The river and the sea can be kings of a hundred valleys, because they lie below them.

If people live in constant fear of death, and if breaking the law is punished by death, then who would dare?

The Tao of the sage is work without effort.

He who knows how to be aggressive, and yet remains patient, becomes a receptacle for all of Nature's lessons.

Truthful words are not beautiful; beautiful words are not truthful. Good words are not persuasive; persuasive words are not good.

When they lose their sense of awe, people turn to religion. When they no longer trust themselves, they begin to depend upon authority. Therefore the Master steps back so that people won't be confused. He teaches without a teaching, so that people will have nothing to learn.

That the soft overcomes the hard, and the yielding overcomes the resistant, is a fact known by all, but practiced by few.