The Quotes canon
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Browse all 10,075 quotes or apply filters in different categories to narrow your search.
Browse all 10,075 quotes or apply filters in different categories to narrow your search.
Philosophical literature45 quotes
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. — Lao Tzu · 400 BCNature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. — Lao Tzu · 400 BCWhen one is at ease with himself, one is near Tao. — Zhuang Zhou · 221 BCMoral force never dwells in solitude; it will always bring neighbors. — Confucius · 221 BCI for my part am not one of those who have innate knowledge. I am simply one who loves the past and who is diligent in investigating it. — Confucius · 221 BCIs Goodness indeed so far away? If we really wanted Goodness, we should find that it was at our very side. — Confucius · 221 BCAll 45 quotes →Religious literature39 quotes
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. — Lao Tzu · 400 BCFor hate is not conquered by hate: hate is conquered by love. This is a law eternal. — Pali Tipitaka · 100 BCNature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. — Lao Tzu · 400 BCDo not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. — Gautama Buddha · 511 BCThe sage does not accumulate for himself.
The more he uses for others, the more he has himself.
The more he gives to others, the more he possesses of his own.
The Way of Heaven is to benefit others and not to injure.
The Way of the sage is to act but not to compete. — Lao Tzu · 400 BCEven to be attached to the idea of enlightenment is to go astray. — Jianzhi Sengcan · 606All 39 quotes →Military treatise4 quotes
Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be defeated. — Sun Tzu · 475 BCBe extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate. — Sun Tzu · 490 BCTo fight and conquer in all our battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting. — Sun Tzu · 500 BCThe best victory is when the opponent surrenders of its own accord before there are any actual hostilities... It is best to win without fighting. — Sun Tzu · 490 BCEpic poem1 quote
From the days of old there is no permanence. The sleeping and the dead, how alike they are, they are like a painted death. What is there between the master and the servant when both have fulfilled their doom? — The Epic of Gilgamesh · 1000 BCHistorical literature1 quote
Though bitter, good medicine cures illness. Though it may hurt, loyal criticism will have beneficial effects. — Sima Qian · 109 BCPolitical literature1 quote
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. — Kautilya · 300 BCWisdom literature1 quote
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. — Ahiqar · 500 BC