The true men of old did not dream when they slept, had no worries when they woke, did not seek delicious food, and breathed deeply.
— Zhuangzi, Zhuangzi, The Great Master, China, Warring States Period (4th century BCE)
古之真人，其寢不夢，其覺無憂，其食不甘，其息深深
Confucius said: a person of integrity has three cautions. In youth, when the blood and spirit are not yet settled, be cautious about desire. In the prime of life, when the blood and spirit are strong and vigorous, be cautious about conflict. In old age, when the blood and spirit have declined, be cautious about greed.
— Confucius, Analects of Confucius, Ji Shi, China, Spring and Autumn Period (5th century BCE)
孔子曰：「君子有三戒：少之時，血氣未定，戒之在色；及其壯也，血氣方剛，戒之在鬥；及其老也，血氣既衰，戒之在得。」
Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
— Buddha, Dhammapada, Verse 204, India, 6th-5th century BCE
आरोग्यपरमा लाभा, सन्तुट्ठीपरमं धनं (Ārogyaparamā lābhā, santuṭṭhīparamaṃ dhanaṃ)
The pine and cypress are the last to wither in the bitter cold; the rooster continues to crow through wind and rain. In the darkest hour when all are confused, there have never failed to be those who remain sober and awake.
— Gu Yanwu, "On Integrity and Shame", China, Ming-Qing Transition (1613–1682 CE)
松柏後凋於歲寒，雞鳴不已於風雨，，彼眾昏之日，固未嘗無獨醒之人也。
Kindness is seeing a wrong done to oneself, returning it with good.
— Thiruvalluvar, Tirukkural, India (Tamil), 1st century BCE - 5th century CE
இன்னா செய்தாரை ஒறுத்தல் அவர் நாண நன்னயம் செய்து விடல் (Iṉṉā ceytārai oṟuttal avar nāṇa naṉṉayam ceytu viṭal)
When the birds have flown away, a good bow is stored; when the cunning rabbit is dead, the hunting dogs are cooked. Some people can only share hardships, not prosperity. When those around you have no value, they can be killed or abandoned.
— Sima Qian, Records of the Grand Historian, House of King Goujian of Yue, China, Western Han Dynasty (2nd–1st century BCE)
飛鳥盡，良弓藏；狡兔死，走狗烹。越王為人長頸鳥啄，可與共患難，不可與共樂，子何不去？
Not knowing is Buddha.
— Zen Proverb, Zen Teaching, Japan, Traditional
不知是佛 (Fuchi ze butsu)
A great man is one who has not lost the heart of a child.
— Mencius, Mencius, 4B:12, China, Warring States (372-289 BCE)
大人者，不失其赤子之心者也 (Dàrén zhě, bù shī qí chìzǐ zhī xīn zhě yě)
The winds of grace blow all the time. All we need to do is set our sails.
— Ramakrishna, Gospel of Ramakrishna, India, Modern (1836-1886)
Unify your will. Do not listen with your ears but listen with your heart. Do not listen with your heart but listen with your qi. The ear stops at hearing; the heart stops at matching signs. But qi is empty and waits for all things. Only the Tao gathers in emptiness. Emptiness — that is the fasting of the heart.
— Zhuangzi, Zhuangzi, In the World of Men, China, Warring States Period (4th century BCE)
若一志，無聽之以耳而聽之以心；無聽之以心而聽之以氣。耳止於聽，心止於符。氣也者，虛而待物者也。唯道集虛。虛者，心齋也。
The little things? The little moments? They aren't little.
— Jon Kabat-Zinn, Various Teachings, America/Buddhist, Modern (1944-)
Tears form in pearls beneath the bright moon over the vast sea; warmth turns jade to mist in the sunlit fields of Lantian. This feeling was always meant to become a memory — yet even at the time, it was already slipping into bewilderment.
— Li Shangyin, "The Ornate Zither", China, Tang Dynasty (813–858 CE)
滄海月明珠有淚，藍田日暖玉生煙。此情可待成追憶，只是當時已惘然。
The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.
— Anonymous, Japanese Proverb, Japan, Traditional Folk Wisdom
出る杭は打たれる (deru kui wa utareru)
A journey of a hundred miles is only half done when ninety.
— Various Authors, Strategies of the Warring States, Qin Strategy Five, China, Warring States Period (475–221 BCE)
行百里者半九十。
The river that flows in you also flows in me.
