Great Construction

The Way to Turn a Problem Around

     In coping with affairs and matters in this world, human beings run into all sorts of problems, and in those instances it is certainly acceptable to use appropriate measures when they come to mind. Even so, there are cases when what is usually done will not work. Depending on the types of problem, there are those for which a solution cannot be found regardless of how much thought and planning are taken. It is for these problems that what I call the “reverse method” should be considered. The effect of doing so presents very favorably. As I often use the “reverse method,” I get results. Let me give one or two examples to show what this technique is all about.
     The daughter of a rather good family came to visit me for consultation. This was her story: “My father is concealing from my mother an illicit relationship with a certain widow. Neither my mother nor of course anyone else knows about this. Since I am the only one who knows, I cannot pretend to not see what is going on. I want to consult my mother and my elder brother and settle this issue as quickly as possible. For these reasons, I think it is better to try to interfere with my father’s actions as much as I can.” Because I thought this was indeed a very difficult problem, I taught her the “reverse method.” That is, not only should she not expose her father’s secret, neither should she try to interfere. Rather, she should pretend not to notice, and because through these actions her father will come to have good will toward her, at this stage, she should think of what to do at the next level. Particularly in the case of male-female relationships, the more interference is injected, the more emotions increase. If you expose a persone’s secret, there will be some kind of repercussion, and as I told the daughter, something, therefore most unfortunate could occur, she did as I recommended. Afterwards, I heard that rather unexpectedly a favorable result had been obtained, and barely containing her joy, the dauhgter came to offer her thanks.
     There is a well-known story that involves the leading light of the Shijô style of painting, Maruyama Ôkyo. One day, Ôkyo went to the restaurant of one of his acquaintances. Inside the restaurant, however, was an atmosphere very different than usual. The master of the place looked very preoccupied, so Ôkyo asked him what was wrong. He replied that recently, business had been quite bad, and since it was unclear whether it would improve or worsen, he was in the midst of negotiations to close the restaurant. At that, Ôkyo said, “Ok, I have an idea,” and left the shop. Very soon afterward, he created quite a magnificent painting of a woman’s ghost and brought it to the restaurant. It was quickly mounted and hung in the tokonoma. The owner was astonished. “I thought you would bring me some magnificent painting by way of congratulations for restoring the business, but this is awful.” Ôkyo told him to be calm and see what happened. And, just as Ôkyo had anticipated, the painting of the ghost created quite a stir throughout Kyoto, and the restaurant became even more prosperous than before. Most likely, Ôkyo knew the principle that what becomes yang in the extreme, changes to yin, that what becomes enveloped in yin transforms to yang, and tried the “reverse method” as described above.
     When you observe all the affairs and matters that occur in society, many of the problems go on until they hit a wall, and no resolution is found. In most of these cases, an attempt is made to return affairs to the original state. Due to such action, it often happens that resolution takes longer.

Assorted Reflections, Jikan Library, Volume 5, page 12, August 30, 1949
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