By Maxime Lagacé
Maxime is the founder of WisdomQuotes. He has been collecting quotes since 2004. His goal? To help you develop a calm and peaceful mind. Learn more about him on his about page.
Top 10 Quotes – Famous Quotes – Short Quotes – Wisdom – Life – Love – Visual – Takeaways – Video – Further Readings
This is Lao Tzu.
And here are 80 of his best quotes.
You’ll learn important concepts:
- Non-attachment
- The value of humility
- How to live in harmony with nature
- The art of not forcing/non-action (Wu Wei)
- How to find inner peace
Do you know who was Lao Tzu (6th century BCE)?
- He was a Chinese philosopher
- He is considered the founder of Taoism
- He is believed to have written the classic Tao Te Ching
So if you’re looking to simplify your life and find inner harmony, Lao Tzu’s philosophy is a great starting point.
Enjoy his quotes!
Top 10 Lao Tzu Quotes
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
Have little and gain much. Have much and be confused. 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
On leadership: The Sage knows how to follow so he comes to command. He does not compete so no one under Heaven can compete with him. Lao Tzu
The inner is foundation of the outer. The still is master of the restless. Lao Tzu
The Most Famous Lao Tzu Quotes
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. 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
A knower of the Truth travels without leaving a trace, speaks without causing harm, gives without keeping an account. The door he shuts, though having no lock, cannot be opened. The knot he ties, though using no cord, cannot be undone. Lao Tzu
When there is silence, one finds peace. When there is silence, one finds the anchor of the universe within himself. 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
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
Begin your task before it becomes a burden. Put things in order before they get out of hand. 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
Contentment alone is enough. Indeed, the bliss of eternity can be found in your contentment. 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
I have three treasures that I cherish and hold dear. The first is love, the second is moderation, the third is humility. With love one is fearless. With moderation one is abundant. With humility one can fill the highest position. Now if one is fearless but has no love, abundant but has no moderation, rises up but has no humility, surely he is doomed. 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
Act without acting. Give without giving. Taste without tasting. Lao Tzu
The feeble are easily broken. The small are easily scattered. Lao Tzu
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Short Lao Tzu Quotes
As you plant, so you reap. Lao Tzu
He stays with the firm and not the flimsy. Lao Tzu
Be wary of both honor and disgrace. Lao Tzu
Keep silent and you’ll beat the heat. Lao Tzu
He walks without making footprints in this world. Lao Tzu
Give without conditions and the people will prosper. Lao Tzu
The low is greater than the high. The still is greater than the restless. Lao Tzu
When action is pure and selfless everything settles into its own perfect place. Lao Tzu
A sacrifice to a higher cause is never lost. Lao Tzu
Within, within. This is where the world’s treasure has always been. Lao Tzu
Grabbing and stuffing – there is no end to it. Lao Tzu
Truth, once established, can never be uprooted. Lao Tzu
He stays with the true and not the false. Lao Tzu
The Great Vessel is never filled. Lao Tzu
Lao Tzu Quotes About Wisdom
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
What honor can there be without humility? What heights can be reached without being low? Lao Tzu
To give without seeking reward, to help without thinking it is virtuous – therein lies great virtue. Lao Tzu
Why do the hundred rivers turn and rush toward the sea? Because it naturally stays below them. 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
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
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 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
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
He who wishes to rule over the people must speak as if below them. He who wishes to lead the people must walk as if behind them. So the Sage rules over the people but he does not weigh them down. He leads the people but he does not block their way. Lao Tzu
The Sage stays low so the world never tires of exalting him. He remains a servant so the world never tires of making him its king. 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
On leadership: The great ruler speaks little and his words are priceless. He works without self-interest and leaves no trace. When all is finished, the people say “it happened by itself”. 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
On his tiptoes a man is not steady. Taking long strides he cannot keep pace. Lao Tzu
Become totally empty. Quiet the restlessness of the mind. Only then will you witness everything unfolding from emptiness. Lao Tzu
To create without owning. To give without expecting. To fill without claiming. This is the profound action of Tao. Lao Tzu
To keep account of your actions, to help with the hope of gaining merit – there in lies no virtue. Lao Tzu
Seeing your own smallness is called insight. Honoring your own tenderness is called strength. Lao Tzu
If one doesn’t trust himself how can he trust anyone else? Lao Tzu
Lao Tzu Quotes About Life
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
As you live, so you die. Lao Tzu
The great master follows his own nature and not the trappings of life. 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
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
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
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
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
The soft and supple are the companions of life. While the stiff and unyielding are the companions of death. 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
To the giver comes the fullness of life. To the taker just an empty hand. Lao Tzu
Lao Tzu Quotes About Love
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
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 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
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 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
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
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
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
Love is the fruit of sacrifice. Wealth is the fruit of generosity. Lao Tzu
He does nothing for himself in this passing world so nothing he does ever passes. Lao Tzu
Visual For Lao Tzu
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. Lao Tzu
Everything comes in time to him who knows how to wait. Leo Tolstoy
Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. Ralph Waldo Emerson
Key Takeaways From Lao Tzu’s Quotes
- The peace you’re seeking is not outside, it’s inside.
- Life is not about achieving, it’s about understanding and seeing reality.
- Once you understand, you become calm and detached.
- Lao Tzu was a wise man. He believed in working for its own sake, not for rewards.
- Want to live like Lao Tzu? Try living with more acceptance, patience, and balance.
Lao Tzu Quotes Video
Further Readings
- Topic: Life And Inspiration
- 100 Short Quotes That Will Inspire You (Fast)
- More philosophers like Lao Tzu
- 115 Philosophy Quotes From The Best Philosophers
- 75 Words of Wisdom From The Best Minds (Ever)
I hope you enjoyed those great quotes by Lao Tzu. Please share them with a friend today!
Did you know about Lao Tzu before? What was your favorite quote? And remember: words can transform your life, if you find the right ones. Lao Tzu
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