What are your favourite short Taoist phrases?

Discussion in 'Taoism' started by Birmingham, Apr 7, 2007.

  1. Birmingham

    Birmingham Member

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    I'll start... my favourites include:

    * Teach by example, not by words.

    * Pretty words aren't sincere, sincere words aren't pretty.

    * Those who talk don't know, those who know don't talk.

    * The great leader wears rags and carries cash inside.

    * The great leader benefits and does not harm.

    * Moving on when work is done: heaven's way.

    * Call them both deep, deep and again deep - the way to all mystery.

    * What others fear I should fear: how stupid!

    * Only faulting faults is faultless. By faulting faults the great leader is faultless.


    What are your favourite short Taoist phrases?
     
  2. mandell

    mandell Banned

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    Tao expresses itself as the multiplicity of beings.
    - Chuang Tzu


    To follow Tao, look within and return to the universal Self.
    - Lao Tzu
     
  3. philuk

    philuk Member

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    The eternal Tao is the grace in all things.
     
  4. prismatism

    prismatism loves you

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    this isn't exactly short but i love it :D. from the tao te ching.

    man at his birth is supple and weak; at his death, firm and strong. so it is with all things. trees and plants, in their early growth, are soft and brittle; at their death, dry and withered. thus it is that firmness and strength are the concomitants of death; softness and weakness, the concomitants of life. hence he who relies on the strength of his forces does not conquer; and a tree which is strong will fill the out-stretched arms. therefore the place of what is firm and strong is below, and that of what is soft and weak is above.
     
  5. Cornball1

    Cornball1 Member

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    Have some tea.
     
  6. BlackBillBlake

    BlackBillBlake resigned HipForums Supporter

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  7. dirtydog

    dirtydog Banned

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    LEAVE ME ALONE.


    Leave it alone.
    Leave us alone.

    Fill the belly. Empty the mind.

    Learn to forget.

    America shits money. Shit here.
     
  8. taw

    taw Member

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    The Tao of Taw
     
  9. Quoth the Raven

    Quoth the Raven RaveIan

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    Wu-Wei

    'nuff said.
     
  10. Exposed

    Exposed Member

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    The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao, of course.
     
  11. Musikero

    Musikero Lifetime Supporter Lifetime Supporter

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    Heaven and Earth do nothing, and yet there is nothing that remains undone.
     
  12. OlderWaterBrother

    OlderWaterBrother May you drink deeply Lifetime Supporter

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    To act sincerely with the insincere is dangerous.

    No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.

    It is not hard to produce wisdom... what is hard is to have wisdom not interrupted.

    The journey is the reward.

    Follow Nature
     
  13. underthesun

    underthesun Member

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    As Soon As The World Regards Something As Good, Evil Simultaneously Becomes Apparent.



    When One's Task Is Accomplished, One Lets Go Of It And Seeks No Reward Or Recognition. Because One Does Not Claim Credit For Oneself, One Does Not Do Any Damage To Oneself.



    Empty Your Mind. Enjoy Good Health. Weaken Your Ambitions. Strengthen Your Essence.



    Many Words Lead One Nowhere. Many Pursuits In Different Directions Bring Only Exhaustion. Rather, Embrace The Subtle Essence Within.



    Give Birth To And Nourish All Things Without Desiring To Possess Them. Give Of Yourself Without Expecting Anything In Return. Assist People, But Do Not Attempt To Control Them. This Is How To Realize The Deep Virtue Of The Universe.






    One Cannot Inspire Confidence In People Through Words Alone. It Must Be Accompanied Be Correct Deeds. When One Of Subtle Virtue Has Accomplished His Tasks, All The People Will Say, "it Is We Ourselves Who Made It So."



    Let All People Return To Their True Nature. Love, Kindness, Wisdom, Family Harmony And Loyalty Should Not Be Taught One By One, Seperately From An Honest Life. Then, Once Again, People Will Regain The Natural Virtue Of Wholeness. The World Will Be Naturally Ordered. There Will Be No One Who Singly And Cunningly Works For Personal Interest Alone.
     
  14. Naked_Taoist

    Naked_Taoist Member

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    "It is the unmanifest potentiality from which all manifestations proceed"

    -- Hua-Ching Ni
     
  15. dirtydog

    dirtydog Banned

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    I'll bring this along to my landlord when I'm explaining why the rent hasn't been paid.
     
  16. sathead

    sathead Banned

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    Then why the existence of property for possession? Those projects I believe will change in the year of the Ox.:gnorsi:
     
  17. dirtydog

    dirtydog Banned

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    That's what the fellow was probably asking two weeks ago, when he froze to death outside the public library here in town.

    It is better to be warm than cold.
     
  18. famewalk

    famewalk Banned

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    This one has an ego for itself just the same.

    I must write italics for the quote machine is a dead beat.

    Doing Representation

    Would lower taxes make for her a better dress?
    When Beauty is in the eye of the beholder;
    Such that the good functional dress needs higher taxes.
    :cheers2:



     
  19. Mr.Peaches

    Mr.Peaches Member

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    - By not doing everything is done

    - Happiness is not a destination but a way of traveling

    and indeed, the Tao that can be told is not the universal Tao
     
  20. oldwolf

    oldwolf Waysharing-not moderating Super Moderator

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    carry water, chop wood
     

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