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Lao Tzu—or 老子 (lǎozǐ) in Mandarin—was a Chinese philosopher and writer widely believed to be the founder of Taoism. Lao Tzu’s seminal work, Tao Te Ching, first established the Dao (also transliterated to Tao) as the source of all things in existence. In it, he posits that most people behave in “unnatural” ways that disturb the natural balance established by the Dao.
The “unnatural” behaviors that Lao Tzu writes about continue to plague us even today. These are behaviors largely driven by societal pressures and cognitive distortions (e.g. black and white thinking, jumping to conclusions, emotional reasoning, and so on). Ironically, these behaviors—so called “unnatural”—appear to be woven into the very fabric of human nature.
For better or for worse, the result of this is that the wisdom of Lao Tzu remains highly relevant to this day. There is a unique kind of power in the simplicity and the deep connection to nature that can be found in Lao Tzu quotes. The wisdom hey conveys is timeless, and given the state of the world and society today, reading these words may be more important now than it has ever been.
Below are over 50 powerful quotes by the revered philosopher, Lao Tzu. On countless occasions, these words have helped to keep me grounded and focused even in the worst of times. They cover such a broad variety of topics that I am sure you’ll find something here that can help guide you in whatever you might be experiencing at the moment.
Lao Tzu Quotes
On Wisdom
- Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
- Those who know do not speak. Those who speak do not know.
- The words of truth are always paradoxical.
- When the student is ready the teacher will appear. When the student is truly ready… The teacher will Disappear.
- I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.
- To attain knowledge, add things everyday. To attain wisdom, remove things every day.
On Patience
- Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is the key to it.
- Do you have the patience to wait until the mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving until the right action arises by itself?
- Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.
- Great acts are made up of small deeds.
- Muddy water, let stand, becomes clear.
- Just remain in the center; watching. And then forget that you are there.
- He who acts, spoils; he who grasps, lets slip.
On Perseverance
- Great acts are made up of small deeds.
- He who knows he has enough is rich. Perseverance is a sign of will power. He who stays where he is endures. To die but not to perish is to be eternally present.
- What is firmly rooted cannot be pulled out.
- Stop leaving and you will arrive. Stop searching and you will see. Stop running away and you will be found.
On Letting Go
- The heart that gives, gathers.
- Those who flow as life flows know they need no other force.
- Stop thinking, and end your problems.
On Change
- New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.
- If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will try to hold on to. If you are not afraid of dying, there is nothing you cannot achieve.
- What the caterpillar calls the end, the rest of the world calls a butterfly.
- Life and death are one thread, the same line viewed from different sides.
- 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.
On Humility
- All streams flow to the sea because it is lower than they are. Humility gives it its power.
- Trying to control the future is like trying to take the master carpenter’s place. When you handle the master carpenter’s tools, chances are that you’ll cut your hand.
- The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long.
- If you want to lead them you must place yourself behind them.
On Mindfulness
- A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.
- By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond the winning.
- The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
- To a mind that is still the whole universe surrenders.
- The way to do is to be.
- The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.
- Become totally empty.
Quiet the restlessness of the mind
only then will you witness everything unfolding from emptiness.
On Temperance
- He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.
- Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt.
- Do your work, then step back. The only path to serenity.
- Knowing how to yield is strength.
On Love
- Love is a decision. Not an emotion.
- Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
- Love is of all the passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart, and the senses.
- He who defends with love will be secure; Heaven will save him, and protect him with love.
On Self-Discovery
- The key to growth is the introduction of higher dimensions of consciousness into our awareness.
- Knowing others is wisdom, knowing yourself is Enlightenment.
- Time is a created thing. To say “I don’t have time,” is like saying, “I don’t want to.”
- Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power.
On Self-Esteem
- The snow goose need not bathe to make itself white. Neither need you do anything but be yourself.
- When you accept yourself, the whole world accepts you.
- Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.
- When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.
On Acceptance
- If you try to change it, you will ruin it. Try to hold it, and you will lose it.
- Respond to anger with virtue. Deal with difficulties while they are still easy. Handle the great while it is still small.
- Give evil nothing to oppose and it will disappear by itself.
