“You don't force him, beat him, and give him orders because you know that 'soft' is stronger than 'hard,' that water is stronger than the rocks, that love is stronger than compulsion.”

“...for you know that soft is stronger than hard, water stronger than rock, love stronger than force." Vesadeva to Siddartha”

“You don't force him, don't beat him, don't give him orders, because you know that 'soft' is stronger than 'hard', Water stronger than rocks, love stronger than force. Very good, I praise you. But aren't you mistaken in thinking that you wouldn't force him, wouldn't punish him? Don't you shackle him with your love? Don't you make him feel inferior every day, and don't you make it even harder on him with your kindness and patience? Don't you force him, the arrogant and pampered boy, to live in a hut with two old banana-eaters, to whom even rice is a delicacy, whose thoughts can't be his, whose hearts are old and quiet and beats in a different pace than his? Isn't forced, isn't he punished by all this?”

“. . . gentleness is stronger than severity, water is stronger than rock, love is stronger than force.”

“To be with someone who is stronger than you. To have him relinquish his strength.”

“You understand... just what the Taoists mean when they say that soft is stronger than hard.”