“There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no death, there is the Force.”
From Qui Gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace to Yoda in Attack of the Clones, meditation is seen in Star Wars whenever characters must clear all troubling thoughts that may impact their vision of the future and the present. This is only one of the Jedi practices rooted in real life, specifically inspired by Zen Buddhism. Other instances of Buddhism seen in the Jedi code include mindfulness, interdependence, and learning to move forward. In the context of the Star Wars universe, when these beliefs are taken to the extreme, they cause some characters to snap.
- Pratītyasamutpāda in Buddhism is represented by the fact that all reality coexists with itself and if something dissipates all other matter will be affected. In Star Wars, the idea of interconnectedness is seen in the Jedi order as the force is stated to be the entity that connects all life. In A New Hope, Obi Wan describes it as “what gives a Jedi his power…an energy field created by all living things…it surrounds us and penetrates us…it binds the galaxy together.”
However, the Jedi Order had a very dogmatic point of view when it came to this idea, as they started to villainize different sides of the force. They come to an extreme when they start to believe their understanding of the force is correct and that all other aspects are invalid. This is important to consider in our own lives: when one perspective of a belief attempts to take too much control and state that their opinion is the only way, it will cause for other stances to respond with outrage, especially when they’re both meant to be working towards the same goal.
- In Buddhism, it’s believed that it is best not to form attachments because of the ephemerality of everything in our world. Even if something is weighing you down, you must be the one who can filter it out and move past it in order to think more thoroughly and rationally. Similarly, in the Jedi Code, it is believed that you must be able to let go of your emotional attachment towards family and friends—even if you lose them—so that you can act for the greater good. For example, when Anakin is having visions of losing Padmé, Master Yoda says to him: “Train Yourself To Let Go Of Everything You Fear To Lose.”
The Jedi Order’s flaw is that they take the idea of not forming attachments to the extreme: they’re encouraged to quickly move past grief, strictly follow hierarchies, and abstain from romantic relationships. The results of the mission and the greater good are prioritized above losing a fellow Jedi or padawan. It’s concerning when someone is completely unphased even if they have lost someone who they have been through so much with, and it’s questionable if there was any compassionate relationship to begin with. It’s important to recognize when something is greater than yourself (and your emotions), but having emotional attachments is crucial to being a compassionate person.
- In Buddhism, you must recognize that pain is inevitable in life and you must come to accept it instead of attempting to resist it lest it turn into suffering. If you are able to come to the realization that you are experiencing painful moments, if you embrace them instead of trying to find every way to avoid them, you will feel a bigger sense of relief and prosperity. In Star Wars, we see Anakin Skywalker go through many moments of pain such as the loss of his mother or the inevitable death of his wife, but the Jedi Order forbade his grieving. As Master Yoda says to Anakin in The Phantom Menace: “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
While the Jedi Order misled Anakin, which caused him to be in a state of turmoil, he also made the decision to take extreme actions to avoid the pain and suffering he was going through. As a result, he caused many people around him to experience pain so that he could try to resolve his own suffering. It is important to grieve whenever you are in pain, but it is also important to recognize that your pain shouldn’t be inflicted on others. The message to be taken away is that it’s important to acknowledge suffering when it’s present, but you must not let your suffering lead you down a dark path.
- In Buddhist philosophy, mindfulness is seen as the way to cleanse your mind of all disturbances around you so that you can emerge as a more observant and calculating person. The Jedi Order’s mindfulness is used for the purpose of evaluating the present situation and the universe at large, so that their response and execution will be more rational and clear headed. For example, in The Phantom Menace, Qui Gon Jinn states “your focus determines your reality,” meaning that your ability to understand the circumstances around you can impact your future.
In this case, there is no indicated flaw in The Jedi Order’s outlook on meditation, as understanding the bigger picture so you can attempt to find better solutions is an admirable aspiration. Meditation, as inspired by religions such as Buddhism, was one of the few practices that was not taken to the extreme and still left a good message. Although you may not necessarily be meditating like Qui Gon mid-battle, if you’re in an argument or any tense situation and aren’t thinking clearly, taking a moment of silence for yourself can help you process the larger situation.
Many people may not know that George Lucas himself is Buddhist and incorporated many of its practices and beliefs into the story that has made a lasting impact on cinema. These Buddhist traditions, as adapted in the Jedi Code, are admirable and well-intentioned, but when the ideals are lost in translation or pushed to their extreme, they can have negative effects. Too much of a bad thing is not ideal, but too much of a good thing can be equally as harmful.