Strategy is the craft of the warrior. Commanders must enact the
craft, and troopers should know this Way. There is no warrior in
the world today who really understands the Way of Strategy.
There are various Ways. There is the Way of salvation by the law
of Buddha, the Way of Confucius governing the Way of learning, the
Way of healing as a doctor, as a poet teaching the Way of Waka,
tea, archery, and many arts and skills. Each man practices as he
feels inclined. It is said the warrior's is the twofold Way of pen
and sword, and he should have a taste for both Ways.
Even if a man has no natural ability he can be a warrior by
sticking assiduously to both divisions of the Way. Generally
speaking, the Way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death.
Although not only warriors but priests, women, peasants and lowlier
folk have been known to die readily in the cause of duty or out of
shame, this is a different thing. The warrior is different in that
studying the Way of Strategy is based on overcoming men. By victory
gained in crossing swords with individuals, or enjoining battle
with large numbers, we can attain power and fame for ourselves or
our lord. This is the virtue of strategy.
The Way of Strategy
In China and Japan practitioners of the Way have been known as
"masters of strategy". Warriors must learn this Way.
Recently there have been people getting on in the world as
strategists, but they are usually just sword-fencers. The
attendants of the Kashima Kantori shrines of the province Hitachi
received instruction from the gods, and made schools based on this
teaching, traveling from country to country instructing men. This
is the recent meaning of strategy.
In olden times strategy was listed among the Ten Abilities and
Seven Arts as a beneficial practice. It was certainly an art but as
a beneficial practice it was not limited to sword-fencing. The true
value of sword-fencing cannot be seen within the confines of
sword-fencing technique.
If we look at the world we see arts for sale. Men use equipment
to sell their own selves. As if with the nut and the flower, the
nut has become less than th flower. In this kind of Way of
Strategy, both those teaching and those learning the way are
concerned with colouring and showing off their technique, trying to
hasten the bloom of the flower. They speak of "This Dojo" and "That
Dojo". They are looking for profit. Someone once said "Immature
strategy is the cause of grief". That was a true saying.
There are four Ways in which men pass through life: as
gentlemen, farmers, artisans and merchants.
The Way of the farmer. Using agricultural instruments, he sees
springs through to autumns with an eye on the changes of
season.
Second is the Way of the merchant. The wine maker obtains his
ingredients and puts them to use to make his living. The Way of the
merchant is always to live by taking profit. This is the Way of the
merchant.
Thirdly the gentleman warrior, carrying the weaponry of his
Way.
The Way of the warrior is to master the virtue of his weapons.
If a gentleman dislikes strategy he will not appreciate the benefit
of weaponry, so must he not have a little taste for this? Fourthly
the Way of the artisan. The Way of the carpenter is to become
proficient in the use of his tools, first to lay his plans with a
true measure and then perform his work according to plan. Thus he
passes through life. These are the four Ways of the gentleman, the
farmer, the artisan and the merchant.
Comparing the Way of the Carpenter to
Strategy
The comparison with carpentry is through the connection with
houses. Houses of the nobility, houses of warriors, the Four
houses, ruin of houses, thriving of houses, the style of the house,
the tradition of the house, and the name of the house. The
carpenter uses a master plan of the building, and the Way of
Strategy is similar in that there is a plan of campaign. If you
want to learn the craft of war, ponder over this book. The teacher
is as a needle, the disciple is as thread. You must practice
constantly.
Like the foreman carpenter, the commander must know natural
rules, and the rules of the country, and the rules of houses. This
is the Way of the foreman.
The foreman carpenter must know the architectural theory of
towers and temples, and the plans of palaces, and must employ men
to raise up houses. The Way of the foreman carpenter is the same as
the Way of the commander of a warrior house. In the construction of
houses, choice of woods is made.
Straight un-knotted timber of good appearance is used for the
revealed pillars, straight timber with small defects is used for
the inner pillars. Timbers of the finest appearance, even if a
little weak, is used for the thresholds, lintels, doors, and
sliding doors, and so on. Good strong timber, though it be gnarled
and knotted, can always be used discreetly in construction. Timber
which is weak or knotted throughout should be used as scaffolding,
and later for firewood.
The foreman carpenter allots his men work according to their
ability. Floor layers, makers of sliding doors, thresholds and
lintels, ceilings and so on. Those of poor ability lay the floor
joists, and those of lesser ability carve wedges and do such
miscellaneous work. If the foreman knows and deploys his men well
the finished work will be good. The foreman should take into
account the abilities and limitations of his men, circulating among
them and asking nothing unreasonable. He should know their morale
and spirit, and encourage them when necessary. This is the same as
the principle of strategy.
The Way of Strategy