Tao Te Ching

by Lao Tzu

Not to desire material things is to know the freedom of spirituality; and to desire them is to suffer the limitations of matter.

The universe is eternal, and earth is lasting. The reason they are eternal and lasting is that they do not exist for themselves. That is why they endure. The wise humble themselves— and because of their humility, they are worthy of praise. They put others first, and so become great.

They are not focused on outcomes or achievements; therefore they always succeed.

Everything that lives has a physical body, but the value of a life is measured by the soul.

The wise attend to the inner truth of things and are not fooled by outward appearances. They ignore matter and seek the spirit.

To clarify muddy waters, you must hold them still and let things settle. To glimpse the secret of the Tao, you must keep still and quiet your mind.

To know eternity is enlightenment; to ignore eternity is to invite calamity. Knowing eternity means seeing the big picture; seeing the big-picture is broad-minded; breadth of vision brings nobility; nobility is close to divinity.

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

If you would be at peace, beware of great knowledge. That which is not feared by the common people is probably not worth worrying about. There is a vast difference between book learning and true knowledge of the Tao! Common people are joyful— they celebrate feast days, and hold festivals in spring time.

As much as they embrace the world, the world will embrace them. Is the old saying, “The broken shall be restored,” a false hope? No! All will be restored and return rejoicing.

Peace is meant to be our natural state.

It is unnatural to walk on tiptoe. Try to elevate yourself above others, and you will soon fall.

Those who display themselves do not shine; those who inflate themselves do not grow; those who assert themselves do not gain merit.

The wise, trusting in goodness, see the potential in others, treating no one as an outcast. Trusting in goodness, they redeem all things— nothing is worthless to them.

They recognize hidden value. The wise take the lost under their wings, and so the lost become newfound treasures of the wise. Each is valuable to the other. This is the significance of spirituality.

People differ—some lead, others follow; some are passionate, others are reserved; some are strong, others weak; some succeed, others fail.

The wise respect the roles of all, and seek moderation in all things.

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.

Those who are content with what they have are not in danger of loss. Those who know when to stop are free to go on.

Again and again, students of the Tao must humble themselves, until they reach the state of non-doing. Then they will do nothing, yet leave nothing undone.

The wise ruler treats the good with goodness; and treats the not-so-good with goodness, too— for goodness is its own reward. The wise ruler treats the faithful with good faith; and treats the unfaithful with good faith, too— for good faith is its own reward.

Life is a going forth; death is a returning home. Out of ten people, three are seeking life, three are seeking death, three are dying. Only one is immortal.

The Tao gives life freely, making no claim of ownership. Virtue forms them but does not force them, raises them but does not rule them. This is why virtue is profound.

When creation began, the Tao became the world’s mother. When you know your mother, you also know that you are her child. When you recognize that you are a child, you will stay close to your mother so she can keep you safe. Those who watch their mouths and guard their actions will be free from trouble to the end of life.

Those who babble and meddle in other’s business cannot escape from trouble, even to the end of life. To recognize your insignificance is empowering. To show sympathy is strength. Those who follow the Tao’s light arrive at enlightenment.

A tree that is well-planted is not easily uprooted.

treasure that is well-guarded is not easily taken away. If you pass on the Tao to your children, your family’s virtue will endure. The one who practices the Tao shows that virtue is real. The family that practices the Tao shows that virtue is abiding.

Those who talk do not know; those who know do not talk. The wise shut their mouths and watch their actions. They dull their sharpness, unravel their tangles, dim their brilliance, and embrace the mysterious. They cannot be moved by praise or blame; they cannot be changed by profit or loss;

they cannot be honored or humiliated. And so the wise are truly honored.

The Tao is the sanctuary of all— it is the good person’s treasure, and the bad person’s last resort.

Beautiful words may sell goods, but it takes kind actions to save people.

Why should people be put to death for their mistakes? Even cr...

The ancients esteemed the Tao because those who seek it will find it, and by it sinners can be saved. Is it not so? This is why the world honors the Tao.

Avoid striving, and practice non-doing. Learn to taste the tasteless, to grow the small things, and to multiply the few. Respond to hatred with kindness. Resolve difficulties while they are easy, and manage great things while they are small.

The wise stay out of great affairs, and so establish their greatness. Many things that appear easy are full of difficulties. This is why the wise consider everything difficult— so, in the end, they have no difficulties.

A journey of three thousand miles begins with a single step. Try to re-shape a thing, and you will deface it; try to control it, and you will lose it. The wise, accepting things as they are, deface nothing.

Not seizing things, they do not lose them. While others, in their mad rush for wealth, are always chasing success but coming up short.

The wise do not desire what they do not possess.

They learn to be unlearned; they attend to that which others ignore. In that spirit, they help things grow, without interfering.

Wise rulers, desiring to lead the people, humble themselves and stay below them; wishing to help the people, they stay out of the way.

Wise rulers live above without burdening the people; they guide without coercion. They do not quarrel with anyone,

so no one quarrels with them. This is why the world rejoices, and never...

When a person puts on a show, trying to appear great, their mediocrity is soon exposed.

The Tao has three treasures which the wise guard and cherish: The first is compassion,

the second is economy, the third is humility. If you are compassionate, you can be truly courageous; if you are economical, you can be truly generous; if...

Compassion leads to victory in battle and safety in defense.

Fortune blesses the compassionate.

Bring out the best in yourself, and you will bring out the best in others. This is following the Tao.

My words are precious beyond measure, but I am not one to flaunt my riches. The wise wear plain clothes and keep their gems out of sight.

To know that there are some things you cannot know is wisdom. The wise recognize the limits of their knowledge; the foolish think they know everything.