W hen harmony no longer prevailed throughout the six kinships, filial sons found their manifestation; when the states and clans fell into disorder, loyal ministers appeared. quote 7129 | Lao Tzu share
F avour and disgrace would seem equally to be feared; honour and great calamity, to be regarded as personal conditions (of the same kind). quote 7128 | Lao Tzu share
W hen the work is done, and one’s name is becoming distinguished, to withdraw into obscurity is the way of Heaven. quote 7127 | Lao Tzu share
W hen gold and jade fill the hall, their possessor cannot keep them safe. When wealth and honours lead to arrogance, this brings its evil on itself. quote 7126 | Lao Tzu share
I t is better to leave a vessel unfilled, than to attempt to carry it when it is full. quote 7125 | Lao Tzu share
T he highest excellence is like (that of) water. The excellence of water appears in its benefiting all things, and in its occupying, without striving (to the contrary), the low place which all men dislike. Hence (its way) is near to (that of) the Dao. quote 7124 | Lao Tzu share
T he sage puts his own person last, and yet it is found in the foremost place; he treats his person as if it were foreign to him, and yet that person is preserved. Is it not because he has no personal and private ends, that therefore such ends are realised? quote 7123 | Lao Tzu share
H eaven is long-enduring and earth continues long. The reason why heaven and earth are able to endure and continue thus long is because they do not live of, or for, themselves. quote 7122 | Lao Tzu share
H eaven and earth do not act from (the impulse of) any wish to be benevolent; they deal with all things as the sacrificial straw dogs are dealt with. The sages do not act from (any wish to be) benevolent; they deal with the people as the sacrificial straw dogs are dealt with. May not the space between heaven and earth be compared to a bellows? quote 7121 | Lao Tzu share
N ot to show the people what is likely to excite their desires is the way to keep their minds from disorder. quote 7120 | Lao Tzu share
N ot to prize articles which are difficult to procure is the way to keep the people from becoming thieves. quote 7119 | Lao Tzu share
N ot to value and employ men of superior ability is the way to keep the people from rivalry among themselves. quote 7118 | Lao Tzu share
L ife best accord with Tao, and hence manifest Te. Endorses mindfulness, humility, impartiality, and respect for the integrity of all things. This attunes to the natural world. quote 7117 | Lao Tzu share
R eturn to being the uncarved block. Simplicity of life in an unadulterated natural state. quote 7116 | Lao Tzu share
W hich is nearer, name or self? Which is dearer, self or wealth? Which gives more pain, loss or gain? quote 7112 | Lao Tzu share
H e is cautious, reserved and eschews experiences, ‘unhinge the mind’ or ‘disrupt the senses’. quote 7111 | Lao Tzu share
T he five colours blind the eyes. The five notes deafen our ears. The five flavours dull our taste. quote 7109 | Lao Tzu share
P rofound virtue is deep and farreaching; It returns to the origins with all things, And then leads to the great naturalness. quote 7108 | Lao Tzu share
T he adept has no fixed heart/mind but uses the heart/mind of the people. The adapt trusts the trustworthy, but also trusts the untrustworthy. By this the nature of trust is understood. quote 7107 | Lao Tzu share
I f I have no physical body, if I have obtained the Way and become naturally so, I shall lightly lift myself and raise into the clouds. Coming and going between empty space, I become one in spirit with the Way. What trouble could I have? quote 4042 | Ho Shang Gong commentary on the Tao Te King, chap.13, trad. A. Chan, 1991, p.157 share
S haring virtue with heaven, one embodies Tao (…) reaching the point that he will be with utmost nothingness. (…) Nothingness is something which water and fire cannot destroy, metal and stone cannot injure. When applied to one’s heart, the tiger and the rhinoceros have no place to thrust their teeth and horns, and war weapons have no place to stab their sharp points. Then what danger and harm will one have? quote 4041 | Wang Bi commentary on the Tao Te King, 16.11-13, trad. P.J. Lin, 1977, p.29 share