In This Article
About Lao Tzu
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was an American novelist, essayist, and short story writer. He is best known for his novels depicting the flamboyance and excess of the Jazz Age—a term he popularized in his short story collection Tales of the Jazz Age.
Born: 24 September 1896, Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States
Died: 21 December 1940, Los Angeles, California, United States
100 Top Quotes by Lao Tzu in English
- “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
- “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
- “Silence is a source of great strength.”
- “He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know.”
- “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”
- “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.”
- “The best fighter is never angry.”
- “The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.”
- “If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.”
- “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”
- “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
- “Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.”
- “The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world.”
- “To lead people, walk behind them.”
- “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.”
- “A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.”
- “The more that laws and regulations are given prominence, the more thieves and robbers there will be.”
- “Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.”
- “Act without expectation.”
- “Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know.”
- “He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.”
- “To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day.”
- “To love someone deeply gives you strength. Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage.”
- “Simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the source of being. Patient with both friends and enemies, you accord with the way things are. Compassionate toward yourself, you reconcile all beings in the world.”
- “The power of intuitive understanding will protect you from harm until the end of your days.”
- “The wise find pleasure in water; the virtuous find pleasure in hills. The wise are active; the virtuous are tranquil. The wise are joyful; the virtuous are long-lived.”
- “When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everyone will respect you.”
- “To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.”
- “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.”
- “The journey itself is the destination.”
- “Anticipate the difficult by managing the easy.”
- “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.'”
- “The best way to predict your future is to create it.”
- “One who is too insistent on his own views finds few to agree with him.”
- “The wise man is one who, knows, what he does not know.”
- “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.”
- “A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.”
- “To be aware of a single shortcoming within oneself is more useful than to be aware of a thousand in somebody else.”
- “Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend.”
- “When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.”
- “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
- “Life and death are one thread, the same line viewed from different sides.”
- “The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.”
- “He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.”
- “If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself.”
- “When you realize nothing is lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”
- “To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.”
- “Respond intelligently even to unintelligent treatment.”
- “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 winning.”
- “The more you know, the less you understand.”
- “The sage does not hoard. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.”
- “If you want to govern the people, you must place yourself below them. If you want to lead the people, you must learn how to follow them.”
- “The flame that burns Twice as bright burns half as long.”
- “The further one goes, the less one knows.”
- “If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to.”
- “To see things in the seed, that is genius.”
- “Manifest plainness, Embrace simplicity, Reduce selfishness, Have few desires.”
- “He who would conquer others begins with himself.”
- “He who is contented is rich.”
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “If you want to be strong, be patient.”
- “From wonder into wonder, existence opens.”
- “To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.”
- “A man with outward courage dares to die; a man with inner courage dares to live.”
- “A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.”
- “A great nation is like 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.”
- “Those who have knowledge, don’t predict. Those who predict, don’t have knowledge.”
- “The tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal Name.”
- “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
- “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.”
- “One who is too insistent on his own views finds few to agree with him.”
- “If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.”
- “The power of intuitive understanding will protect you from harm until the end of your days.”
- “The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.”
- “Nature does not favor those who are strong, but those who adapt.”
- “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
- “To lead the people, walk behind them.”
- “Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.”
- “Silence is a source of great strength.”
- “At the center of your being, you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.”
- “The wise man is one who knows what he does not know.”
- “To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day.”
- “The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.”
- “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.”
- “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”
- “Be still like a mountain and flow like a great river.”
- “If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself.”
- “To understand the limitation of things, desire them.”
- “When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you.”
- “He who knows himself is enlightened.”
- “The soft overcomes the hard; the gentle overcomes the rigid. Everyone knows this is true, but few can put it into practice.”
- “When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you.”
- “The more laws and order are made prominent, the more thieves and robbers there will be.”
- “The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.”
- “The best fighter is never angry.”
- “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
- “If you want to change the world, change yourself.”
- “Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart, and the senses.”
- “When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”
FAQs:
Who was Lao Tzu?
Lao Tzu was a Chinese philosopher and the founder of Taoism, a philosophy that emphasizes the importance of living in harmony with nature.
When was Lao Tzu born?
Lao Tzu’s birth date is unknown, but he is believed to have lived during the 6th century BCE in China.
What is the Tao Te Ching?
The Tao Te Ching is a book of philosophical teachings attributed to Lao Tzu. It is considered one of the most important texts in Taoism and is widely regarded as a masterpiece of Chinese literature.
What are some of Lao Tzu’s most famous teachings?
Lao Tzu’s teachings emphasize the importance of simplicity, humility, and living in harmony with nature. Some of his most famous teachings include “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step,” and “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”
What is the philosophy of Taoism?
Taoism is a philosophy that emphasizes the importance of living in harmony with nature and the Tao, which is often translated as “the way.” Taoism encourages individuals to live a simple and natural life and to let go of desires and attachments.
What is the significance of the yin yang symbol in Taoism?
The yin yang symbol is a representation of the complementary forces of nature, such as light and dark, hot and cold, and male and female. Taoism sees these forces as complementary and interconnected, and the yin yang symbol represents the balance between them.
Did Lao Tzu have any notable followers or disciples?
Lao Tzu’s teachings had a significant impact on Chinese philosophy and culture, and he is widely regarded as a spiritual master. However, there is no record of any notable followers or disciples during his lifetime.
What is Lao Tzu’s legacy?
Lao Tzu’s legacy includes his contributions to Chinese philosophy and his influence on Taoism, one of the world’s major religions. His teachings continue to be studied and celebrated today, and his ideas have inspired many people to seek a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.
What is the Tao?
The Tao is a concept in Taoism that refers to the natural order of the universe. It is often translated as “the way” or “the path,” and it represents the underlying principles that govern all things.
How did Lao Tzu die? The details of Lao Tzu’s death are unknown, but it is believed that he left society to live as a hermit in the mountains and eventually died there.
