When wisdom and knowledge appear, great pretense arises.

Rituals are the end of fidelity and honesty, and the beginning of confusion.

The way of heaven is to help and not harm.

To bear and not to own; to act and not lay claim; to do the work and let it go: for just letting it go is what makes it stay.

The truth is not always beautiful, nor beautiful words the truth.

Accept disgrace willingly... Accept being unimportant... Surrender yourself humbly; then you can be trusted to care for all things. Love the world as your own self; then you can truly care for all things.

Things flourish, then each returns to its root. Returning to the root is called stillness: Stillness is called return to life, return to life is called the constant; knowing the constant is called enlightenment.