— Kabir, Dohas, India, 15th century (1440-1518)
जो नदी तुममें बहती है, वही मुझमें भी बहती है (Jo nadī tummeṃ bahtī hai, vahī mujhmeṃ bhī bahtī hai)
The sage does not compete, and therefore no one can compete with him.
— Laozi, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 22, China, Zhou Dynasty (6th century BCE)
以其不爭，故天下莫能與之爭
To define yourself is to limit yourself.
— Ajahn Chah, Forest Dhamma, Thailand, Modern (1918-1992)
Not boasting about oneself leads to accomplishments; not being arrogant leads to growth.
— Laozi, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 22, China, Zhou Dynasty (6th century BCE)
不自伐 故有功；不自矜 故長
In spring it is the dawn that is most beautiful. As the light creeps over the hills, their outlines are dyed a faint red, and wisps of purplish cloud trail over them.
— Sei Shōnagon, The Pillow Book, Japan, Heian Period (966–1017 CE)
春はあけぼの。やうやう白くなりゆく山際、少しあかりて、紫だちたる雲の細くたなびきたる
When we were both young, I thought our separation would be brief and we would eventually live together for a long time. So I left you to seek a modest salary in the capital. Had I known it would come to this, I would not have left you for a single day, not even for the rank of the highest minister.
— Han Yu, "Funeral Oration for My Nephew", China, Tang Dynasty (768–824 CE)
吾與汝俱少年，以為雖暫相別，終當久相與處。故舍汝而旅食京師，以求斗斛之祿。誠知其如此，雖萬乘之公相，吾不以一日輟汝而就也。
He who stands on tiptoe does not stand firm.
— Laozi, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 24, China, Zhou Dynasty (6th century BCE)
企者不立 (Qǐ zhě bù lì)
Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life; dream of it; think of it; live on that idea.
— Swami Vivekananda, Lectures, India, Modern (1863-1902)
Like Liezi who could ride the wind and fly, graceful and skilled, returning only after five days. He did not pursue happiness eagerly. Although he avoided the labor of walking, he still had to wait for favorable winds. If one can follow the natural order of heaven and earth, understand the changes of the six qi, and roam endlessly, what is there left to wait for? Hence it is said, the superior person has no self, the divine person has no achievements, the sage has no reputation.
— Zhuangzi, Zhuangzi, Free and Easy Wandering, China, Warring States Period (4th century BCE)
夫列子御風而行，泠然善也，旬有五日而後反。彼於致福者，未數數然也。此雖免乎行，猶有所待者也。若夫乘天地之正，而御六氣之辯，以遊無窮者，彼且惡乎待哉！故曰：至人無己，神人無功，聖人無名。
Treat every moment as your last. It is not preparation for something else.
— Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, Japan, Modern (1904-1971)
すべての瞬間を最後の瞬間として扱いなさい (Subete no shunkan wo saigo no shunkan toshite atsukainasai)
In the original substance of the mind there is no distinction between good and evil.
— Wang Yangming, Instructions for Practical Living, China, Ming Dynasty (1472-1529)
無善無惡心之體
One who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is intelligent among men.
— Vyasa, Bhagavad Gita, 4.18, India, 5th-2nd century BCE
कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येद्
Do not change the ruler's orders, do not force the completion of tasks, excessive words are unnecessary. Changing the ruler's orders and forcing completion of tasks are risky. Achieving good results requires long-term efforts, while correcting bad outcomes may be too late. How can one not be cautious?
— Zhuangzi, Zhuangzi, In the World of Men, China, Warring States Period (4th century BCE)
故法言曰：『無遷令，無勸成，過度益也。』遷令勸成殆事，美成在久，惡成不及改，可不慎與！
The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.
— Alan Watts, The Wisdom of Insecurity, England/Eastern, Modern (1915-1973)
A person of depth cannot be fully understood through small tasks, but can be entrusted with great responsibilities. A petty person cannot be entrusted with great responsibilities, but can be assessed through small tasks.
— Confucius, Analects of Confucius, Duke Ling of Wei, China, Spring and Autumn Period (5th century BCE)
君子不可小知，而可大受也；小人不可大受，而可小知也
O snail, climb Mount Fuji, but slowly, slowly!
— Kobayashi Issa, Haiku Collection, Japan, Edo Period (1763-1828)
おそいかたつむり そろそろ登れ 富士の山 (Osoi katatsumuri / sorosoro nobore / Fuji no yama)