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EN 102-147
The Star Wars franchise has had strong spiritual themes since the premier of the science
fiction series in 1977. The latest film instalment, ‘The Last Jedi’, crafted these mystical themes
into veiled Buddhist lessons. The use of specific dialogue, visuals, and character development
invoke philosophical thought and introspection for the viewer guided by ancient eastern dharma.
The film’s true focus was not scientific-fiction action, it was the Buddhist principles supported
by the spiritual and reflective themes of the film. This new emphasis on spirituality in ‘The Last
The spirituality of Star Wars’ originated with the concept of the ‘Force’, an energy force
that allowed characters to perform feats in the name of good or evil. This dualistic view was
abandoned for a Buddhist approach in ‘The Last Jedi’, which views dualism as an illusion. The
Buddha teaches all things inter-exist, that nothing is independent in reality. It is the Buddhist
hindrances of craving and aversion that makes one believe good is sperate from evil. The film
illustrates this point early on. Our protagonist meets a mentor, who together practice the
Buddhist discipline of meditation. During meditation, the mentor guides our protagonist to sense
there is nothing to distinguish between good or bad, there is only the impersonal reality of
everything, “‘What do you see?’ ‘The island. Life. Death and decay, that feeds new life.
Warmth. Cold. Peace. Violence.’ ‘And between it all?’ ‘A force… Inside me, that same force’”
(TLJ). The force is described as encompassing both the good and the bad, with both residing in
the protagonist. This explanation of the force coincides with Buddhist belief of Anatta, with good
and bad being mental constructs projected onto reality out of failure to understand there is no
permanent-self from good or bad can have an objective origin. Everything only exist, it is within
ourselves that our understanding will turn the impersonal ‘force’, or reality, it into suffering or
pleasure.
Understanding and accepting the universal truths of Buddhism and committing to live life
by the teachings of the Eight-fold path is the considered the path to becoming enlightened, and is
very similar to the Star Wars’ path to becoming a Jedi (A monk of the ‘force’). While the clear
films, ‘The Last Jedi’ provides a lesson in regression, taught and warned by Buddhist teachers
for centuries. The mentor in the film lost his faith when he had succumbed to the Hindrances of
Buddhism and let fear, doubt, and passion determine his actions. His loss of mindfulness
discouraged him from practicing his faith, cutting him off from the ‘force’. The mentor had the
tone of defeat in his voice, and the look of suffering in his eyes. This shocking portrayal of an
Worlds.
Nichiren, a sixth century Buddhist monk, theorized from Lotus Sutra that there were ten
‘worlds’ or realities you can experience; world one being a hell defined by mindlessness and
anger and world ten being the zenith or understanding and mindfulness: Nirvana. He believed
while your focus was in one reality, the non-self nature of existence meant all realities where
present in any moment. “To suppose that one can eliminate the permanently abiding body and
mind associated with the nine worlds is to be confused and misled as to the true nature of these
nine worlds” (160). While the challenges of each world are different, Nichiren is saying
awareness of all realities is necessary for enlighten. It is a warning, that even a devout monk
might regress to a lower realm of existence if he ignores the lessons that allowed him to progress.
The mentor, caught up in hubris, went against his basic Jedi training of mindfulness. Upon
realization of his mistake, he forfeited his spiritual progress all together. Just as Nichiren’s Ten
Worlds describe, the defeated mentor reverted to the first world of hell: a living state of
A fall from grace is a possible and expected step towards an ultimate goal, as Nichiren
accounted in his text. Our mentor did not have Nichiren’s teachings as consolation, and it
seemed he had gone from the Jedi equivalent of near-enlightenment to rock bottom. At this point
in the film the spirituality crises of the mentor takes center stage and sets the tone for the rest of
the motion picture. As hopeless surrounded the mentor and doubt in the power of the Buddhist
inspired Jedi path escalates, a Buddha figure appears to the mentor in the form of a spirit who
‘become one with the force’, or reached enlightenment. From this figure’s wise perception of the
true reality, the mentor is reminded of his non-self and requirement for mindfulness “[mentor],
still looking to the horizon. Never here, now, hmm? The need in front of your nose… Pass on
what you have learned. Strength. Mastery. But weakness, folly, failure also. Yes, failure most of
all” (TLJ). The critique of the mentor’s attention shows the source of his fall from near-
enlightenment. Focusing on what has not happened goes against the Eight-fold path by allowing
fear and fantasy to take the mind away from current reality, which only serves to confuse the
present course of action. The acceptance of failure shows truth to the mentor’s non-self, and
gives a chance for redemption. The mentor is separated from his actions, and in so realizes his
freedom in the current moment, that he is not bound to tragedy because of his past
transgressions.
The reminder of mindfulness and the core-principles of Buddhism allowed the mentor to
accept all he is without dualistic conflictions. His embrace of himself and reality rejoined him
with the force, and awarded an opportunity for redemption in the form of saving the protagonists.
This uplifting scene was the first with hope and determination in the face of our mentor where
only aguish laid before. The film concludes with an image of the mentor in deep meditation, and
at peace, before he disappears into the force in a display of deathless enlightenment. The unlikely
salvation for the mentor is provided only by the Buddhist lessons he had to relearn, comforting
wisdom revamped in science-fiction terms. The importance of the lessons to the story line and
the film’s deliberate display of his struggle as a relatable emotional crisis shows the true message
of ‘The Last Jedi. The personal struggles of life can cause self-doubt, anger, and can reduce life
down to a reality of misery and torment, no matter who the person. However, the right tools and
guidance, such as the Buddhist Dharma, can lift a person to a state of total acceptance and
tranquility, no matter what the past. ‘The Last Jedi’ was a story of a man’s confusion leading to
misery, and the Buddhist-inspired principles he followed leading to understanding. The film is a
Nichrien Daishonin “Mutual Possession of the Ten Worlds” Writtings of Nichrien Daishonin,