Quotations from Taoism

 If you know when enough is enough, you know enough.

 Can you lead, and not rule? Leadership without rule is a mysterious form of power.

 When life is easy, prepare for hard times. Solve problems that are small, before they grow large. Remember that even the greatest problems in the world were originally tiny problems.

 If you are subtle in your perceptions, you know that those who are gentle and weak prevail over those who are harsh and strong.

 The less the ruler uses his power, the longer he keeps it.

 Wise people accomplish much, but claim no credit; they teach much, but assert nothing; they are worth much, but desire no praise.

 To know, and yet to think that you do not know, is best. Not to know, and yet to think that you do know, is a sickness. The only cure for such sickness is to be sick of being sick. Wise people are not sick. They are sick of being sick, so they are well.

 Greedy people devote themselves to exploiting others for their own advantage – and thereby do great damage. Scholars devote themselves to making other people respect them – and thereby do great damage. Rulers devote themselves to making others obey them – and thereby do great damage.

 Do people ever attain greater happiness as a consequence of traveling from their native land? No, they become confused and miserable.

 That which is invisible, inaudible and intangible is one. One cannot differentiate one invisible, inaudible, intangible thing from another; there is perfect unity in invisibility, in audibility and intangibility.



CHUANG TZU
(Compiled by: Modnath Dhakal)