Fool's Philosophy - by Nate Bartling

The Philosophy of Star Wars

October 2nd 2006 14:37

Jedi Master Yoda

It is no secret that the Star Wars saga is heavily influenced by both eastern & western mystical traditions including Buddhism, Taoism & many others. By noting these correspondences, the philosophy of the Jedi can be understood in terms of more 'down to earth' traditions & conversely these traditions can provide a deeper understanding of the classic science fiction tale.

The concept of the Force can easily be compared to the Tao. In fact, I would go so far as to say the Force of the Jedi is the Tao of the Taoists. If you consider Jedi Master Yoda's explanation of the Force, "Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us....You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere." (Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back) in comparison to Lao-Tzu's description of the Tao, "It is the source of life in heaven and on earth. It creates and is all things." (from the Taoist classic Cultivating Stillness, attributed to Lao-Tzu) the striking similarities speak for themselves. Almost all traditions have at least some version of this concept from the Prana/Pranayama of Yoga (the natural energy field that goes hand in hand with life) to the Brahman of the Hindus (a kind of collective world soul through which we are all connected).

Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Wikipedia)

In Chinese martial arts the practice of building and maintaining a healthy flow of Qi (also a form of energy/life force comparable in many ways to the Force) is referred to as Qi Gong, suspiciously similar to the name of Master Qui-Gon Jinn. It is also worth noting that in Arabic traditions the word Jinn refers to a spirit and Master Qui-Gon was the first Jedi to rejoin the Force but retain his individuality upon death thus existing immortally within the Force.

The meaning of the name 'Yoda' is open to debate with a number of possibe origins. In Sanskrit the word 'Yoddha' is used to describe a warrior and in Hebrew 'Yodea' literally means 'one who knows', both fitting titles for the grandmaster of the Jedi Order. Also, there is allegedly a freemasonic god often reffered to as Yoda and usually depicted as a short, green, goblin-like figure with pointed ears.

Shaolin Monk practising Kung Fu

It is clear that Master Yoda or indeed any of the Jedi would fit in perfectly as Shaolin warrior monks (Zen buddhists who aim at attaining enlightenment through a mixture of martial arts & meditation). Especially so in light of the teachings by Buddha himself regarding the trap of the 'Dark Side' such as "Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned." and "In a controversy the instant we feel anger we have already ceased striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves."

This all without considering the political correspondences of the Star Wars galaxy and our own world, such as, Lucas' very accurate description of how a democracy can become a dictatorship and the methods used to bring such a change about. These methods include Emperor Palpatines manipulation of his colleagues/enemies through a secret society network (The Order of The Sith), skillful use of propaganda based on fear and 'false-flag terrorism'.

Lao-Tzu - Founder of Taoism (Wikipedia)

It is unclear whether or not George Lucas intentionally included all this symbolism or if it was a result of a mixture of plot lifting from Kung-Fu and Samurai movies (a large majority of which are based on Zen philosophy) & a careful study of the rise of dictatorship. Either way the Star Wars movies (and books) provide us with a mixture of timeless wisdom (recycled Buddha and Lao-Tzu quotes) and an insightful social commentary on the state of our world today.

Relevant Links
Official Star Wars website
Article on Jedi at Wikipedia
Zen Budhism
Taoism
An Infowars article analysing the politics of Star Wars

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