The Art of War by Sun Tzu Samurai Strategies Free Audiobook pt 5 6 Energy Weak Points

A really interesting audiobook that is favoured by self-help gurus.

this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information and to find out how you can volunteer please visit librivox.org recording by moira fogarty the art of war by sun tzu translated by lionel giles part 5 energy sun tzu said the control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers fighting with a large army under your command is no wise different from fighting with a small one it is merely a question of instituting signs and signals to ensure that your whole host may withstand the brunt of the enemy's attack and remain unshaken this is affected by maneuvers direct and indirect that the impact of your army may be like a grindstone dashed against an egg this is affected by the science of weak points and strong in all fighting the direct method may be used for joining battle but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory indirect tactics efficiently applied are inexhaustible as heaven and earth unending is the flow of rivers and streams like the sun and moon they end but to begin anew like the four seasons they pass away to return once more there are not more than five musical notes yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard there are not more than five primary colors blue yellow red white and black yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever be seen there are not more than five cardinal tastes sour acrid salt sweet bitter yet combinations of them yield more flavors than can ever be tasted in battle there are not more than two methods of attack the direct and the indirect yet these two in combination give rise to an endless series of maneuvers the direct and the indirect lead on to each other in turn it is like moving in a circle you never come to an end who can exhaust the possibilities of their combination the onset of troops is like the rush of a torrent which will even roll stones along in its course the quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim therefore the good fighter will be terrible in his onset and prompt in his decision energy may be likened to the bending of a crossbow decision to the releasing of a trigger amid the turmoil and tumult of battle there may be seeming disorder and yet no real disorder at all amid confusion and chaos your array may be without head or tail yet it will be proof against defeat simulated disorder postulates perfect discipline simulated fear postulates courage simulated weakness postulates strength hiding order beneath the cloak of disorder is simply a question of subdivision concealing courage under their show of timidity presupposes a fund of latent energy masking strength with weakness is to be affected by tactical dispositions thus one who is skillful at keeping the enemy on the move maintains deceitful appearances according to which the enemy will act he sacrifices something that the enemy may snatch at by holding out baits he keeps him on the march then with a body of picked men he lies in wait for him the clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy and does not require too much from individuals hence his ability to pick out the right men and utilize combined energy when he utilizes combined energy his fighting men become as it were like unto rolling logs or stones for it is the nature of a log of stone to remain motionless on level ground and to move when on a slope if four cornered to come to a standstill but if round shaped to go rolling down thus the energy developed by good fighting men is as the momentum of a round stone rolled down a mountain thousands of feet in height so much on the subject of energy end of part five

part six weak points and strong sun tzu said whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy will be fresh for the fight whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him by holding out advantages to him he can cause the enemy to approach of his own accord or by inflicting damage he can make it impossible for the enemy to draw near if the enemy is taking his ease he can harass him if while supplied with food he can starve him out if quietly encamped he can force him to move appear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend march swiftly to places where you are not expected an army may march great distances without distress if it marches through country where the enemy is not you can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which are undefended you can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked hence that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack oh divine art of subtlety and secrecy through you we learn to be invisible through you inaudible and hence we can hold the enemy's fate in our hands you may advance and be absolutely irresistible if you make for the enemy's weak points you may retire and be safe from pursuit if your movements are more rapid than those of the enemy if we wish to fight the enemy can be forced to an engagement even though he be sheltered behind a high rampart and a deep ditch all we need do is attack some other place that he will be obliged to relieve if we do not wish to fight we can prevent the enemy from engaging us even though the lines of our encampment be merely traced out on the ground all we need do is throw something odd and unaccountable in his way by discovering the enemy's dispositions and remaining invisible ourselves we can keep our forces concentrated while the enemies must be divided we can form a single united body while the enemy must split up into fractions hence there will be a hole pitted against separate parts of a whole which means that we shall be many to the enemy's few and if we are able thus to attack an inferior force with a superior one our opponents will be in dire straits the spot where we intend to fight must not be made known for then the enemy will have to prepare against a possible attack at several different points and his forces being thus distributed in many directions the numbers we shall have to face at any given point will be proportionately few for should the enemy strengthen his van he will weaken his rear should he strengthen his rear he will weaken his van should he strengthen his left he will weaken his right should he strengthen his right he will weaken his left if he sends reinforcements everywhere he will everywhere be weak numerical weakness comes from having to prepare against possible attacks numerical strength from compelling our adversary to make these preparations against us knowing the place and the time of the coming battle we may concentrate from the greatest distances in order to fight but if neither time nor place be known then the left wing will be impotent to secure the right the right equally impotent to secure the left the van unable to relieve the rear or the rear to support the van how much more so if the furthest proportions of the army are anything under a hundredly apart and even the nearest are separated by several li though according to my estimate the soldiers of ua exceed our own in number that shall advantage them nothing in the matter of victory i say then that victory can be achieved though the enemy be stronger in numbers we may prevent him from fighting schemes so as to discover his plans and the likelihood of their success rouse him and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity force him to reveal himself so as to find out his vulnerable spots carefully compare the opposing army with your own so that you may know where strength is super abundant and where it is deficient in making tactical dispositions the highest pitch you can attain is to conceal them conceal your dispositions and you will be safe from the prying of the subtlest spies from the machinations of the wisest brains

how victory may be produced for them out of the enemy's own tactics that is what the multitude cannot comprehend all men can see the tactics whereby i conquer but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved do not repeat the tactics which have gained you one victory but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances military tactics are like unto water for water in its natural course runs away from high places and hastens downwards so in war the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing therefore justice water retains no constant shape in warfare there are no constant conditions he who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning may be called a heaven-born captain the five elements water fire wood metal earth are not always equally predominant the four seasons make way for each other in turn there are short days and long the moon has its periods of waning and waxing end of part six recorded in toronto ontario by moira fogarty october 2006.