty and love. When states are in confusion there will be faithful servants. – Lao Tzu
• If you would take, you must first give, this is the beginning of intelligence. – Lao Tzu
• In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don’t try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present. – Lao Tzu
• Time is a created thing. To say, “I don’t have time,” is like saying, “I don’t want to. – Lao Tzu
• Knowing others is to be clever. Knowing yourself is to be enlightened. Overcoming others requires force. Overcoming yourself requires strength. – Lao Tzu
• The tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal Name. – Lao Tzu
• Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart and the senses. – Lao Tzu
• Man’s enemies are not demons, but human beings like himself. – Lao Tzu
• Surrender your self-interest. Love others as much as you love yourself. Then you can be entrusted with all things under heaven. – Lao Tzu
• Music in the soul can be heard by the universe. – Lao Tzu
• Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know. – Lao Tzu
• Nature is not human hearted. – Lao Tzu
• The words of truth are always paradoxical. – Lao Tzu
• Of all that is good, sublimity is supreme. Succeeding is the coming together of all that is beautiful. Furtherance is the agreement of all that is just. Perseverance is the foundation of all actions. – Lao Tzu
• If you try to change it, you will ruin it. Try to hold it, and you will lose it. – Lao Tzu
• One cannot reflect in streaming water. Only those who know internal peace can give it to others. – Lao Tzu
• One who is too insistent on his own views, finds few to agree with him. – Lao Tzu
• If you want to know me look inside your heart. – Lao Tzu
• People in their handlings of affairs often fail when they are about to succeed. If one remains as careful at the end as he was at the beginning, there will be no failure. – Lao Tzu
• Simplicity has no name is free of desires. Being free of desires it is tranquil. And the world will be at peace of it’s own accord. – Lao Tzu
• Doing nothing is better than being busy doing nothing. – Lao Tzu
• Respond intelligently even to unintelligent treatment. – Lao Tzu
• When the student is ready the teacher will appear. When the student is truly ready… The teacher will Disappear. – Lao Tzu
• All streams flow to the sea because it is lower than they are. Humility gives it its power. – Lao Tzu
• Simulated disorder postulates perfect discipline; simulated fear postulates courage; simulated weakness postulates strength. – Lao Tzu
• It is better to do one’s own duty, however defective it may be, than to follow the duty of another, however well one may perform it. He who does his duty as his own nature reveals it, never sins. – Lao Tzu
• The career of a sage is of two kinds: He is either honored by all in the world, like a flower waving its head, or else he disappears into the silent forest. – Lao Tzu
• Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving till the right action arises by itself? – Lao Tzu
• The ruler attains wholeness in the correct governance of the people. – Lao Tzu
• The higher the sun ariseth, the less shadow doth he cast; even so the greater is the goodness, the less doth it covets praise; yet cannot avoid its rewards in honours. – Lao Tzu
• The more laws and order are made prominent, the more thieves and robbers there will be. – Lao Tzu
• There is no greater danger than underestimating your opponent. – Lao Tzu
• The people are hungry: It is because those in authority eat up too much in taxes. – Lao Tzu
• The power of intuitive understanding will protect you from harm until the end of your days. – Lao Tzu
• Success is as dangerous as failure. Hope is as hollow as fear. – Lao Tzu
• The sage does not hoard. The more he helps others, the more he benefits himself, the more he gives to others, the more he gets himself. The Way of Heaven does one good but never does one harm. The Way of the sage is to act but not to compete. – Lao Tzu
• The snow goose need not bathe to make itself white. Neither need you do anything but be yourself. – Lao Tzu
• The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world. – Lao Tzu
• The True Person governs by emptying the heart of desire and filling the belly with food, weakening ambitions and strengthening bones. – Lao Tzu
• The True Person avoids extremes, self-indulgence, and extravagance. – Lao Tzu
• The wicked leader is he who the people despise. The good leader is he who the people revere. The great leader is he who the people say, ‘We did it ourselves.’ – Lao Tzu
