The tao te chang talks about how the universe works, or Tao. Do i need a comma before or because it is just adding extra information?

Question

The defenition of tao is how the universe works

Answer 1

You would use the comma; you are refining and restating the phrase immediately preceding. -- It might be more apt to compare the Tao to a construct (the order of the Universe, or how the Universe *is*), rather than to a mechanism (how the Universe *works*), however. Just sayin'!

Answer 2

The Tao Te Chang talks about how the Universe works. No comma is needed in this case.

 

However if it reads, "The Tao Te Chang talks about how the Universe works. The definition of Tao, is how the Universe works," the comma is used because it is an appositive (parenthetical phrase).