Once upon a time a man whose ax was missing suspected his neighbor's son. The boy walked like a thief, looked like a thief and spoke like a thief. But the man found his ax while digging in the valley, and the next time he saw his neighbor's son, the boy walked, looked and spoke like any other child.

Clay is fashioned into vessels; it is on their empty hollowness that their use depends. Doors and windows are cut out to make a dwelling, and on the empty space within, its use depends. Thus, while the existence of things may be good, it is the non-existence in them that makes them serviceable.

What has no substance can penetrate what has no opening.

To know others is to have knowledge. To know yourself is to be enlightened.

Kindness in thought leads to wisdom. Kindness in speech leads to eloquence. Kindness in action leads to love.

The Great Tao flows everywhere, to the left and to the right, all things depend on it to exist, and it does not abandon them. To its accomplishments it lays no claims. It loves and nourished all things, but does not lord it over them.

I have three treasures that I cherish. The first is compassion. The second is moderation. The third is not claiming to be first in the world.