• The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own. – Lao Tzu
• The True Person benefits yet expects no reward, does the work and moves on. There is no desire to be considered better than others. – Lao Tzu
• There is no greater offence than harbouring desires. There is no greater disaster than discontent. There is no greater misfortune than wanting more. – Lao Tzu
• The ten thousand things flourish and then each return to the root from which it came. Returning to the root is stillness. Through stillness each fulfils its destiny. – Lao Tzu
• When there is silence one finds the anchor of the universe within oneself. – Lao Tzu
• To know yet to think that one does not know is best; Not to know yet to think that one knows will lead to difficulty. – Lao Tzu
• To lead people, walk behind them. – Lao Tzu
• To realize that you do not understand is a virtue; Not to realize that you do not understand is a defect. – Lao Tzu
• To see things in the seed, that is genius. – Lao Tzu
• Treat those who are good with goodness, and also treat those who are not good with goodness. Thus, goodness is attained. Be honest to those who are honest and be also honest to those who are not honest. Thus, honesty is attained. – Lao Tzu
• Violence, even well intentioned, always rebounds upon oneself. – Lao Tzu
• 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. – Lao Tzu
• What is well rooted cannot be pulled up. What is firmly grasped will not slip loose. It will be honoured from generation to generation. – Lao Tzu
• When a nation is filled with strife, then do patriots flourish. – Lao Tzu
• When virtue is lost, benevolence appears, when benevolence is lost right conduct appears, when right conduct is lost, expedience appears. Expediency is the mere shadow of right and truth; it is the beginning of disorder. – Lao Tzu
• Without stirring abroad, one can know the whole world; Without looking out of the window One can see the way of heaven. The further one goes the less one knows. – Lao Tzu
• The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. – Lao Tzu
• When the best leader’s work is done the people say, ‘We did it ourselves.’ – Lao Tzu
• In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don’t try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present. – Lao Tzu
• He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened. – Lao Tzu
• All things in the world come from being. And being comes from non-being. – Lao Tzu
• If you keep feeling a point that has been sharpened, the point cannot long preserve its sharpness. – Lao Tzu
• Sincere words are not fine; fine words are not sincere. – Lao Tzu
• Those who have knowledge, don’t predict. Those who predict, don’t have knowledge. – Lao Tzu
• Because of deep love, one is courageous. Because of frugality, one is generous. Because of not daring to be ahead of the world, one becomes the leader of the world. – Lao Tzu
• There is no calamity greater than lavish desires. There is no greater guilt than discontentment. And there is no greater disaster than greed. – Lao Tzu
• If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never be truly fulfilled. – Lao Tzu
• When you accept yourself, the whole world accepts you. – Lao Tzu
• Remind yourself daily, there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. – Lao Tzu
• Stop leaving and you will arrive. Stop searching and you will see. Stop running away and you will be found. – Lao Tzu
• A terrace nine stories high begins with a pile of earth. – Lao Tzu
• Whoever can see through all fear, will always be safe. – Lao Tzu
• Failure is an opportunity. – Lao Tzu
• 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. – Lao Tzu
• Always be on the lookout for ways to turn a problem into an opportunity for success. – Lao Tzu
• What the caterpillar calls the end, the rest of the world calls a butterfly. – Lao Tzu
• If you blame someone else, there is no end to the blame. – Lao Tzu
• If you realize that you have enough, you are truly rich. – Lao Tzu
• Only fools seek power, and the greatest fools seek it through force. – Lao Tzu
• Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. – Lao Tzu
• If your happiness depends on money, you will never be happy with yourself. – Lao Tzu
• Love is a decision, not an emotion. – Lao Tzu
• Before healing others, heal yourself. – Lao Tzu
• There is no disaster greater than not being content. – Lao Tzu
• To become learned, each day add something. – Lao Tzu
• Some lose yet gain, others gain and yet lose. – Lao Tzu

