These military devices, leading to victory, must not be divulged
beforehand.
This seems to be the way in which Ts‘ao Kung understood the
passage, and is perhaps the best sense to be got out of the text
as it stands. Most of the commentators give the following
explanation: “It is impossible to lay down rules for warfare
before you come into touch with the enemy.” This would be very
plausible if it did not ignore 此, which unmistakably refers to the
maxims which Sun Tzŭ has been laying down. It is possible, of
course, that 此 may be a later interpolation, in which case the
sentence would practically mean: “Success in warfare cannot be
taught.” As an alternative, however, I would venture to suggest
that a second 不 may have fallen out after 可, so that we get:
“These maxims for succeeding in war are the first that ought to be
imparted.”
26. 夫未戰而廟算勝者得算多也未戰而廟算不勝者得算少也多算勝少算不勝而況於無算
乎吾以此觀之勝負見矣
Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his
temple ere the battle is fought.
Chang Yü tells us that in ancient times it was customary for a
temple to be set apart for the use of a general who was about to
take the field, in order that he might there elaborate his plan of
campaign. Capt. Calthrop misunderstands it as “the shrine of the
ancestors,” and gives a loose and inaccurate rendering of the
whole passage.
The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand.
Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to
defeat: how much more no calculation at all! It is by attention to
this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose.