Ming-Dao Deng quotes:

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

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

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.

A moving door hinge never corrodes. Flowing water never grows stagnant.

Once you have seen the face of God, you see the same face on everyone you meet.

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.

Cooperation with others. Perception, experience, tenacity. Know when to lead and when to follow.

The appreciation of life does not require wealth or plenty. It requires only gratitude for the beauty of the world.

if i dont want to be known, i cannot be known.the best actor can divide role from self.the best liar can divide truth from falsity.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

By being receptive, we can avail ourselves of the spiritual wealth available to us. By being open, we can receive things beyond what we ourselves might imagine.

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.

Do you want to know how spirituality works? Breathe.

Even on the road to hell, flowers can make you smile.

Eventually, the time of action must come. When this happens, be a winner! Don't settle for mediocre results. Don't try to stay even. Go for it all!

Expression is never helped by suppression.

Give back what you have learned. Share your experience.

Knowing the steps to create living growth: that is art.

Muddy water will become clear if allowed to stand undisturbed, and so too will the mind become clear if it is allowed to be still.

The sages say that life is illusion, but does that change its poignancy?

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.

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.

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

Let us be sad; it is feeling that makes us human.

Money is never more important than your body and mind, but you must work and support yourself. Never depend on others for your livelihood.

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.

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

Reject labels. Reject identities. Reject conformity. Reject convention. Reject definitions. Reject names.

Self-discipline leads to higher spiritual states only if practiced with under- standing. The clearer the goal, the greater the result.

The follower of Tao is always flexible and adaptable to circumstance.

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.

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.

There is no language of the holy. The sacred lies in the ordinary.

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

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.

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

Use a mirror in difficult times. You will see both cause and resolution.

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.

We need faith, not because there are beings who will punish us or reward us, but because gods are a wonderful way of describing things that are happening to us.

Whether we remain the ash or become the phoenix is up to us.

Who you are is always right.

Worry is an addiction that interferes with compassion.

You may be capable of great things, But life consists of small things.

Young people need compassion and guidance, not obscure mysticism. Here are some guidelines for young people: Remember that you are always your own person. Do not surrender your mind, heart, or body to any person. Never compromise your dignity for any reason. Maintain your health with sound diet, hygiene, exercise, and clean living. Don't engage in drugs or drinking. Money is never more important than your body and mind, but you must work and support yourself. Never depend on others for your livelihood.