Digging the grave of Star Wars

I saw the film Star Wars by George Lucas, back in 1977 when it first came out.  What impressed me most about it was the so-called Force, a mystical energy field that could be thought of as the hidden essence behind all religions.  But there was, in addition, a “dark side” which was antithetical to the Force, although in some respects those who had become truely one with the Force had great power over those who relied on the dark side.

Both in Buddhism and Christianity there is a dark side which is a major part of these religions.  In Buddhism it is Māra, the evil one.  In Christianity it is Satan.  Māra has dominion over the psychophysical organism, namely, the five aggregates of physical form, feeling, perception, volitional formations and consciousness.  In the Māra Sutta we find this:

"When there is form, Radha, there might be Mara, or the killer, or the one who is killed.  Therefore, Radha, see form as Mara, see it as the killer, see it as the one who is killed.  See it as a disease, as a tumor, as a dart, as misery, as really misery.  Those who see it thus see rightly.  When there if feeling ... When there is perception ... When there are volitional formations ... When there is consciousness, Radha, there might be Mara, or the killer, or the one who is killed” (S.iii.189).

In Christianity, which is somewhat different, man is totally flesh because he is a fallen being under the dominion of Satan who, like Māra, is a corrupting power in us that shouldn't be in our body but nevertheless is.  The presence of Satan is full of lusts which is to say, the lusts are of the flesh not of the spirit or the animative principle.  As long as we hanker after the flesh we are subject to Satan’s power.  In this body of flesh there is only sin and death which is the same with Buddhism’s five aggregates.

Both Buddhism and Christianity understand their evil ones, Māra and Satan, to have the power to possess us but who have no power over those who are truly awakened so that in the end, evil is transcended.

In Star Wars, the dark side seeks dominion over the universe.  It has already saturated and mingled with the Force so as to weaken the effectiveness of the Force if not to completely conceal it in darkness.  It is up to the Jedi Knights who represented the light side of the Force, to keep those of the dark side in check.

Overall I was intrigued by George Lucas’ concept of the Force.  But from my own spiritual experiences, much more could have been done with the Force and the struggle between the light and dark sides of the Force in subsequent films.  Sadly, Mr. Lucas sold the Star Wars franchise in 2012 to Disney who is already digging the grave of Star Wars together with its wonderful concept of the Force.  It appears like the dark side has finally won out—but not entirely.  There is something going on—a real war against the dark side.  The future of our world is in a precarious state right now. Un uestionably, something is going on q.

Comments

[Nobody]

The real question I have is why can't the dark side build a "death star" without the same vulnerability that allows it to get blown up in almost every movie. It's very predictable.
But seriously, I think it's a metaphor for nuclear weapons. The popularity of the movie helped increase the arms race with the U.S.S.R. in the 80's

[Adasatala]

N. Yeti:

Namo Amitabha Buddha

[n. yeti]

I believe we are witnessing the march toward the decay of this mind realm and the inevitable decline of Buddhism until the appearance here of Maitreya who awaits in the Tushita heaven. There are many signs and omens of this for those with the wisdom to understand. Demonic/ghostly manifestations have been on the rise dramatically, and credible accounts of this are widely available.

For those who think of demons or ghosts in Buddhism (the trivial names given to these entities are not important) as mere psychological manifestations of a mundane sort, such as bad dreams or any of various mood disorders or mere biochemical imbalances that might easily be dealt with by taking a pill or undergoing psychotherapy, this will make no sense. However it is very clear from the Buddhist scriptures that we are not to understand such entities as disturbances of thought or mood, but as actual beings which are born or spontaneously appear in any of various heavenly or earthly realms, and who are vastly more intelligent than any human and have the power to possess or introduce thought although they may not be able to perceive exactly what humans think or to manipulate anyone who adheres in a very disciplined way to the practice of wisdom. It is precisely for this reason that those who progress along the spiritual path are assailed by demons (and there are multiple records to attest to this), because to attain unsurpassed enlightenment is akin to demolishing the world in which they transit and destroy the pleasure and subsistence they obtain from the outflows of ignorance – much to the detriment of sentient beings. Knowledge of this should not cause fear. Indeed, there are ample teachings even from living masters who explain how to blind Mara. The greatest protection, as I understand it, is to cleave to the precepts and devoted practice, and to endeavor to close the sense doors. There are also the protective emanations of the Buddhas who have vowed to make this available, and the Shurangama mantra for example has inconceivable power. Demons would not dare approach lest their heads explode. However, by discarding the teachings of the Buddhas one also discards their protection, and falls into evil ways.