when the general is weak, the nation is weak

banksy

 

 
The general

is the bulwark of the nation.

When the bulwark is strong, the nation

is strong. When the bulwark is

weak, the nation is

weak.

 

There

are three ways

in which a ruler can bring

misfortune to his army: if he orders

the army to retreat or advance when it cannot

effectively do so, this is called “hobbling the army”;

if he attempts to administer the army when he does not

know how, its warriors will become frustrated;

if he commands the officers without proper

insight into how they function, this

will undermine their

confidence.

 

Once an army

has been confused like this,

trouble will arise from every direction.

This is known as “inviting chaos

and handing victory to the

opponent.”

💀

 

from The Art of War, Chapter III

 

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we are all chained to fortune


 

We are all

chained to fortune:

the chain of one is made of gold,

and wide, while that of another is short

and rusty. But what difference does it make?

The same prison surrounds all of us, and even those

who have bound others are bound themselves; unless perchance

you think that a chain on the left side is lighter. Honors bind one man,

wealth another; nobility oppresses some, humility others; some are

held in subjection by an external power, while others obey

the tyrant within; banishments keep some in one place,

the priesthood others. All life is slavery. Therefore

each one must accustom himself to his own

condition and complain about it as

little as possible, and lay hold

of whatever good is to be

found near him.

 

Seneca

 

proper conduct in the face of adversity

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In times of war it is desirable 

to be led by a cautious

and humane

general.

 
The hexagram Shih is a guide to proper conduct in the face of adversity. It is inevitable that we sometimes face trials and challenges in life. How we prepare ourselves, by whom we are led, and how we conduct ourselves during these “wars” determines whether we are victorious or not. The I Ching counsels us to follow the example of a first-rate army.

A truly powerful army always consists of a number of devoted soldiers who discipline themselves under the leadership of a superior general. If he has achieved his position through force, the general will not last for long and he will lose the support of his army when he needs it most. If on the other hand he has become a leader through superior conduct and even-handed treatment of this fellow soldiers, then his power is well consolidated and it endures.

So it is with us. Only by conducting ourselves humanely and with persevering balance can we have a genuine influence in trying times. There is always the temptation to be led into battle by our egos, but we are guaranteed a humiliating defeat if we turn our inferiors loose in this way. A superior person achieves victory in the same fashion as a superior army: by putting his inferior emotions under the guidance of his superior emotions, and by proceeding cautiously, modestly, and with the continual goal of achieving peace and detachment.

You are advised to prepare for a trial now. Your chances of success will be determined by how you conduct yourself within and without. If you remain alert, modest, just, and independent, all will go well. If you are gentle and humane, you will have the allegiance of those around you. Advance cautiously when the time is right, and when it is not, do not allow your ego to stand in the way of retreat and disengagement.

Remember that the ultimate victory in any battle comes when we regain our inner independence, our neutrality, and our equanimity. These can only be won by placing our inferiors under the leadership of our superiors. Do this now, and success will be yours.
 

from The I Ching, or Book of Changes

Hexagram 7, Shih / The Army

 

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Hua hu Ching, Wei wu Wei Ching,

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