Every human being's essential nature is perfect and faultless, but after years of immersion in the world we easily forget our roots and take on a counterfeit nature.

About Laozi

Portrait of Laozi

Laozi (variously spelled; , low-TSUH; Chinese: 老子; pinyin: Lǎozǐ) is the name traditionally given to an ancient Chinese philosopher, also identified as Li Er or Lao Dan, who is regarded as the author or originating teacher associated with the Tao Te Ching (Pinyin: Dào Dé Jīng), one of the foundational...

More quotations from Laozi

Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power.

The leader shows that style is no substitute for substance, that creating an impression is more potent than acting from one's center.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: We did it ourselves.

Those who justify themselves do not convince. To know truth one must get rid of knowledge; nothing is more powerful and creative than emptiness.

More quotations tagged with “fault”

If we had no faults of our own, we should not take so much pleasure in noticing those in others and judging their lives as either black or white, good or bad. We all live our lives in shades of gray.

—Shannon L. Alder

others bad pleasure good noticing fault

We confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no large ones.

—Francois de La Rochefoucauld

perception fault confession

Never find fault with the absent.

—Alexander Pope

absence anger fault

All good qualities in a child are the result of environment, while all the bad ones are the result of poor heredity on the side of the other parent.

—Elinor Goulding Smith

children parents blame environment fault

If you wish to be loved, show more of your faults than your virtues.

—Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton

love virtue fault