Quotes by Taoism The sage desires no desire, does not value rare treasures, learns without learning, recovers what people have left behind. Laozi taoismdesirepeople Keeping plenty of gold and jade in the palace makes no one able to defend it. Laozi jadetaoismgold Displaying riches and titles with pride brings about one's downfall. Laozi taoismtitlespride Searching for precious goods leads astray. Laozi goodstaoism Abandon cleverness, discard profit, and thieves and robbers will disappear. Laozi taoismdisappearthieves Gain or loss, what is worse? Laozi taoismgainsloss Greed is costly. Assembled fortunes are lost. Laozi taoismgreedlost When the palace is magnificent, the fields are filled with weeds, and the granaries are empty. Laozi taoismweedfields Some have lavish garments, carry sharp swords, and feast on food and drink. They possess more than they can spend. This is called the vanity of robbers. It is certainly not the Way. Laozi taoismvanityway People starve. The rulers consume too much with their taxes. That is why people starve. Laozi taoismtoo-muchpeople Heaven's Way is like stretching a bow. The high is lowered and the low is raised. Excess is reduced and deficiency is replenished. Heaven's Way reduces excess and replenishes deficiency. People's Way is not so. They reduce the deficient and supply the excessive. Laozi taoismheavenpeople Who has excess and supplies the world? Only the one who follows the Way. Laozi taoismexcessworld When everyone sees good, then bad exists. Laozi taoism He (the sage) is good to those who are good. He is also good to those who are not good. That is the virtue of good. Laozi sagetaoismvirtue The Way is the source of all things, good people's treasure and bad people's refuge. Laozi taoismtreasurepeople What Heaven detests, who knows why? Even the sage considers it difficult. Laozi sagetaoismheaven The noble must make humility his root. Laozi taoismhumilityroots Cultivate virtue in yourself, and it will be true. Laozi taoismbeing-truevirtue When much virtue is achieved, nothing is not overcome. Laozi taoismvirtueovercoming To retreat after a work well done is Heaven's Way. Laozi work-well-donetaoismheaven«1314151617181920212223»
