Tao Te Ching

by Lao Tzu

Here are the four fundamentals of true spirituality: recognize simplicity, cherish purity, reduce your possessions, diminish your desires.

The way of the Tao is simple— stop striving, defeat desire. In the absence of striving, there is peace; in the absence of desire, there is satisfaction.

The Tao has three treasures which the wise guard and cherish: The first is compassion, the second is economy, the third is humility.

True words are often unpleasant; pleasant words are often untrue. Those who know the truth do not argue about it; those who argue do not know the truth. Scholars are seldom the wisest people; the wise are seldom scholars. Those who steal from others impoverish themselves; those who give to others become rich. Those who fight do not win; those who win do not fight. This is the way of the Tao.