Inspirational Quotes by Thomas Merton
“Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat:”
“One ignorant of the plans of neighboring states cannot prepare alliances in good time; if ignorant of the conditions of mountains, forests, dangerous defiles, swamps and marshes he cannot conduct the march of an army; if he fails to make use of native guides he cannot gain the advantages of the ground. A general ignorant of even one of these three matters is unfit to command the armies of a Hegemonic King.”
“When the helper is strong, the nation is secure; when the helper is weak, the nation is in peril.”
“Así es como en la guerra, el estratega victorioso solo busca la batalla después de que la victoria ya se ha ganado, mientras que aquel destinado a la derrota, primero pelea y después busca la victoria.”
“If I am able to determine the enemy's dispositions while at the same time I conceal my own then I can concentrate and he must divide.”
“the latter, hence Hou employed him. Their great achievements were all for the good of the people.”
“Recordar siempre el peligro cuando estás a salvo y el caos en tiempos de orden, permanece atento al peligro y al caos mientras no tengan todavía forma y evítalos antes de que se presenten; ésta es la mejor estrategia de todas.”
“The crux of military operations lies in the pretense of accommodating one's self to the designs of the enemy.”
“...existen cinco rasgos que son peligrosos en los generales. Los que están dispuestos a morir pueden perder la vida; los que quieren preservar la vida pueden ser hechos prisioneros; los que son dados a los apasionamientos irracionales pueden ser ridiculizados; los que son muy puritanos pueden ser deshonrados; los que son compasivos pueden ser turbados.”
“Los buenos generales son de otra manera: se comprometen hasta la muerte, pero no se aferran a la esperanza de sobrevivir; actúan de acuerdo con los acontecimientos en forma racional y realista sin dejarse llevar por las emociones ni estar sujetos a quedar confundidos. Cuando ven una buena oportunidad, son como tigres, en caso contrario cierran sus puertas. Su acción y su no acción son cuestiones de estrategia y no pueden ser complacidos ni enfadados.”
“When the enemy presents an opportunity, speedily take advantage of it. Anticipate him in seizing something he values and move in accordance with a date secretly fixed. The doctrine of war is to follow the enemy situation in order to decide on battle. Therefore at first be shy as a maiden. When the enemy gives you an opening be swift as a hare and he will be unable to withstand you.”
“Ask yourself which political leadership—your own or that of your enemy—is able to reject flatterers and draw close to the wise.”
“conceal your dispositions, and you will be safe from the prying of the subtlest spies, from the machinations of the wisest brains.”
“[Nota bene: this was in 207 B.C., and may well cause us to blush for the Christian armies that entered Peking in 1900 A.D.]”
“[Chia Lin enumerates several ways of inflicting this injury, some of which would only occur to the Oriental mind:”
“Si vas a colocar tu ejército en posición de observar al enemigo, atraviesa rápido las montañas y vigílalos desde un valle.”
“Hay que prohibir los augurios, y eliminar las supersticiones. Hasta que la misma muerte llegue, no hay calamidad que deba ser temida.”
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Thomas Merton wrote more than 70 books, mostly on spirituality, as well as scores of essays and reviews. Merton was a keen proponent of interfaith understanding.
Interest in his work contributed to a rise in spiritual exploration beginning in the 1960s and 1970s in the US. Merton's letters and diaries, reveal the intensity with which their author focused on social justice issues, including the civil rights movement and proliferation of nuclear arms. He had prohibited their publication for 25 years after his death. Publication raised new interest in Merton's life.