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Matthew Bortolin explains the Buddhist themes of Star Wars

Today Mathew and I are talking about the Jedi and how they relate to Buddhism. So, Matthew, what are the similarities that you see between the Jedi spirituality and Buddhism? A great deal of the similarities is found in the star wars canvas. You have Yoda talking to Luke a lot about unlearning what he has learned. “Do or do not,” which is a very Zen-like expression in “The Empire Strikes Back.” Then, if we go back to the prequels, we have mindfulness, concentration, “the here and now” — this is terminology that Qui Gon Jinn is talking to Obi Wan Kenobi about, but this terminology that one might hear in a Buddhist monastery or practice center. And it’s applied intentionally, I believe, because George Lucas has said that he is affiliated with Buddhism, and he identifies as a Buddhist. And also, as we look at the writer Lawrence Kasdan, the Director of “The Empire Strikes,” Irvin Kershner — they both have said publicly that they’ve tried to imbue Zen-like qualities into the Jedi, but particularly in Yoda.

Those are the main main areas and those are the leaping-off points for investigating Buddhism through the “Star Wars” saga.

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