Walking in Happiness
The Dharma of Star Wars by Matthew Bortolin continues in its teachings by discussing the Eightfold Path. Buddha was the creator and original master of the Eightfold Path. When the Path is practiced, joy, peace, and insight are there. The Eightfold Path does not lead us away from the Dark Side, but when practiced correctly, the Path is Nirvana or the cessation of all suffering. “The Path is not a means to an end like Jedi Trials. The Path is a reward in itself. To walk the Path is to walk in happiness.”
Moral Virtue, Meditative, Cultivation, and Wisdom
The eight factors of the path are grouped into four categories: Moral virtue, meditative cultivation, and wisdom. They are distributed as follows:
- Moral Virtue: right speech, right action, and right livelihood
- Meditative cultivation: right effort, and right mindfulness and right concentration
- Wisdom: right view and right thought
1. Right Speech
Bortolin uses The Phantom Menace as an example of right speech. In the scene where Padme is telling Anakin that his anger is only natural and that it’s not his fault that his mother died is right speech. She speaks the truth, but she’s also kind and loving. “Right speech requires the use of truthful, loving words intended to inspire self-confidence, joy, and hope in others. Bortolin continues by saying, “with right speech, words are viewed as a treasure that should only be brought out when they are useful and when the time is right.” One must listen deeply to others in order to hear what is being said and what is the “right” thing to say that lessens the burdens of others.
2. Right Action
Right action is concerned with action of the body. Bortolin uses Yoda in Empire Strikes Back to demonstrate this factor of the Path. Yoda teaches Luke that anger, fear, and aggression are dark side energies that can start us down the dark path. When we are on the dark path, our actions can cause pain and suffering. One must use calm reflection to investigate our actions and see if they bring peach and happiness to others and ourselves.
Anakin had moments of right action in The Phantom Menace. His generosity to Qui-Gon and Padme without any expectation of return was right action. “Giving our time and material resources to those in need is a true act of compassion and one that joy unto itself. But if the intention behind the act is not grounded in compassion, then it can lead to the dark side.”
3. Right Livelihood
Jabber the Hut is the opposite of right livelihood. He’s a gangster, deals in the slave trade, and used deception and violence to maintain his position. If we look at any job and find a Jabba there or a presence of a Jabba, then we may want to reflect on the direction of that employment and see if it leads to happiness or suffering (sounds like the end of my days at my last company). To walk the Way that transcends the dark side, we must find employment that supports our intention to cultivate wisdom and compassion.
4. Right Effort
Jedi must have the deepest commitment and have a serious mind. There are four functions to right effort. “The first is to return unwholesome seeds that have blossomed in our mind consciousness to our storehouse consciousness.” Unwholesome means anything not associated with peach, happiness, and freedom. When we hate and are aggressive, dark side feelings have entered our consciousness. We must remember what Qui-Gon’s says and become aware of the present moment and the state of our mind. By recognizing the dark side in us, we don’t allow it to pull us into actions we will regret. Letting go of dark side energies is the second function of right effort. By practicing Yoda’s calm reflection, we can recognize these dark side energies within us. The third function of right effort is to bring wholesome seeds up from the storehouse consciousness into the mind consciousness. This means we can live simply, enjoy life, and appreciate our loved ones as a way of practicing this third function. The fourth and final function is keeping the wholesome seeds that have blossomed in our mind there.
5 & 6. Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration
I have reviewed several examples Jedi mindfulness and concentration, see previous posts.
7. Right View
Right view is in the category of wisdom.
“Right view is the understanding of things as they truly are that gives us rise to a mind free from the shroud of the dark side.”
Right view is the highest wisdom, the insight that surpasses all concepts, beliefs, and points of view. It does not come from intellect or reading a book; it comes from direct interaction with life. Direct interaction means mindfulness and concentration on what is happening right now. Only when we are fully present can we directly experience life.
8. Right Thought
In The Phantom Menace, Qui-Gon tells young Anakin,
“Always remember, your focus determines your reality.” “Thought is the forerunner of all action. What we think initiates what we do and say. The focus of our thought directs our deeds.”
Right thought releases the dark side energies when they arise in our mind and channels our mind to the good side of the Force.
The Eightfold Path is the way of freedom. We can learn from the Star Wars saga’s Jedi Order who have the deepest commitment to their training as they develop their mindfulness in every moment. The Path allows us a way to transcend the dark side by liberating us from worry, fear, doubt, confusion, and insecurity. More importantly, it offers us a way to calm our mind and understand our suffering. If we practice it, we just may become wise and compassionate like Luke in Return of the Jedi.
