立本

In all military operations, victory has three levels. Before the army is raised, establish the law; once the law is established, transform customs; once customs are transformed, prepare the instruments of war. These three must be accomplished within the borders before the army can march out. Practicing these three requires two conditions of power: first, support the law so that the law is practiced; second, ensure that every undertaking succeeds so that the law is firmly established. Those who rely on numbers alone are called 'patched together'; those who rely on equipment and decoration alone are called 'clever'; those who rely on reputation and appearance alone are called 'deceptive.' Relying on any one of these alone means your army can be captured. Therefore it is said: the strong must firmly contest with determination — when they contest, strength is exhausted; when strength is exhausted, they are fully prepared. Thus they will have no rival within the four seas. When governance proceeds, wealth accumulates; when wealth accumulates, rewards can be made generous. When reward is unified, ranks are honored; when ranks are honored, reward can be made profitable.

Therefore it is said: the army is born from governance yet differs from it; customs are born from law yet undergo myriad transformations; advantage in position originates in the mind yet is adorned by military preparedness. These three have their own logic.

Therefore strength can be established. For this reason: the strong are invariably well-governed, and the well-governed are invariably strong; the wealthy are invariably well-governed, and the well-governed are invariably wealthy; the strong are invariably wealthy, and the wealthy are invariably strong. Therefore it is said: there are three paths to order and strength — and this discusses their root.