Inspiring Lao Tzu Quotes To Make You Think In New Ways

Uplifting Lao Tzu quotes will inspire you to pursue a life of greatness by developing the inner strength within yourself.

• Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power. – Lao Tzu
• To a mind that is still the whole universe surrenders. – Lao Tzu
• The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. – Lao Tzu
• Be like water. – Lao Tzu
• To understand the limitation of things, desire them. – Lao Tzu
• Be still. Stillness reveals the secrets of eternity. – Lao Tzu
• There is a time to live and a time to die but never to reject the moment. – Lao Tzu
• An over sharpened sword cannot last long. – Lao Tzu
• The way of heaven is to help and not harm. – Lao Tzu
• The way to do is to be. – Lao Tzu
• As soon as you have made a thought, laugh at it. – Lao Tzu
• The wise man is one who knows what he does not know. – Lao Tzu
• A bad man is a good man’s job. – Lao Tzu
• Take care with the end as you do with the beginning. – Lao Tzu
• The further one goes, the less one knows. – Lao Tzu
• When goodness is lost there is morality. – Lao Tzu
• To hold, you must first open your hand. Let go. – Lao Tzu
• When there is no desire, all things are at peace. – Lao Tzu
• If you want to lead them you must place yourself behind them. – Lao Tzu
• Give evil nothing to oppose and it will disappear by itself. – Lao Tzu
• Those who flow as life flows know they need no other force. – Lao Tzu
• Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong. – Lao Tzu
• He who acts, spoils; he who grasps, lets slip. – Lao Tzu
• If you wish to be out front, then act as if you were behind. – Lao Tzu
• To attain knowledge, add things everyday. To attain wisdom, remove things every day. – Lao Tzu
• Loss is not as bad as wanting more. – Lao Tzu
• The world belongs to those who let go. – Lao Tzu
• Everything under heaven is a sacred vessel and cannot be controlled. Trying to control leads to ruin. Trying to grasp, we lose. Allow your life to unfold naturally. Know that it too is a vessel of perfection. Just as you breathe in and breathe out, there is a time for being ahead and a time for being behind; a time for being in motion and a time for being at rest; a time for being vigorous and a time for being exhausted; a time for being safe and a time for being in danger. – Lao Tzu
• The Tao is nowhere to be found. Yet it nourishes and completes all things. – Lao Tzu
• When men lost their understanding of the Tao, intelligence came along, bringing hypocrisy with it. – Lao Tzu
• Every step is on the path. – Lao Tzu
• Because one believes in oneself, one doesn’t try to convince others. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn’t need others’ approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her. – Lao Tzu
• I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men. – Lao Tzu
• The road you can talk about is not the road you can walk on. – Lao Tzu
• Respond to anger with virtue. Deal with difficulties while they are still easy. Handle the great while it is still small. – Lao Tzu
• Trying to control the future is like trying to take the master carpenter’s place. When you handle the master carpenter’s tools, chances are that you’ll cut your hand. – Lao Tzu
• 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. – Lao Tzu
• The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long. – Lao Tzu
• Accomplish but do not boast, accomplish without show, accomplish without arrogance, accomplish without grabbing, accomplish without forcing. – Lao Tzu
• Go to the people. Live with them, learn from them, love them. – Lao Tzu
• Your own positive future begins in this moment. All you have is right now. Every goal is possible from here. – Lao Tzu
• If lightning is the anger of the gods, then the gods are concerned mostly about trees. – Lao Tzu
• Men are born soft and supple; dead they are stiff and hard. Plants are born tender and pliant; dead, they are brittle and dry. Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death. Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life. The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail. – Lao Tzu
• If you do not value rare treasures, you will stop others from stealing. – Lao Tzu
• A violent wind does not last for a whole morning; a sudden rain does not last for the whole day. – Lao Tzu
• To be worn out is to be renewed. – Lao Tzu
• There is no disaster greater than not being content; there is no misfortune greater than being covetous. – Lao Tzu
• Become totally empty. Quiet the restlessness of the mind. Only then will you witness everything unfolding from emptiness. – Lao Tzu
• If one doesn’t trust himself how can he trust anyone else? – Lao Tzu
• The Sage embraces the One and becomes a model for the world. Without showing himself, he shines forth. Without promoting himself, he is distinguished. Without claiming reward, he gains endless merit. Without seeking glory, his glory endures. – Lao Tzu
• The Sage travels all day yet never leaves his inner treasure. Though the views are captivating and beg attention, he remains calm and uninvolved. – Lao Tzu
• The essence of my teachings is this: See with original purity, embrace with original simplicity, reduce what you have, decrease what you want. – Lao Tzu
• One who seeks his treasure in the outer world is cut off from his own roots. Without roots, he becomes restless. Being restless, his mind is weak. And with a mind such as this he loses all command below Heaven. – Lao Tzu
• The Sage is always on the side of virtue so everyone around him prospers. He is always on the side of truth so everything around him is fulfilled. – Lao Tzu
• On leadership: Those who rule in accordance with Tao do not use force against the world. For that which is forced is likely to return. – Lao Tzu
• A knower of the Truth does what is called for then stops. He uses his strength but does not force things. In the same way, complete your task, seek no reward, make no claims. Without faltering, fully choose to do what you must do. This is to live without forcing, to overcome without conquering. – Lao Tzu
• To give without seeking reward, to help without thinking it is virtuous – therein lies great virtue. – Lao Tzu
• To keep account of your actions, to help with the hope of gaining merit – there in lies no virtue. – Lao Tzu
• Who knows what fate may bring – one day your loss may be your fortune, one day your fortune may be your loss. – Lao Tzu
• Rare indeed are those who are still. Rare indeed are those who are silent. And so I say, rare indeed are those who obtain the bounty of this world. – Lao Tzu
• One who knows others is intelligent. One who knows himself is enlightened. – Lao Tzu
• One who speaks does not know. One who knows does not speak. – Lao Tzu
• Govern a nation as you would fry a small fish. – Lao Tzu
• Even the finest warrior is defeated when he goes against natural law. By his own hand he is doomed and all creatures are likely to despise him. – Lao Tzu
• Do not flaunt your excellence. Do not rejoice over victory. With the loss of others, weep with sorrow and grief. After winning a battle, do not celebrate, observe the rites of a funeral. – Lao Tzu
• When there is silence, one finds peace. When there is silence, one finds the anchor of the universe within himself. – Lao Tzu
• Tao is the home to which all things return yet it wants nothing in return. So we call it “The Greatest”. The Sage is the same way – He does not claim greatness over anything, he’s not even aware of his own greatness. Tell me, what could be greater than this? – Lao Tzu
• When a person embodies Tao his heart becomes true. When a family embodies Tao it thrives. When a village embodies Tao it is protected. When a country embodies Tao it prospers. When the world embodies Tao it reveals its perfection. – Lao Tzu
• When the emperor is crowded or the three ministers installed, they receive a gift of jade and horses. But how can this compare to sitting still and gaining the treasure of Tao. – Lao Tzu
• Though the Tao of Heaven has no favorites, it always sides with one who has a pure heart. – Lao Tzu
• One who gives himself to his position surely lives long. One who gives himself to Tao surely lives forever. – Lao Tzu
• The Sage has no fixed heart of his own. Those who look at him see their own hearts. – Lao Tzu
• Those who are good he treats with goodness. Those who are bad he also treats with goodness because the nature of his being is good. – Lao Tzu

Famous Quotes by Lao-Tzu To Feed Your Mind

Beautiful Lao-Tzu quotes will give you great clarity about your journey. Also, best Marcus Aurelius quotes will enrich the mind and famous Socrates quotes offer a more peaceful way of life.

