Ming-Dao Deng famous quotes

All teachings are mere references. The true experience is living your own life. Then, even the holiest of words are only words.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Inspirational #Teacher #Teaching

It is too facile to say that the way to follow Tao is to simply go along with the flow of life. Sometimes, like the carp, we must know when to go it alone.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Way #Flow #Tao

Some Warriors look fierce, but are mild. Some seem timid, but are vicious. Look beyond appearances; position yourself for the advantage.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Warrior #Fighting #Looks

The moon does not fight. It attacks no one. It does not worry. It does not try to crush others. It keeps to its course, but by its very nature, it gently influences. What other body could pull an entire ocean from shore to shore? The moon is faithful to its nature and its power is never diminished.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Crush #Ocean #Fighting

Once we make our decision, all things will come to us. Auspicious signs are not a superstition, but a confirmation. They are a response.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Decision #Superstitions #Confirmation

When it is time to part, then it is time to part. There should be no regrets. The beauty of marriage is like the fleeting perfection of a snowflake.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Regret #Perfection #Fleeting

A tree uses what comes its way to nurture itself. By sinking its roots deeply into the earth, by accepting the rain that flows towards it, by reaching out to the sun, the tree perfects its character and becomes great. ... Absorb, absorb, absorb. That is the secret of the tree.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Rain #Character #Roots

Those truly linked don't need correspondence. When they meet again after many years apart, Their friendship is as true as ever.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Friendship #Real Friends #Years

There is no language of the holy. The sacred lies in the ordinary.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Lying #Sacred #Ordinary

Worry is an addiction that interferes with compassion.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Compassion #Addiction #Worry

Expression is never helped by suppression.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Expression #Feel Good #Suppression

Who you are is always right.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Who You Are

Only when peace lives within each of us, will it live outside of us. We must be the wombs for a new harmony. When it is small, peace is fragile. Like a baby, it needs nurturing attention. We must protect peace from violence and perversion if it is to grow. We must be strong to do this. But force, even in the name of honor, is always tragic. Instead, we must use the strength of wisdom and conscience. Only that power can nurture peace in this difficult time.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Baby #Peace #Strong

You may be capable of great things, But life consists of small things.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#May #Great Things #Capable

Build your life brick upon brick, Live a life of truth, And you will look back on a life of truth. Live a life of fantasy, And you will look back on delusion.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Motivational #Bricks #Looks

If you have a good idea, use it so that you will not only accomplish something, but so that you can make room for new ones to flow into you.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Ideas #Rooms #Flow

Give back what you have learned. Share your experience.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Giving #Experience #Giving Back

It is said that if one chooses to pray to a rock with enough devotion, even that rock will come alive.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Prayer #Rocks #Alive

Even on the road to hell, flowers can make you smile.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Smile #Flower #Make You Smile

The follower of Tao is always flexible and adaptable to circumstance.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Followers #Tao #Circumstances

Trees in winter lose their leaves. Some trees may even fall during storms, but most stand patiently and bear their fortune.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Fall #Winter #Tree

Whether we remain the ash or become the phoenix is up to us.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Phoenix #Ashes

An ancient gnarled tree: Too fibrous for a logger's saw, Too twisted to fit a carpenter's square, Outlasts the whole forest.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Squares #Tree #Taoism

The idea that each of us can be directly spiritual is radical. Most religions are based not on teaching adherents to be directly spiritual, but in persuading them to trust in the intercession of ministers or priests. The problem with this approach is that we cannot gain access to spirituality except through the medium of a fallible human being. If we want to see Tao, we need only open our eyes and trust what we see.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Spiritual #Teaching #Eye

Did you measure to attain your height? Did you use geometry to radiate your limb? Did you lament storm-torn branches? Did you inventory your leaves for the sun? You did none of these things, yet man in his cleverness Cannot match your perfection.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Men #Perfection #Tree

Let us be sad; it is feeling that makes us human.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Feelings #Humans

The sages say that life is illusion, but does that change its poignancy?
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Life #Sage #Doe

Knowing the steps to create living growth: that is art.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Life #Art #Knowing

A moving door hinge never corrodes. Flowing water never grows stagnant.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Moving #Doors #Water

A funeral is for those left behind. Sometimes, one wonders if the weeping is more out of fear for ourselves than it is sympathy for the deceased.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Fear #Funeral #Sometimes

Rain scatters plum petals; Weeping stains the earth. One can only take shelter And wait for clearing.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Rain #Rivers #Water

We may be floating on Tao, but there is nothing wrong with steering. If Tao is like a river, it is certainly good to know where the rocks are.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Rocks #Rivers #Floating

Grappling with fate is like meeting an expert wrestler: to escape, you have to accept the fall when you are thrown. The only thing that counts is whether you get back up.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Fall #Wrestling #Fate

Those who don't know how to suffer are the worst off. There are times when the only correct thing we can do is to bear out troubles until a better day.
-- Ming-Dao Deng

#Suffering #Bears #Better Days