Comparing The Hero's Journey In Star Wars And Gautama Buddha

Not only is concentration fundamental to a Jedi’s path, but their understanding of reality and the strong focus on the present (wisdom) that Jedi Knights exhibit, is also crucial and vividly displayed throughout the saga, specifically through character Yoda-who can be regarded as a sage who has mannerisms similar to Gautama Buddha’s. In Star Wars, Yoda says many things that directly align with words spoken by Gautama Buddha himself. For instance, on episode I, Yoda says: “Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering” (Star Wars, Episode I). Similarly, Gautama Buddha teaches that: “There is suffering; there is a cause of suffering; there can be an end to suffering; the eightfold path brings about the end of suffering” (Gautama). In both cases, one can sense the wisdom that both figures possess, and can also observe that both have a clear
From the Jedi Knights to Queen Amidala, one can look to Star Wars and its characters to better understand the complex nature of Buddhism.The dharma that is present in Star Wars annotates on components of Buddhist practice such as: The noble eightfold path, wisdom, concentration, mindfulness, interconnectedness, and the impermanence of all living things.Though one should not look at Star Wars in the same manner one would treat a Buddhist scripture (which partially captures the essence of Buddhism), Star Wars can be explored in a way that either amplifies or reaffirms one’s understanding of Buddhism’s core principles. The Buddhist religion precedes many other religions, including Christianity, and because of its long history and diverse backgrounds, it can be a complex task to understand the religion from a cultural perspective. For this reason, looking at Buddhism from a less multicultural perspective, and more through a lens most of Western society is familiar with, can be considered upaya, or skillful