Chapter 60

The Stoic and Plotinian doctrine that all parts of the cosmos are bound by hidden affinities, so that a movement in one part resonates through the whole; the metaphysical basis for astrology, magic, and divination.

The passage describes a harmonious resonance where the spiritual energy of the departed and the actions of the sage do not injure each other but converge in virtue.

Pronoia — the doctrine that the divine actively orders the unfolding of the cosmos and human affairs toward intelligible ends, against pure chance or blind necessity.

The passage describes the kingdom being governed according to the Tao, implying an active ordering principle directing human affairs and spiritual interactions.

The dissolution of binary oppositions (male/female, inner/outer, above/below) as a mark of spiritual completion.

[auto] The text describes spirits and humans ceasing to injure one another, dissolving their potential conflict into harmonious convergence.

Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight.

[auto] The analogy of governing a great state like cooking small fish uses scale reversal to illustrate the principle of non-interference.

The doctrine that all existence is ultimately one substance or one divine reality; non-duality as a theological claim.

The text states that the good influences of spirits and humans converge in the virtue of the Tao, suggesting a unification of distinct entities under one principle.

Effortless action aligned with the spontaneous flow of the Dao; non-coercive, non-striving conduct that yields results without forcing — the sage acts without acting.

[auto] The metaphor of governing a state like cooking small fish (avoiding excessive stirring) is a quintessential illustration of non-coercive, effortless action aligned with the Dao.