• Water is the softest thing, yet it can penetrate mountains and earth. This shows clearly the principle of softness overcoming hardness. – Lao Tzu
• The reason why the universe is eternal is that it does not live for itself; it gives life to others as it transforms. – Lao Tzu
• Ordinary men hate solitude. But the Master makes use of it, embracing his aloneness, realizing he is one with the whole universe. – Lao Tzu
• Muddy water, let stand, becomes clear. – Lao Tzu
• Do you imagine the universe is agitated? Go into the desert at night and look at the stars. This practice should answer the question. – Lao Tzu
• The flexible are preserved unbroken. The bent become straight. The empty are filled. The exhausted become renewed. The poor are enriched. The rich are confounded. Therefore the sage embraces the one. Because he doesn’t display himself, people can see his light. Because he has nothing to prove, people can trust his words. Because he doesn’t know who he is, people recognize themselves in him. Because he has no goal in mind, everything he does succeeds. The old saying that the flexible are preserved unbroken is surely right! If you have truly attained wholeness, everything will flock to you. – Lao Tzu
• When wealth and honors lead to arrogancy, this brings its evil on itself. – Lao Tzu
• Hope and fear are both phantoms that arise from thinking of the self. When we don’t see the self as self, what do we have to fear? – Lao Tzu
• He who defends with love will be secure; Heaven will save him, and protect him with love. – Lao Tzu
• Just remain in the center; watching. And then forget that you are there. – Lao Tzu
• The Wise Man is square but not sharp, honest but not not malign, straight but not severe, bright but not dazzling. – Lao Tzu
• The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world. Through this I know the advantage of taking no action. – Lao Tzu
• A good traveller leaves no tracks. – Lao Tzu
• Spring comes, and the grass grows by itself. – Lao Tzu
• Do not conquer the world with force, for force only causes resistance. Thorns spring up when an army passes. Years of misery follow a great victory. Do only what needs to be done without using violence. – Lao Tzu
• The master observes the world but trusts his inner vision. He allows things to come and go. He prefers what is within to what is without. – Lao Tzu
• It is better to leave a vessel unfilled, than to attempt to carry it when it is full. – Lao Tzu
• If the people must be ever fearful of death, then there will always be an executioner. – Lao Tzu
• Our enemies are not demons, but human beings like ourselves. – Lao Tzu
• When you are at one with loss, the loss is experienced willingly. – Lao Tzu
• Is it not through her selflessness that she is able to perfect herself? – Lao Tzu
• He who knows he has enough is rich. Perseverance is a sign of will power. He who stays where he is endures. To die but not to perish is to be eternally present. – Lao Tzu
• There is no illusion greater than fear. – Lao Tzu
• If I had just a little bit of wisdom I should walk the great path and fear only straying from it. – Lao Tzu
• Composure is the ruler of instability. – Lao Tzu
• With few there is attainment. With much there is confusion. – Lao Tzu
• Would you like to save the world from the degradation and destruction it seems destined for? Then step away from shallow mass movements and quietly go to work on your own self-awareness. 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 dark and negative in yourself. Truly, the greatest gift you have to give is that of your own self-transformation. – Lao Tzu
• To bear and not to own; to act and not lay claim; to do the work and let it go: for just letting it go is what makes it stay. – Lao Tzu
• Do your work, then step back. The only path to serenity. – Lao Tzu
• Knowing how to yield is strength. – Lao Tzu
• Not seeking, not expecting, she is present, and can welcome all things. – Lao Tzu
• Chanting is no more holy than listening to the murmur of a stream, counting prayer beads no more scared than simply breathing, religious robes no more spiritual than work clothes. – Lao Tzu
• Fame or integrity: which is more important? Money or happiness: which is more valuable? Success or failure: which is more destructive? If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never truly be fulfilled. If your happiness depends on money, you will never be happy with yourself. Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you. – Lao Tzu
• The most yielding thing in the world will overcome the most rigid. The most empty thing in the world will overcome the most full. From this comes a lesson – Stillness benefits more than action. Silence benefits more than words. – Lao Tzu
• No greater curse than desire. No greater tragedy than discontentment. No greater fault than selfishness. – Lao Tzu
• Contentment alone is enough. Indeed, the bliss of eternity can be found in your contentment. – Lao Tzu
• One who gives freely and without attachment gets a full life in return. One who gives with the secret hope of getting is merely engaged in business. Truly, they neither give nor receive any of the treasure from this world below Heaven. – Lao Tzu
• Act without acting. Give without giving. Taste without tasting. – Lao Tzu
• Take on difficulties while they are still easy. Do great things while they are still small. Step by step the world’s burden is lifted. Piece by piece the world’s treasure is amassed. – Lao Tzu
• The feeble are easily broken. The small are easily scattered. – Lao Tzu
• Begin your task before it becomes a burden. Put things in order before they get out of hand. – Lao Tzu
• A tree that fills a man’s embrace grows from a seedling. A tower nine stories high starts with one brick. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. – Lao Tzu
• The best warrior leads without haste, fights without anger, overcomes without confrontation. He puts himself below and brings out the highest in his men. – Lao Tzu
• The Great Vessel is never filled. – Lao Tzu
• Be wary of both honor and disgrace. – Lao Tzu
• Keep silent and you’ll beat the heat. – Lao Tzu
• A sacrifice to a higher cause is never lost. – Lao Tzu
• Grabbing and stuffing – there is not end to it. – Lao Tzu
• Truth, once established, can never be uprooted. – Lao Tzu
• He walks without making footprints in this world. – Lao Tzu
• Give without conditions and the people will prosper. – Lao Tzu
• Within, within. This is where the world’s treasure has always been. – Lao Tzu
• The great master follows his own nature and not the trappings of life. – Lao Tzu
• The low is greater than the high. The still is greater than the restless. – Lao Tzu
• There will be no obstacles you cannot overcome, no limit you cannot surpass, no empire you cannot rule. – Lao Tzu
• Heaven and Earth have no preference. A man may choose one over another but to Heaven and Earth all are the same. The high, the low, the great, the small – all are given light, all get a place to rest. – Lao Tz
• Those who are truthful he treats with truth. Those who are not truthful he also treats with truth because the nature of his being is truthful. – Lao Tzu
• The Sage lives in harmony with all below Heaven. He sees everything as his own self. He loves everyone as his own child. All people are drawn to him. Every eye and ear is turned toward him. – Lao Tzu
• Going about, he does not fear the rhinoceros or tiger. Entering the battlefield, he does not fear sharp weapons for in him the rhino can find no place to pitch its horn. The tiger no place to thrust his blade. Why is this so? Because he dwells in that place where death cannot enter. – Lao Tzu
• One who knows this secret is not moved by attachment or aversion, swayed by profit or loss, nor touched by honor or disgrace. He is far beyond the cares of men yet comes to hold the dearest place in their hearts. – Lao Tzu
• The Sage is here upon the Earth to gently guide us back. He cuts but does not harm. He straightens but does not disrupt. He illuminates but does not dazzle. – Lao Tzu
• The Sage wants to uplift the people. The people want to follow the Sage. Only by being low does this come to be. – Lao Tzu

