Lao Tse He is an important figure in China, whose historical veracity is questioned even today. He is believed to have been the author of the book Tao Te Ching, the main work by which Taoism (an Asian religion and philosophy) is governed.
It is believed that he could have been a contemporary of Confucius, but the lack of evidence about Lao-Tzu’s life turns these sources into mere speculation. Regardless of whether or not he existed as a real person, the literary works of Lao-Tzu or those that speak about him are very well known and relevant in Chinese culture.
If you want to know more about this mysterious figure, Below you can enjoy 90 great phrases from Lao-Tse which can help us understand a little more about the philosophy that this thinker preached.
1. Whoever seeks to dominate the world and improve it is headed for failure. The world is so sacred and vast that it cannot be dominated. Whoever dominates it makes it worse, whoever has it loses it.
We must be aware of our limitations, otherwise our arrogance will take its toll on us.
2. He who is not happy with little, will not be happy with much.
Happiness is not found in material goods, but in our own feelings.
3. He who obtains a victory over another man is strong; but whoever obtains a victory over himself is powerful.
Our biggest rival in life will always be ourselves, we are our biggest detractor.
4. Because of great love, one is brave.
Love can lead us to perform great feats, it has always been a very powerful force in life.
5. He who knows does not speak; the speaker does not know.
He who is wise will never speak in vain; On the contrary, the ignorant will speak without knowledge.
6. A huge tree grows from a tender shoot. A path of a thousand steps begins with a single step.
Everything in life begins with a small step, nothing is achieved overnight.
7. Gratitude is the memory of the heart.
When we thank someone for something, we show them the affection we show them.
8. Realizing that you don’t understand is a virtue; Not realizing that you don’t understand is a defect.
Being aware of our own limitations will help us overcome them.
9. To lead people, walk behind them.
We must know how to adopt a position of submission to get what we want from someone, respect will lead us to achieve it.
27. You must surrender to your own interest. Love others as much as yourself. Then you will be able to trust in all things under heaven.
How we take care of ourselves and how we take care of those around us will or will not lead us to achieve great goals.
28. People are hungry, this happens because those in authority eat too much in taxes.
Injustice has always been present in the world, we must fight it from within our means.
29. Those who have knowledge do not predict. Those who predict have no knowledge.
When we are wise enough, we are aware that we cannot anticipate events.
30. Knowledge is a treasure, but practice is the key to it.
To achieve any knowledge, it is given by the path of action, whether reading or practicing any type of art.
31. Responds intelligently even to unintelligent treatment.
When someone doesn’t treat us with the respect we deserve, we should outsmart them and not act the same way.
32. The soft things in life surpass the strongest things in the world.
On many occasions things are not what they seem and something that may seem delicate can be much stronger than we thought.
33. He who knows how to be content with what he has will always be happy.
He who does not need much in life will inevitably always be much happier.
34. When a country is full of conflict, patriots flourish.
It is in extreme situations that the deepest feelings flourish.
35. If you want to take, you must first give; this is the beginning of intelligence.
To achieve things in life, we must first have done something to achieve them.
36. Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
The love we feel towards a person and that we receive from them can help us in all aspects of life.
37. The wise man does not accumulate. The more he helps others, the more he benefits himself. The more he gives to others, the more he gets himself.
When we improve the lives of those around us, indirectly, we also improve our own.
38. People are difficult to govern because they have too much knowledge.
In a cultured town, the leader must be much more astute, which is why many leaders decide not to invest in the education of their citizens.
39. Few things under heaven bring more benefits than the lessons learned from silence and actions taken without having made an effort.
Everything we achieve in life such as knowledge and techniques will always be of great help to us throughout it.
40. Man’s enemies are not demons, but human beings like him.
Human beings are the greatest predator on Earth, for all living beings, including human beings themselves.
41. Moderation is the best virtue to govern men and serve heaven.
As leaders we must be moderate in our actions, knowing how to act proportionally in each situation.
42. Loss is not as bad as wanting more.
When we lose something we didn’t need, we haven’t really lost anything.
43. Do difficult things while they are easy and do great things while they are small.
We must tackle problems when we have room for maneuver; if we let them grow and become more complicated, they will definitely be much harder to solve.
44. He who talks gets tired faster.
During an exercise, talking does not allow us to control our breathing and that is why we get more tired.
45. He who insists too much on his views finds few people who agree with him.
We must accept the points of view of others, we must not want to impose our criteria.
46. The key to growth is the introduction of greater dimensions of consciousness into our consciousness.
To absorb greater knowledge, we must expand our minds and our ideas, we must never stop learning.
47. Be the boss, but never the lord.
We can direct someone, but they will never be our property, all people are holders of the same universal rights.
48. In thinking, keep it simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. At work, do what you enjoy. In family life, stay present.
This phrase very well lists the qualities that we should all have and how we should act in life.
49. May your body and your vital soul be united in an embrace without separation.
We must be in touch with our spirit, know who we really are and what we want to achieve in life.
50. Life and death are a thread, the same line seen from different sides.
Death is part of life, another experience that we will all go through at one time or another.
51. There is no greater danger than underestimating your opponent.
Underestimating our opponent will lead us to defeat, we must be cautious and always be prepared for the worst.
52. The good man is the teacher of the bad, and the bad man is the lesson of the good.
In life we can learn from those people we do not want to be like, because in this way we will have a clear example of how we should not act.
