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A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. A good artist lets his intuition lead him wherever it wants. A good scientist has freed himself of concepts and keeps his mind open to what is.

Laozi

That the soft overcomes the hard, and the yielding overcomes the resistant, is a fact known by all, but practiced by few.
LAOZI

Fact Known Overcoming Practice
The wise man knows without traveling.
LAOZI

Know Man Travel Wise
An integral being knows without going, sees without looking, and accomplishes without doing.
LAOZI

Accomplish Action Inspirational Integral
The more prohibitions you have, the less virtuous people will be. Try to make people moral, and you lay the groundwork for vice.
LAOZI

Heart Matter People Trying Vice
The great Way is all-pervading. It reaches to the left and to the right. All things depend on it with their existence. Still it demands no obedience.
LAOZI

Demand Depend Reach Taoism Thing Way
If you have really attained wholeness, everything will flock to you.
LAOZI

Everything Flock Mindfulness Wholeness
. . . the mind is desperate to fix the river {of events} in place: Possessed by ideas of the past, preoccupied with images of the future, it overlooks the plain truth of the moment.
LAOZI

Idea Past Possessed Truth
The transformation toward eternal life is gradual. The heavy gross energy of body, mind, and spirit must first be purified and uplifted. When the energy ascends… then self mastery can be sought.
LAOZI

Energy Mind Purify Self
When the highest type of people hear Tao (Truth), they diligently practice it. When the average type of people hear Tao, they half believe in it. When the lowest type of people hear Tao, they laugh at it. If they did not laugh, it would not be Tao.
LAOZI

Average Believe Diligently Practice
Meet the difficult while it is easy.
LAOZI

Difficult Easy Meet Taoism
The True Person benefits yet expects no reward, does the work and moves on. There is no desire to be considered better than others.
LAOZI

Desire Earth Inspirational Move
Empty yourself of everything. Let the mind become still. The ten thousand things rise and fall while the Self watches their return. They grow and flourish and then return to the source. Returning to the source is stillness, which is the way of nature.
LAOZI

Animal Empty Everything Fall Nature
The light of the Way seems dim.
LAOZI

Dim Light Reflection Taoism Way
Covetousness is the greatest misfortune. One who does not know what is enough will never have enough.
LAOZI

Enough Know Misfortune
Some lose yet gain, others gain and yet lose
LAOZI

Gain Inspirational Lose People Some
No disaster is worse than being discontented.
LAOZI

Disaster Tao Taoism
When the Way is lost there is virtue. When virtue is lost there is benevolence. When benevolence is lost there is righteousness. When righteousness is lost there are rituals.
LAOZI

Taoism Virtue Way
A scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar.
LAOZI

Deem Humorous Love Witty
He that humbles himself shall be preserved entire. He that bends shall be made straight. He that is empty shall be filled. He that is worn out shall be renewed. He who has little shall succeed. He who has much shall go astray.
LAOZI

Empty Entire Humility Little Succeed
Why is the sea king of a hundred streams? Because it lies below them… If the sage would guide the people, he must serve with humility. If he would lead them, he must follow behind. In this way when the sage rules, the people will not feel oppressed.
LAOZI

Below Humility King Lying People
Excellent warriors are not violent.
LAOZI

Excellent Taoism Violent Warrior
Meandering leads to perfection.
LAOZI

Hike Journey Meander Perfection
Face the simple fact before it comes involved. Solve the small problem before it becomes big.
LAOZI

Inspirational Problem Simple Small
Heavy is the root of light.
LAOZI

heavy Light Root Taoism
The great image lacks shape.
LAOZI

Condition Great Image Look Shape Taoism
When people see some things as good, other things become bad.
LAOZI

Book Country Life People
When virtue is lost, benevolence appears, when benevolence is lost right conduct appears, when right conduct is lost, expedience appears. Expediency is the mere shadow of right and truth; it is the beginning of disorder.
LAOZI

Deep Honor Inspirational Life

A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. A good artist lets his intuition lead him wherever it wants. A good scientist has freed himself of concepts and keeps his mind open to what is.

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A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent upon arriving. A good artist lets his intuition lead him wherever it wants. A good scientist has freed himself of concepts and keeps his mind open to what is.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Laozi Quotes