Wise Lao Tzu Quotes for a Better Life

Positive Lao Tzu quotes to give you the courage you need to live better. Also, powerful Rumi quotes help you live an enlightened life.

• When pure sincerity forms within, it is outwardly realized in other people’s hearts. – Lao Tzu
• When the people of the world all know beauty as beauty, there arises the recognition of ugliness. When they all know the good as good, there arises the recognition of evil. – Lao Tzu
• The difficult problems in life always start off being simple. Great affairs always start off being small. – Lao Tzu
• What is firmly rooted cannot be pulled out. – Lao Tzu
• If you are untrustworthy, people will not trust you. – Lao Tzu
• What is a good man but a bad man’s teacher. What is a bad man but a good man’s job. – Lao Tzu
• The master dwells in the substantial and not in the superficial. Rests in the fruit and not in the flower. – Lao Tzu
• The best of all leaders is the one who helps people so that eventually they don’t need him. – Lao Tzu
• If we could renounce our sageness and discard our wisdom, it would be better for the people a hundredfold. – Lao Tzu
• The soft overcomes the hard; and the weak the strong. – Lao Tzu
• Every journey begins with a single step. – Lao Tzu
• In the end, the treasure of life is missed by those who hold on and gained by those who let go. – Lao Tzu
• A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. – Lao Tzu
• One who conquers others is strong. One who conquers himself is all-powerful. – Lao Tzu
• One who approaches life with force surely gets something. One who remains content where he is surely gets everything. – Lao Tzu
• The Sage puts his own views behind so ends up ahead. He stays a witness to life so he endures. – Lao Tzu
• He gives but not to receive. He works but not for reward. He completes but not for results. – Lao Tzu
• One who lives in accordance with nature does not go against the way of things. He moves in harmony with the present moment always knowing the truth of just what to do. – Lao Tzu
• Sharpen a blade too much and its edge will soon be lost. Fill a house with gold and jade and no one can protect it. Puff yourself with honor and pride and no one can save you from a fall. – Lao Tzu
• Complete the task at hand. Be selfless in your actions. This is the way of Heaven. This is the way to Heaven. – Lao Tzu
• Have little and gain much. Have much and be confused. – Lao Tzu
• The inner is foundation of the outer. The still is master of the restless. – Lao Tzu
• Things that gain a place by force will flourish for a time, but then fade away. They are not in keeping with Tao. Whatever is not in keeping with Tao will come to an early end. – Lao Tzu
• One who knows Tao never turns from life’s calling. When at home he honors the side of rest. When at war he honors the side of action. – Lao Tzu
• The highest virtue is to act without a sense of self. The highest kindness is to give without condition. The highest justice is to see without preference. – Lao Tzu
• The pieces of a chariot are useless unless they work in accordance with the whole. A man’s life brings nothing unless he lives in accordance with the whole universe. Playing one’s part is accordance with the universe is true humility. – Lao Tzu
• Love is the fruit of sacrifice. Wealth is the fruit of generosity. – Lao Tzu
• Whether you’re a gem in the royal court or a stone on the common path, if you accept your part with humility the glory of the universe will be yours. – Lao Tzu
• One who sees himself as everything is fit to be guardian of the world. One who loves himself as everyone is fit to be teacher of the world. – Lao Tzu
• The best way to live is to be like water. For water benefits all things and goes against none of them. It provides for all people and even cleanses those places. – Lao Tzu
• Live in accordance with the nature of things: Build your house on solid ground. Keep your mind still. When giving, be kind. When speaking, be truthful. When ruling, be just. When working, be one-pointed. When acting, remember – timing is everything. – Lao Tzu
• A way that can be walked is not The Way. A name that can be named is not The Name. – Lao Tzu
• He does nothing for himself in this passing world so nothing he does ever passes. – Lao Tzu
• The Sage acts without action and teaches without talking. All things flourish around him and he does not refuse any one of them. – Lao Tzu
