"Knowing that we don't know it's humility; thinking that we know what we don't know, is sickness."
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Quote collection
Laozi quotes (page 37 of 66)
1.3K quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"Things exalted then decay. This is going against the Way. What goes against the Way meets an early end."
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"Rushing into action, you fail. Trying to grasp things, you lose them. Forcing a project to completion, you ruin what was almost ripe."
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"Complete your task. Seek no reward. Make no claims. Without faltering fully choose to do what you must do."
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"The Great Vessel takes long to complete."
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"Therefore the Sage, wishing to be above the people, must by his words put himself below them; wishing to be before the people, he must put himself behind them. In this way, though he has his place above them, the people do not feel his weight; though he has his place before them, they do not feel it as an injury. Therefore all mankind delight to exalt him, and weary of him not."
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"The usefulness of the pot lies in its emptiness."
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"Meandering leads to perfection."
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"The one who is conscious (in Tao) can't speak. The one who can speak is not conscious (centered in Tao)"
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"The Tao gives birth to One. One gives birth to Two. Two gives birth to Three. Three gives birth to all things. All things have their backs to the female and stand facing the male. When male and female combine, all things achieve harmony. Ordinary men hate solitude. But the Master makes use of it, embracing his aloneness, realizing he is one with the whole universe."
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"The Sage expects no recognition for what he does; he achieves merit but does not take it to himself; he does not wish to display his worth."
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"Ever desireless, one can see the mystery. Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations. These two spring from the same source but differ in name; this appears as darkness. Darkness within darkness. The gate to all mystery."
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"When pure sincerity forms within, it is outwardly realized in other people's hearts."
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"Let the country be small, and the inhabitants few."
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"There is no greater sin than desire, No greater curse than discontent, No greater misfortune than wanting something for oneself. Therefore he who knows that enough is enough will always have enough."
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"The group will not prosper if the leader grabs the lion's share of the credit for the good work that has been done."
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"Therefore, if a great kingdom humbles itself before a small kingdom, it shall make that small kingdom its prize. And if a small kingdom humbles itself before a great kingdom, it shall win over that great kingdom. Thus the one humbles itself in order to attain, the other attains because it is humble. If the great kingdom has no further desire than to bring men together and to nourish them, the small kingdom will have no further desire than to enter the service of the other. But in order that both may have their desire, the great one must learn humility."
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"Words spoken about the Way have no taste. When looked at, there's not enough to see. When listened to, there's not enough to hear. When used, it is never exhausted."
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"He who is attached to things will suffer much."
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"Heavy is the root of light."
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