Tao Te Ching Quotes

“It is because every one under Heaven recognizes beauty as beauty, that the idea of ugliness exists.”

“Difficult and easy complete one another. Long and short test one another. High and low determine one another. Pitch and mode give harmony to one another. Front and back give sequence to one another.”

“By emptying their hearts And filling their bellies, Weakening their intelligence And toughening their sinews Ever striving to make the people knowledgeless and desireless.”

“Heaven is eternal, the Earth everlasting.”

“The highest good is like that of water. The goodness of water is that it benefits the ten thousand creatures; yet itself does not scramble, but is content with the places that all men disdain.”

“Therefore just as we take advantage of what is, we should recognize the usefulness of what is not.”

“Wealth and place breed insolence that brings ruin in its train.”

“To be without prejudice is to be kingly; To be kingly is to be of heaven; To be of heaven is to be in Tao.”

“Give them Simplicity to look at, the Uncarved Block to hold.”

“Temper a sword-edge to its very sharpest, And you will find it soon grows dull.”