• What could he grab for that he does not already have? What could he do for himself that the universe itself has not already done? – Lao Tzu
• Hold fast to the Power of the One. It will unify the body and merge it with the spirit. It will cleanse the vision and reveal the world as flawless. It will focus the life-force and make one supple as a newborn. – Lao Tzu
• Man’s true self is eternal, yet he thinks, “I am this body, I will soon die”. This false sense of self is the cause of all his sorrow. When a person does not identify himself with the body, what troubles could touch him? – Lao Tzu
• Through the course of Nature, muddy water becomes clear. Through the unfolding of life, man reaches perfection. Through sustained activity, that supreme rest is naturally found. – Lao Tzu
• “Surrender brings perfection”. The crooked become straight. The empty become full. The worn become new. – Lao Tzu
• The ancient saying, “Surrender brings perfection,”, is not just empty words. Truly, surrender brings perfection and perfection brings the whole universe. – Lao Tzu
• Speak little. Hold to your own nature. A strong wind does not blow all morning. A cloudburst does not last all day. The wind and rain are from Heaven and Earth and even there do not last long. How much less so the efforts of man? – Lao Tzu
• The path of the Sage is called “The Path of Illumination”. He who gives himself to this path is like a block of wood that gives itself to the chisel – Cut by cut it is honed to perfection. – Lao Tzu
• Only a student who gives himself can receive the master’s gift. If you think otherwise, despite your knowledge, you have blundered. – Lao Tzu
• Giving and receiving are one. This is called “The great wonder”, “The essential mystery”, “The very heart of all that is true”. – Lao Tzu
• Rivers and streams are born of the ocean. All creation is born of Tao. Just as all water flows back to become the ocean. All creation flows back to become Tao. – Lao Tzu
• Be tranquil like the rain of spring. Be pure like the sheen of silk. Then the Great Perfection will be perfect and the Great Fullness will be full. – Lao Tzu
• The sun in all its glory reveals but a passing world. Only the inner light illumines eternity. Only that light can guide us back home. – Lao Tzu
• Have faith. Follow your own shining. Be aware of your own awareness. On the darkest nights you will not stumble. On the brightest days you will not blink. This is called “The Practice of Eternal Light”. – Lao Tzu
• Shut the mouth. Close the gates. Blunt the sharpness. Loosen the knots. Temper the glare. Become one with the dust of the world. This is called “The Secret Embrace”. – Lao Tzu
• Seeing your own smallness is called insight. Honoring your own tenderness is called strength. – Lao Tzu
• A mind free of thought, merged within itself, beholds the essence of Tao. A mind filled with thought, identified with its own perceptions, beholds the mere forms of this world. – Lao Tzu
• The Sage bows to the people. The people bow to the Sage. And when they lift up their heads, only greatness remains. – Lao Tzu
• The Sage guides men back to their own treasure and helps all things come to know the truth they have forgotten. All this he does without a stir. – Lao Tzu
• The Sage sees the world as an expansion of his own self. So what need has he to accumulate things? By giving to others he gains more and more. By serving others he receives everything. – Lao Tzu
• The Sage knows himself, but not as himself, he loves himself, but not as himself, he honor himself, but not as himself. Thus, he discards the view of his own self and chooses the view of the universe. – Lao Tzu
• What honor can there be without humility? What heights can be reached without being low? – Lao Tzu
• When the best seeker hears of Tao he strives with great effort to know it. When an average seeker hears of Tao he thinks of it now and again. When the poorest seeker hears of Tao he laughs out loud. – Lao Tzu
• There is an old saying. The clear way seems clouded. The straight way seems crooked. The sure way seems unsteady. – Lao Tzu
• If I had the least bit of wisdom I could follow the path of Tao quite well. My only fear would be trying to go my own way. The Great Path is simple and direct yet people love to take the side-routes. – Lao Tzu
• To rule the state, have a knows plan. To win a battle, have an unknown plan. To gain the universe, have no plan at all. – Lao Tzu

