Inspirational Quotes by Zhiming Yuan

“if I had not the body, what great calamity could come to me?”

“Use convention to govern a state, use surprise in waging war, use disinterest to take the world. How do I know this is so? When there are many taboos in the world, the people grow poorer and poorer. When the people have many weapons, the nation grows more benighted. When the people are very crafty, weird things arise more and more. The greater the articulation of rules of law, the more brigands and outlaws there are. Therefore a wise rulers says, “If I contrive nothing, the people will naturally be civilized. If I am fond of tranquility, the people will naturally be upright.  If I am disinterested, the people will naturally become rich.  If I want not to want, the people will naturally be innocent.”

“Knowing constancy is enlightenment.”

“The wise person acts but does not take credit. Leads, but does not rule.”

“gave their (right) names to things without seeing them;”

“Therefore the sages got their knowledge without travelling;”

“Hence (its way) is near to (that of) the Tao.”

“Therefore the sage, while he never does what is great, is able on that account to accomplish the greatest things.”

“Therefore a sage has said, 'I will do nothing (of purpose), and the people will be transformed of themselves;”

“The wise person leads by remaining in the background.”

“We meet it and do not see its Front; we follow it, and do not see its Back.”

“When we can lay hold of the Tao of old to direct the things of the present day, and are able to know it as it was of old in the beginning, this is called (unwinding) the clue of Tao.”

“Wealth, status, pride, are their own ruin. To do good, work well, and lie low is the way of the blessing.”

“When a country is in harmony with the Tao, the factories make trucks and tractors. When a country goes counter to the Tao, warheads are stockpiled outside the cities. There is no greater illusion than fear, no greater wrong than preparing to defend yourself, no greater misfortune than having an enemy. Whoever can see through all fear will always be safe.”

“Bring out the best in yourself, and you will bring out the best in others.”

“Passing on, it becomes remote. Having become remote, it returns.”

“when he is going to despoil another, he will first have made gifts to him:—”

“Men resort to him, and receive no hurt, but (find) rest, peace, and the feeling of ease.”

“The masters were said to be profound because they show the greatest wisdom when comfortable in Life’s mysterious and unknown depths”

“And when (one with the highest excellence) does not wrangle (about his low position), no one finds fault with him.”