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.
Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt. Chase after money and security and your heart will never unclench. Care about people’s approval and you will be their prisoner. Do your work, then step back. The only path to serenity.
People aren’t against you; they are for themselves. The most dangerous risk of all – the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later. He who conquers others is strong, he who conquers himself is mighty.
To have enough of enough is always enough.
Hold on to the ancient Way to master the present, and to learn the distant beginning.
It is as though he listened and such listening as his enfolds us in silence in which at last we begin to hear what we are meant to be.
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.
To understand the limitation of things, desire them.
Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.
True words are not fancy. Fancy words are not true. The good do not debate. Debaters are not good.
Wise men hear and see as little children do.
You cannot know the body by studying the finger, and you cannot understand the universe by learning one science.
The Tao is unpredictable to those that live according to plans. Only those who have no agenda are in harmony with the Tao.
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.
Understand this if nothing else: spiritual freedom and oneness with the Tao are not randomly bestowed gifts, but the rewards of conscious self-transformation and self-evolution.
For all things difficult to acquire, the intelligent man works with perseverance.
The sage is not ill, because he sees illness as illness.
Nothing and no one in the world is valuable or worthless.
Every step is on the path.
See others as yourself. See families as your family. See towns as your town. See countries as your country. See worlds as your world.