The reason why the universe is eternal is that it does not live for itself; it gives life to others as it transforms.
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.
A frog in a well cannot conceive of the ocean.
Once I dreamed I was a butterfly, and now I no longer know whether I am Chuang Tzu, who dreamed I was a butterfly, or whether I am a butterfly dreaming that I am Chuang Tzu.
Easy is right. Begin right and you are easy. Continue easy and you are right. The right way to go easy is to forget the right way, and forget that the going is easy.
I AM Here Now As This.
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.
Make your heart like a lake, with calm, still surface, and great depths of kindness.
Mastering others is strength. Mastering oneself makes you fearless.
Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment.
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.
Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.
A journey of 1000 miles begins with one step.
The Tao of the sage is work without effort.
Empty your mind of all thoughts.
Truly, the greatest gift you have to give is that of your own self-transformation.
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.
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.
Care about people’s approval and you will be their prisoner.
To follow the path, look to the master, follow the master, walk with the master, see through the master, become the master.