Quotes by Lao Tzu

Those who justify themselves do not convince.

"Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love." 

The Tao Te Ching

Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is enlightenment.

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.

Chanting is no more holy than listening to the murmur of a stream, counting prayer beads no more sacred than simply breathing. . . . If you wish to attain oneness with the Tao, don't get caught up in spiritual superficialities.

All true artists, whether they know it or not, create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness.

The Tao which you know is not the eternal Tao

If you really want everything, then give up everything.

Tao can be talked about, but not the Eternal Tao.
Names can be named, but not the Eternal Name.
As the origin of heaven-and-earth, it is nameless:
As "the Mother" of all things, it is nameable.
So, as ever hidden, we should look at its inner aspects.
As always manifest, we should look at its outer aspects.
These two flow from the same source,
though differently named;
And both are called mysteries.
The Mystery of mysteries is the Door of all essence.
-Tao Teh Ching, Chapter 1, trans. by John C. H. Wu, Shambhala, Boston & London c. 1990