Universal Saga

The story of the hero's journey, or mono myth, as it was called by Joseph Campbell, transcends race, economics, culture and religion. The psychologist and mythologist, Jonathan Young has said that, “when enmeshed in a larger purpose, you are yourself, truly for the first time,” and this is why we identify with the heroes of a story. As a universal, this identification is sparked by the deepest longing within us that seek to be connected to something greater than the self. Theaters feed this part of us in a dark setting where a projector's light flickers on the screen much like the faces of our ancestors in the light of a campfire during story telling sessions.

One of the most memorable hero’s journey stories told in the 20th and 21st centuries is the Star Wars saga. This movie had panoramic appeal from the very beginning and drew diverse masses of people into theater-temples for a profoundly sacred experience. “The Force” (in Star Wars) was conceived as a common denominator to all religions – primitive to modern. The idea of an ideological core to world religion was a premise in the writings of Joseph Campbell, who George Lucas called, “My Yoda” 1 The most interesting aspect of the cultural phenomena of Star Was was that, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews and Muslims found a spiritual language that could connect their tradition to a younger generation of religiously illiterate people. This is particularly true with Buddhists, where Lucas himself has admitted that Star Wars was heavily influenced by eastern thought.

Compassion

Frederick Brenion beautifully illustrates the connection between Star Wars and Buddhism in these excerpts from his internet article, Jedi-Shinshu.

...it is when we first meet Yoda that we are struck by the similarities between him and the examples and teachings of many Zen-masters. Later in “Phantom Menace” we meet Padme Amidala, whose name; Padme is that of “Lotus” from the mantra “Om Mani Padme Hum,” and Amidala, a feminine form for the Buddha Amida, the central figure in Pure Land beliefs. But it is in "Attack of the Clones" that we receive the strongest signal yet of the centrality of Buddhist thought in the Jedi. In a discussion Padme asks Anakin if Jedi are even allowed to "love," He says: "Attachment is forbidden. Possession is forbidden. Compassion, which I would define as unconditional love, is central to a Jedi’s life, so you might say we’re encouraged to love."

Much of Buddhist practice is devoted to discovering our attachments and getting rid of them. But of even more importance and really forming the basis or ability for ridding oneself of attachments is that of compassion. It is, as Anakin said, "central to a Jedi’s life." And it is central to that of the Bodhisattva life, and the life of a Buddha. 2

The Present Moment

In the beginning of Star Wars Episode I, The Phantom Menace, we learn the Jedi Knight’s teachings of mindfulness of the Living Force is identical to the Buddhist teaching of mindfulness of the present moment. Jedi Master Qui Gon instructs his student Obi Wan, to not center on his anxieties and to keep his concentration in the here and now where it belongs. Anticipation of the future is sometimes necessary but not at the expense of the moment. This is being mindful of the living Force. Only by touching the present moment deeply in the here and now, are we able to live fully. There is no life outside this present moment in the past or the future. When asked why his monks were so peaceful and serene, the Buddha said, “They do not repent the past, nor do they brood for the future. They live in the present.” 3

Interdependence

Besides mindfulness of the moment, the Jedi share the Buddhist perspective of interdependence. In his warning to the Gungans, Obi Wan uses the argument that their fate is bound to their neighbors through the interconnected nature of a symbiotic circle. “What happens to one of you will affect the other.” This same argument is used in Buddhism to illustrate the relationship we all share with the world and our universe. The idea that we exist apart from the whole as a “separate self” inhibits our enlightenment or greater understanding of reality as it is. Becoming aware of symbiosis or interdependence will put us in accord with the, “right view” of things, an essential element of Buddha’s eight-fold path.

Right View

Coming into a more authentic relationship with reality will show us that, the “right view” of things isn’t necessarily dependent on what we perceive but on how we perceive it. We will find that the perceptions we hold from images of the world are often false. Buddhist teachings tell us that “if there is perception, there is deception.” This is echoed in Star Wars when Obi Wan trains his Jedi student to practice with his light saber with the blast shield down. He tells Luke, “Your eyes can deceive you, don’t trust them.” It is a false perspective of reality we create inside our minds that leads to unnecessary suffering.

Right Effort

Arriving at a more integral picture of reality can be achieved with sincerity and devotion. This is what constitutes “right effort” in Buddhism which also means consistent thoughts and actions taken towards a spiritual peace and freedom. Yoda repeats the same sentiment in The Empire Strikes Back as he trains a stubborn Luke Skywalker. “A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind.”

Attachment

Most striking to Buddhism and Star Wars is the message of attachment being an instigator of suffering. “It is attachment that will bring about Anakin’s downfall. In a Time magazine interview Lucas himself says: "He turns into Darth Vader because he gets attached to things. He can’t let go of his mother; he can’t let go of his girlfriend. He can’t let go of things. It makes you greedy. And when you’re greedy, you are on the path to the dark side, because you fear you’re going to lose things, that you’re not going to have the power you need." 2

In Revenge of the Sith, Yoda instructs Anakin to, “Let go of everything you fear to lose.” The Buddha taught, “All phenomena that are born, exist, and are subject to the influence of other phenomena; in other words, all phenomena that are composite, must abide by the law of impermanence and eventually cease to exist. Everything we cherish and hold dear today, we will have to let go of and be separated from in the future.” 3

Violence

Drawing parallels between Star Wars and Buddhism will undoubtedly resonate with some, more than it will others. Yes we can find similarities between Buddhist philosophy and the teachings of the Jedi, but at a deeper level, are their perspectives compatible? Star Wars is after all a movie that revolves around violence and warfare. The teachings in Buddhism revolve around non violence while seeking an end to warfare. There are many Buddhists who will argue that violence can’t be motivated by compassion and so the Jedi aren’t in accord with this central tenet.