Powerful Quotes From Lao Tzu

• Everyone recognizes beauty only because of ugliness. Everyone recognize virtue only because of sin. – Lao Tzu
• The Sage rules by stilling minds and opening hearts, by filling bellies and strengthening bones. He shows people how to be simple and live without desires. To be content and not look for other ways. With the people so pure, who could trick them? What clever ideas could lead them astray? – Lao Tzu
• When action is pure and selfless everything settles into its own perfect place. – Lao Tzu
• The difference between a formal “yes” and a casual “yeah” – how slight! The difference between knowing the Truth and not knowing it – how great! – Lao Tzu
• On his tiptoes a man is not steady. Taking long strides he cannot keep pace. – Lao Tzu
• To the self-serving, nothing shines forth. To the self-promoting, nothing is distinguished. To the self-appointing, nothing bears fruit. To the self-righteous, nothing endures. – Lao Tzu
• Hold your male side with your female side. Hold your bright side with your dull side. Hold your high side with your low side. Then you will be able to hold the whole world. – Lao Tzu
• When Tao is lost one must learn the rules of virtue. When virtue is lost, the rules of kindness. When kindness is lost, the rules of justice. When justice is lost, the rules of conduct. – Lao Tzu
• One’s own reputation – why the fuss? One’s own wealth – why the concern? I say, what you gain is more trouble than what you lose. – Lao Tzu
• To become learned, gain daily. To obtain Tao, reduce daily. Reduce and reduce again until all action is reduced to non-action. Then no one is left. Nothing is done yet nothing is left undone. – Lao Tzu
• In all your glory, never lose sight of the Mother. Without her, your empire will crumble, your power will waste away. – Lao Tzu
• Allow your life to unfold naturally. Know that it too is a vessel of perfection. Just as you breathe in and breathe out. Sometimes you’re ahead and other times behind. Sometimes you’re strong and other times weak. Sometimes you’re with people and other times alone. – Lao Tzu
• Putting a value on status will cause people to compete. Hoarding treasure will turn them into thieves. Showing off possessions will disturb their daily lives. – Lao Tzu
• The universe is like a bellows. It stays empty yet is never exhausted. It gives out yet always brings forth more. Man is not like this. When he blows out air like a bellows he becomes exhausted. Man was not made to blow out air. He was made to sit quietly and find the truth within. – Lao Tzu
• Endlessly creating, endlessly pulsating, the Spirit of the Valley never dies. She is called the Hidden Creator. – Lao Tzu
• Heaven is ancient. Earth is long-lasting. Why is this so? Because they have no claims to life. By having no claims to life they cannot be claimed by death. – Lao Tzu
• Endless affliction is bound to the body. – Lao Tzu
• Honor is founded on disgrace and disgrace is rooted in honor. Both should be avoided. Both bind a man to this world. – Lao Tzu
• Eyes look but cannot see it. Ears listen but cannot hear it. Hands grasp but cannot touch it. Beyond the senses lies the great Unity – invisible, inaudible, intangible. – Lao Tzu
• Only when the family loses its harmony do we hear of “dutiful sons”. Only when the state is in chaos do we hear of “loyal ministers”. – Lao Tzu
• Must I fear what others fear? Should I fear desolation when there is abundance? Should I fear darkness when that light is shining everywhere? Nonsense! – Lao Tzu
• lao tzu quotes life death born together difficult easy long short hight love all these exist together wisdom nature rocks mountains– Lao Tzu
• Life and death are born together. Difficult and easy. Long and short. High and low – all these exist together. Sound and silence blend as one. Before and after arrive as one. – Lao Tzu
• Peace and tranquillity are what he holds most dear so he does not obtain weapons. But when their use is unavoidable he employs them with fortitude and zeal. – Lao Tzu
• One who is bound to action, proud of victory, and delights in the misfortune of others will never gain a thing from this world below Heaven. – Lao Tzu
• One may look for fulfillment in this world but his longings will never be exhausted. The only thing he ever finds is that he himself is exhausted. – Lao Tzu
• Be content, rest in your own fullness – You will not suffer from loss, you’ll avoid the snare of this world, you’ll have long life and endless blessings. – Lao Tzu
• Stay with the Mother, shut the mouth, close the gates and you are never in trouble. Abandon the Mother, open the mouth, be busy with others and you are beyond all hope of rescue. – Lao Tzu
• The Sage stays with his daily task and accomplishes the greatest thing. Beware of those who promise a quick and easy way for much ease brings many difficulties. – Lao Tzu

• On leadership: When the ruler knows his own heart, the people are simple and pure. When he meddles with their lives, they become restless and disturbed. – Lao Tzu
• Today the righteous turn to trickery. Tomorrow the good turn to darkness. Oh what delusion abounds and every day it grows worst! – Lao Tzu
• A still mind can easily hold the truth. The difficulties yet to come can easily be avoided. – Lao Tzu
• A tree that cannot bend will crack in the wind. Thus by Nature’s own decree, the hard and strong are defeated while the soft and gentle are triumphant. – Lao Tzu
• Words born in the mind are not true. True words are not born of the mind. – Lao Tzu
• Those who have virtue do not look for fault. Those who look for faults have no virtue. – Lao Tzu
• Knowing what cannot be known – what a lofty aim! Not knowing what needs to be known – what a terrible result! – Lao Tzu
• Follow your path to the end. Accept difficulty as an opportunity. This is the sure way to end up with no difficulties at all. – Lao Tzu
• Don’t limit the view of yourself. Don’t despise the conditions of your birth. Don’t resist the natural course of your life. In this way you will never weary of this world. – Lao Tzu

