– 60 –
Governing a large country
is like frying a small fish.
You spoil it with too much poking.
~
Approach the universe with the Tao
and evil will have no power.
Not that it isn’t there,
but you will be able to step out of its way.
~
Give evil nothing to oppose
then virtue will return by itself.
~
Commentary
Lao Tzu begins this verse with a humorous but pertinent metaphor in which he again stresses that trying too hard to make things turn out right often causes more problems than it solves. So don’t poke your fish too much! One of the keys to living a Tao-based life is to relinquish our tendency to force things and to know when less is more.
This verse also speaks of evil. Another word for evil is ignorance. Ignorance is usually at the root of all acts of cruelty and harm and all too easily leads other undesirable states such as hatred, prejudice and self-righteousness.
To be centred in the Tao is to bring a shining light into the darkness. The darkness is then either transformed by the light, or repelled by it. Either way, Lao Tzu suggests that being centred in the Tao is the best solution for dealing with evil. It may not cease to exist, but it loses its power to harm.
…
If you have enjoyed this series on the Tao Te Ching, it is now available as a collected volume in both paperback and ebook format on Amazon.
