軍勢

King Wu asked Taigong: 'What is the way of attack and conquest?' Taigong said: 'Momentum arises from the enemy's own movement. Transformation is born between the two battle lines. The orthodox and the unorthodox spring from an inexhaustible source. Therefore the most critical affairs are never spoken of, and the employment of troops is never discussed. In the most critical affairs, words are not worth hearing. In the employment of troops, their shape is not worth seeing. They depart suddenly, they arrive suddenly. That which can act independently without being controlled — that is the army.'

When the enemy hears of you, he deliberates. When he sees you, he plans. When he knows your situation, he is cornered. When he can analyze you, he is in danger. Therefore the good commander does not wait until the army is fully deployed. He who is good at eliminating threats addresses them before they sprout. He who is good at defeating the enemy defeats him in formlessness. The supreme battle is fought without an opponent. Therefore he who struggles for victory at the point of clashing blades is not a good general. He who sets up defenses after a loss is not a supreme sage. He whose wisdom is the same as the crowd is not a teacher of the nation. He whose skill is the same as the crowd is not a master craftsman of the nation. In affairs, nothing is greater than certain victory. In employment, nothing is greater than mysterious silence. In movement, nothing is more divine than the unexpected. In strategy, nothing is better than being incomprehensible. He who wins first appears weak before the enemy and fights only afterward — therefore he does half the work and achieves double the result.'

The sage takes his signs from the movements of heaven and earth — who can know his patterns? He follows the way of yin and yang and responds to its signs. He conforms to the waxing and waning of heaven and earth and makes it his constant. Things have death and life according to the forms of heaven and earth. Therefore it is said: to fight before the shape of things is visible — though your numbers be great, you will surely lose. The good commander maintains his position without wavering. When he sees victory, he rises. When he cannot win, he stops. Therefore it is said: have no fear, have no hesitation. In the employment of troops, the greatest harm is hesitation. The greatest disaster for the three armies is indecision. The skilled commander sees advantage and does not let it slip; when the moment arrives, he does not hesitate. If you lose the advantage and miss the moment, the disaster will turn upon you. Therefore the wise man pursues it without relenting, and the skilled man decides at once without wavering. Thus the crack of thunder leaves no time to cover the ears, and the flash of lightning leaves no time to close the eyes. Rush at them as if startled, employ them as if mad — those who stand against it are broken, those who approach are destroyed. Who can withstand this?'

A general who guards what he does not speak of — that is spiritual power. A general who perceives what he does not see — that is clarity. He who knows the way of spiritual clarity will have no equal enemy in the field, and no rival state that can stand against him.' King Wu said: 'Excellent!'