Tao Te Ching: Necessary Reminders
A collection of some of my favorite quotes from the Tao Te Ching:
“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.
When you are content to be simply yourself
and don’t compare or compete,
everybody will respect you.”
“Care about people’s approval
and you will be their prisoner.”
“See the world as your self.
Have faith in the way things are.
Love the world as your self;
then you can care for all things.”
“If you don’t trust the people,
you make them untrustworthy.”
“Throw away morality and justice,
and people will do the right thing.
Throw away industry and profit,
and there won’t be any thieves.”
“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.
He who defines himself
can’t know who he really is.”
“Let your workings remain a mystery.
Just show people results.”
“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.”
“There is no greater illusion than fear,
no greater wrong than preparing to defend yourself,
no greater misfortune than having an enemy.
Whoever can see through all fear
will always be safe.”
“She [the Master] trusts people who are trustworthy.
She also trusts people who aren’t trustworthy.
This is true trust.”
“He holds nothing back from life;
therefore he is ready for death,
as a man is ready for sleep
after a good day’s work.”
“Try to make people happy,
you lay the groundwork for misery.
Try to make people moral,
and you lay the groundwork for vice.
Thus the Master is content
to serve as an example
and not to impose her will.”
“Governing a large country
is like frying a small fish.
You spoil it with too much poking.”
“Give evil nothing to oppose
and it will disappear by itself.”
“A great nation is life a great man:
When he makes a mistake, he realizes it.
Having realized it, he admits it.
Having admitted it, he corrects it.
He considers those who point out his faults
as his most benevolent teachers.
He thinks of his enemy
as the shadow that he himself casts.”
“The Master never reaches for the great;
thus she achieves greatness.
When she runs into a difficulty,
she stops and gives herself to it.
She doesn’t cling to her own comfort;
thus problems are no problem for her.”
“If you want to govern the people,
you must place yourself below them.
If you wan to lead the people,
you must learn how to follow them.”
“The best athlete
wants his opponent at his best.
The best general
enters the mind of his enemy.
The best businessman
serves the communal good.
The best leader
follows the will of the people.
All of them embody the virtue of non-competition.
Not that they don’t love to compete,
but they do it in the spirit of play.”
“Act for people’s benefit.
Trust them; leave them alone.”
“Failure is an opportunity.
If you blame someone else,
there is no end to the blame”