53. Ornate word is not sincere.
To convey things in the most reliable way, we must speak openly.
54. Nature does not have a human heart.
The environment does not look out for people’s interests, we must take care of ourselves.
55. Success is as dangerous as failure. Hope is as hollow as fear.
We should not anticipate events, being forewarned is a great quality.
56. Without moving externally, one can know the whole world: without looking out the window, one can see the way to heaven. The more you move, the less you know.
We often acquire knowledge through introspection; we must know ourselves to know everything else.
57. Perfection is the willingness to be imperfect.
When we are aware of our imperfections, we accept them and can live with them.
58. Run a great nation the way you would cook a small fish. Do not exaggerate.
Even the most powerful leaders must be cautious and forewarned.
59. Seeing things in the seed, that is genius.
When we value something for the power it can achieve, we can get ahead and take advantage of that power.
60. Anticipate the difficult by managing the easy.
We must be cautious and act when we still have time.
61. Fill your bowl to the brim and it will overflow. Continue sharpening your knife and it will wear down.
We should not rush things too much by being ambitious, we should know when something is enough.
62. A leader is best when people barely know he exists. When their work is done, their goal accomplished, they will say: we did it ourselves.
The job of a leader is well done when he makes the difficult easy and everything seems to come naturally.
63. Great indeed is the sublimity of the creative, to which all beings owe their beginning and which fills the entire sky.
Creation is something wonderful that we can all enjoy, we live on a great planet.
64. Be honest with those who are honest, and also be honest with those who are not honest.
Honesty is something that should always be present in our personality.
65. Knowing others is wisdom, knowing oneself is Enlightenment.
The greatest knowledge we can possess is self-knowledge.
66. Act without trying. Work without interfering. Find the flavor in the tasteless.
We must value the little things and also make the most of our actions.
67. A scholar who appreciates love only for its convenience is not prepared to be a scholar.
Being aware of all the positive things we have in our lives will lead us to achieve the goal we pursue.
68. Nature does not rush, however, everything is achieved.
With enough time and dedication anything will be possible.
69. If you practice equity, even if you die you will not perish.
Being equitable with what we give and receive from others is a great quality.
70. He who obtains has little. He who disperses has much.
We must give in order to receive, because in life we always receive the same currency with which we pay.
71. Weapons are not appropriate tools for kind people; kind people use them only when they have no other choice. They value peace and tranquility. They find no glory in victory.
The glory we achieve with the power of weapons will always stain our hands with blood.
72. He who considers everything easy will find life difficult.
When we take everything for granted it can give us the feeling that life has no mystery.
73. The true person rules when he empties his heart of desire and fills his belly with food, weakening his ambitions and strengthening his bones.
When we think most clearly, that is when we must make the most difficult decisions.
74. Health is the greatest possession. Satisfaction is the greatest treasure. Trust is the greatest friend. Not being is the greatest joy.
We must give thanks for all the gifts that life gives us and we must be more aware of them.
75. If the Great Way perishes there will be morality and duty. When intelligence and knowledge arise, great lies will flourish.
Society can lead us to meet people who may envy us, we should not get carried away by their tricks.
76. When you are content to simply be yourself and do not compare or compete, everyone will respect you.
The more honest we are with ourselves, the better people will be able to appreciate our qualities.
77. Convenience is simply the shadow of good and truth, it is the beginning of disorder.
Doing things because they are convenient for us can lead us down a bad path, we must be honest with our actions and thoughts.
78. He who knows how to bind does not use ropes or knots, and yet no one can untie what he has joined.
Those people who know how to manipulate the threads that move society achieve great power within it.
79. We turn the clay into a flowerpot, but what we want is its empty interior.
A good moral that tells us that even an empty space has great value.
80. When virtue is lost, benevolence appears, when benevolence is lost, right conduct appears, when right conduct is lost, expediency appears.
Being honest with the actions we carry out will make us never regret them.
81. Love is the strongest of all passions, since it attacks the head, the heart and the senses at the same time.
Love can totally change our mind and make us change our minds on many issues.
82. The weak and the tender defeat the hard and the strong.
Things may not be what they seem, water for example can pass through any rock.
83. People fail when they are about to succeed. If you are careful until the end, just as when you started, there will be no failure.
We should not consider things finished until we have reached their real end, we should not sell the bear’s skin before hunting it.
84. Time is something created. Saying “I don’t have time” is the same as saying “I don’t want to.”
When we want to do something or be with someone, we will always find enough time to do it.
85. The snow goose does not need a bath to turn white. Likewise, you also don’t need to do anything more than be yourself.
We must love and value ourselves for the person we are, self-esteem is something fundamental that we must cultivate in ourselves.
86. When I stop being what I am, I become what I could be.
To grow as individuals we must change ourselves, acquire wisdom and put it into practice in our lives.
87. If you don’t change direction, you may end up where you started.
The world is a sphere and if we always walk in the same direction we will turn it around, a good moral of what our lives can become.
88. The common man, when he undertakes something, ruins it because he is in a hurry to finish it.
Being patient will lead us to achieve our goals, rush is never a good companion.
89. The way to do is to be.
To achieve what we dream of so much, we must become the best version of ourselves.
90. Different in life, men are similar in death.
Death is omnipresent in all living beings. How we live our lives is what differentiates us from each other.