Insightful Quotes By Lao Tzu

• When life begins we are tender and weak. When life ends we are stiff and rigid. All things, including the grass and trees, are soft and pliable in life, dry and brittle in death. – Lao Tzu
• The soft and supple are the companions of life. While the stiff and unyielding are the companions of death. – Lao Tzu
• The people must take death seriously and not waste their lives in distant lands. Let them return to the knotting of cord. Let them enjoy their food and care for their clothing. Let them be content in their homes and joyful in the way they live. – Lao Tzu
• Love your own life and the people will be uplifted. – Lao Tzu
• One with true virtue always seeks a way to give. One who lacks true virtue always seeks a way to get. – Lao Tzu
• To the giver comes the fullness of life. To the taker just an empty hand. – Lao Tzu
• Love vanquishes all attackers. It is impregnable in defense. When Heaven wants to protect someone does it send an army? No, it protects him with love. – Lao Tzu
• The Sage is like Heaven and Earth. To him none are especially dear nor is there anyone he disfavors. He gives and gives without condition offering his treasure to everyone. – Lao Tzu
• As you love the people and rule the state, can you be free of self-interest? As the gates of Heaven open and close, can you remain steadfast as a mother bird who sits with her nest? As your wisdom reaches the four corners of the world, can you keep the innocence of a beginner? – Lao Tzu
• Tao is empty yet it fills every vessel with endless supply. Tao is hidden yet it shines in every corner of the universe. – Lao Tzu
• Those who have Tao want nothing else. Though seemingly empty, they are ever full. Though seemingly old, they are beyond the reach of birth and death. – Lao Tzu
• Tao is both Named and Nameless. As Nameless, it is the origin of all things. As Named, it is the mother of all things. – Lao Tzu
• Tao and this world seem different but in truth they are one and the same. The only difference is in what we call them. How deep and mysterious is this unity. How profound, how great! It is the truth beyond the truth, the hidden within the hidden. It is the path to all wonder, the gate to the essence of everything. – Lao Tzu
• With it, the sharp edges become smooth, the twisted knots loosen, the sun is softened by a cloud, the dust settles into place. – Lao Tzu
• So deep, so pure, so still. It has been this way forever. You may ask, “Whose child is it?”, but I cannot say. This child was here before the Great Ancestor. – Lao Tzu
• Tao is limitless, unborn, eternal. It can only be reached through the Hidden Creator. She is the very face of the Absolute. The gate to the source of all things eternal. – Lao Tzu
• Listen to Her voice. Hear it echo through creation. Without fail, She reveals her presence. Without fail, She brings us to our own perfection. – Lao Tzu
• Know this Primal Power that guides without forcing, that serves without seeking, that brings forth and sustains life yet does not own or possess it. – Lao Tzu
• One who holds this Power brings Tao to this very Earth. He can triumph over a raging fire or the freeze of winter weather. Yet when he comes to rule the world it’s with the gentleness of a feather. – Lao Tzu
• Know That which is beyond all beginnings and you will know everything here and now. Know everything in this moment and you will know the Eternal Tao. – Lao Tzu
• Be still. Stillness reveals the secrets of eternity. Eternity embraces the all-possible. The all-possible leads to a vision of oneness. A vision of oneness brings about universal love. Universal love supports the great truth of Nature. The great truth of Nature is Tao. – Lao Tzu
• The body may perish, deeds may be forgotten, but he who has Tao has all eternity. – Lao Tzu
• To know Tao alone, without trace of your own existence, is the highest. Next comes loving and praising it. Then fearing it. Then despising it. – Lao Tzu
• When the greatness of Tao is present action arises from one’s own heart. When the greatness of Tao is absent action comes from the rules of “kindness” and “justice”. If you need rules to be kind and just, if you act virtuous, this is a sure sign that virtue is absent. Thus we see the great hypocrisy. – Lao Tzu
• Perfect action, true virtue, supreme power, this is how Tao is revealed, through those who follow it completely. – Lao Tzu
• Though formless and intangible, it gives rise to form. Though vague and elusive, it gives rise to shapes. Though dark and obscure, it is the spirit, the essence, the life-breath of all things. “But is it real?” you ask – I say its evidence is all of creation! – Lao Tzu
• One who lives in accordance with the Truth becomes the embodiment of Tao. His actions become those of Heaven. It is through such a one that Heaven rejoices, that Earth rejoices, that all of life rejoices. – Lao Tzu
• From the viewpoint of Tao, this self-indulgence is like rotting food and painful growths on the body – things that all creatures despise. So why hold onto them? When walking the path of Tao, this is the very stuff that must be uprooted, thrown out, and left behind. – Lao Tzu
• Something formless, complete in itself, there before Heaven and Earth. Tranquil, vast, standing alone, unchanging. It provides for all things yet cannot be exhausted. It is the mother of the universe. I do not know its name so call it “Tao”. Forced to name it further, I call it “The greatness of all things”, “The end of all endings”. I call it “That which is beyond the beyond”, “That to which all things return”. – Lao Tzu
• To create without owning. To give without expecting. To fill without claiming. This is the profound action of Tao. – Lao Tzu
• From Tao comes all greatness – It makes Heaven great. It makes Earth great. It makes man great. – Lao Tzu
• Man depends on the laws of Earth. Earth depends on the laws of Heaven. Heaven depends on the laws of Tao. But Tao depends on itself alone. Supremely free, self-so, it rests in its own nature. – Lao Tzu

Some Facts About Lao Tzu