Thoughts & Quotes on the Tao Te Ching

The "Tao Te Ching" is an ancient Chinese classic from 200 - 500 B.C. Even though this work is over 2000 years old, it is especially relevant today just as it was in ancient times. If only we all were able to stop lying to ourselves long enough to trust ourselves, we'd be that much closer to the Tao.

Do not conquer the world with force, for force only causes resistance.

In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple.

The ten thousand things arise together;
In their arising is their return.
Now they flower, and flowering
Sink homeward, returning to the root.

Heaviness is the root of lightness.
Stillness is the master of movement.

Be one with the dust of the way,
Then you can't be controlled by love or by rejection.
You can't be controlled by profit or by loss.
You can't be controlled by praise or by humiliation.

Study the hard while it's easy.
Do big things while they're small.
The hardest jobs in the world start out easy,
The great affairs of the world start small.

The tree you can't reach around grew from a tiny seedling.
The nine-story tower rises from a heap of clay.
The ten-thousand mile journey begins with one step.

The Tao is the center of the universe…. ….thus, when a new student is chosen, don't offer to help him with your wealth or your expertise. Offer instead to teach him about the Tao.

There is no greater misfortune than underestimating your enemy. Underestimating your enemy means thinking that he is evil. Thus you destroy your three treasures (simplicity, patience, compassion) and become an enemy yourself.

When two great forces oppose each other, the victory will go to the one that knows how to yield.

Whoever relies on the Tao doesn't try to force issues or defeat enemies by force.

Embrace simplicity

The highest good is like water.
Water gives life to the ten thousand things and does not strive.
It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao.

Return to the state of the uncarved block

Standing on tiptoe, one is unsteady.
Taking long steps, one quickly tires.
Showing off, one shows unenlightenment.
Displaying self-righteousness, one reveals vanity.
Praising the self, one earns no respect.
Exaggerating achievements, one cannot long endure
Followers of the Tao, consider these

The Tao is empty like a vessel; and in our use of it we must be on our guard against all fulness. How deep and unfathomable it is, as if it were the Honoured Ancestor of all things!

Only one that rids themself forever of desire can see the unknown way of the Tao.

The practice of Tao consists in subtracting day by day: subtracting and yet again subtracting until one has reached inactivity.

The sage does not expect that others use his criteria as their own.

Stop thinking, and end your problems. You already know. Just let yourself.

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.

There is no calamity greater than lavish desires.

To return to source is true knowing. To be simple is to be truely complex. To let go is to truly grasp.

The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world.

The reality that can be described is not the truest reality. It is our nature to name and to categorize things. Yet, the description of a thing remains only a description; it is not the thing that it describes. Therefore, truest reality remains nameless, uncategorized, descriptionless. Though nameless, all things named arise and take their being from this nameless state. In order to experience this truest reality one must forsake name. Only when one has forgotten name can one experience this nameless state. As individuals we have desires... there is no denying this. But in our desiring we are lost in the delusion of description and category. We forget our true being, our nameless nature. The real lives within the dreamer, the dreamer within the real. Realize this simple truth and you will have the key to understanding. Our individual self, our named person arises from our nameless being.


People are born soft and supple.
Dead, they are stiff and hard.
Plants are born tender and pliant.
Dead, they are brittle and dry.
Thus whomever is stiff and inflexible
Is a disciple of death.
Whomever is soft and yielding
Is a disciple of life.

The hard and stiff will be broken.
The soft and supple will prevail.

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The "Tao Te Ching" is an ancient Chinese classic from 200 - 500 B.C. Even though this work is over 2000 years old, it is especially relevant today just as it was in ancient times. If only we all were able to stop lying to ourselves long enough to trust ourselves, we'd be that much closer to the Tao. Do not conquer the world with force, for force only causes resistance. In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. The ten thousand things arise together; In their arising is their return. Now they flower, and flowering Sink homeward, returning to the root. Heaviness is the root of lightness. Stillness is the master of movement. Be one with the dust of the way, Then you can't be controlled by love or by rejection. You can't be controlled by profit or by loss. You can't be controlled by praise or by humiliation. Study the hard while it's easy. Do big things while they're small. The hardest jobs in the world start out easy, The great affairs of the world start small. The tree you can't reach around grew from a tiny seedling. The nine-story tower rises from a heap of clay. The ten-thousand mile journey begins with one step. The Tao is the center of the universe…. ….thus, when a new student is chosen, don't offer to help him with your wealth or your expertise. Offer instead to teach him about the Tao. There is no greater misfortune than underestimating your enemy. Underestimating your enemy means thinking that he is evil. Thus you destroy your three treasures (simplicity, patience, compassion) and become an enemy yourself. When two great forces oppose each other, the victory will go to the one that knows how to yield. Whoever relies on the Tao doesn't try to force issues or defeat enemies by force. Embrace simplicity The highest good is like water. Water gives life to the ten thousand things and does not strive. It flows in places men reject and so is like the Tao. Return to the state of the uncarved block Standing on tiptoe, one is unsteady. Taking long steps, one quickly tires. Showing off, one shows unenlightenment. Displaying self-righteousness, one reveals vanity. Praising the self, one earns no respect. Exaggerating achievements, one cannot long endure Followers of the Tao, consider these The Tao is empty like a vessel; and in our use of it we must be on our guard against all fulness. How deep and unfathomable it is, as if it were the Honoured Ancestor of all things! Only one that rids themself forever of desire can see the unknown way of the Tao. The practice of Tao consists in subtracting day by day: subtracting and yet again subtracting until one has reached inactivity. The sage does not expect that others use his criteria as their own. Stop thinking, and end your problems. You already know. Just let yourself. Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love. There is no calamity greater than lavish desires. To return to source is true knowing. To be simple is to be truely complex. To let go is to truly grasp. The softest things in the world overcome the hardest things in the world. The reality that can be described is not the truest reality. It is our nature to name and to categorize things. Yet, the description of a thing remains only a description; it is not the thing that it describes. Therefore, truest reality remains nameless, uncategorized, descriptionless. Though nameless, all things named arise and take their being from this nameless state. In order to experience this truest reality one must forsake name. Only when one has forgotten name can one experience this nameless state. As individuals we have desires... there is no denying this. But in our desiring we are lost in the delusion of description and category. We forget our true being, our nameless nature. The real lives within the dreamer, the dreamer within the real. Realize this simple truth and you will have the key to understanding. Our individual self, our named person arises from our nameless being. People are born soft and supple. Dead, they are stiff and hard. Plants are born tender and pliant. Dead, they are brittle and dry. Thus whomever is stiff and inflexible Is a disciple of death. Whomever is soft and yielding Is a disciple of life. The hard and stiff will be broken. The soft and supple will prevail.