26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
entertaining and wise, April 6, 2005
This review is from: The Dharma of Star Wars (Paperback)
I really enjoyed this book. Matthew Bortolin uses the story of Star Wars (across all six movies) to illustrate Buddhist concepts and uses Buddhist concepts to highlight deeper themes in the Star Wars saga. The result makes Star Wars more profound and moving and Buddhism more accessible. Avid fans of Star Wars will appreciate all the detailed references provided by a true fan devoted to the series, while more casual Star Wars viewers will find the movies much more compelling after reading this book. Those new to Buddhism will learn a lot from Bortolin's accessible, human way of presenting these ideas, while those with more familiarity will likely experience new insights from Bortolin's novel approach. It's nice to read something that is funny and entertaining yet also contains real wisdom and insight. I find myself thinking about things mentioned in the book as I'm dealing with various situations in my life. And now I'm really looking forward to seeing Episode 3!
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25 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Force is strong with this one!, June 9, 2005
This review is from: The Dharma of Star Wars (Paperback)
I immediately bought this book when I saw it on display in the bookstore, without needing to flip through and read passages. I believe that the "Star Wars" films are the most spiritual films ever made, as the story is soaked in classic mythological motifs with heavy borrowing from Buddhist ideas about how our universe works. This book is written by a "Star Wars" fan, so he knows his material, and because he's also a Buddhist, he is able to write the main tenets of Buddhism in easy to understand concepts for anyone familiar with the Star Wars characters.
When I saw "The Phantom Menace" in 1999, I was baffled by the amount of backlash that film inspired in fans. The film expanded our knowledge of "the Force" and I remember getting chills when Qui-Gon Jinn told Anakin: "remember, your focus determines your reality." That line sums up my spiritual beliefs in a perfect phrase and I'm glad to read that the author of this book mentioned that several times as well. Another thing that the author brilliantly picked up on was the character of Jar Jar Binks, which so many fans HATED with an unbelievable passion. I happened to love Jar Jar Binks and I don't think it was accidental that Lucas made him as annoying as he was. The name "Jar Jar" should clue anyone in to Lucas' point...being so close to the word "jarring". This book will have you seeing Jar Jar Binks in a totally new light and I'm glad someone pointed it out so Lucas doesn't have to spell it out for everyone.
In "Attack of the Clones", my favorite of the new trilogy, I got chills when I saw the ethereal glowing blue in the Jedi library and the scene where Obi-Wan tries to find Kamino with his three dimensional galaxy map. Those scenes are some of the most spiritual-intuitive scenes I've ever seen in ANY movie. For one thing, I believe the library in heaven looks similar to the Jedi library and I look forward to perusing its database someday.
This book makes a great introduction to Buddhism and I certainly will refer back to highlighted passages because I believe in the Eightfold Path, especially being mindful of our present and calming the mind before we panic or jump to hasty conclusions. Anyone who thinks Buddhism is a false religion simply hasn't investigated it and tried it. The world would be a vastly improved place if people attempted to live its principles and practiced mindfulness.
I also appreciated the author writing a chapter on the Jedi's tendency to kill...as that isn't a spiritual principle but I think for the sake of the movies, Lucas had little choice but to use that for his story. The good thing is that he doesn't show the violence. The author is correct, though, about how a spiritual person simply cannot take another human life, no matter how compassionate we may think we are in the act. Killing is still depriving a person of changing...thus makes Luke Skywalker's decision not to kill the Emperor or Darth Vader all the more profound.
This book will make an excellent companion to "Christian Wisdom of the Jedi Masters" and "The Tao of Star Wars"...as all three books pick up on the ideas, scenes and characters of the greatest film series in the history of humanity and present the spiritual concepts in an easy to understand manner. But I think this one is the best of the three...because its closer to "The Force" than the others.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Dharma is with you, January 14, 2006
This review is from: The Dharma of Star Wars (Paperback)
The Dharma of Star Wars is, simply put, many of life's little lessons wrapped up in Jedi robes. You don't have to be a believer in the Buddhist way of life to appreciate some of the wisdom that emanates from these pages. Author, Matthew Bortolin, seems quite qualified to write the piece and it shows in the writing and the examples he uses, pulled straight from the Star Wars films.
This book, much like The Tao of Star Wars, was a learning experience for me. I enjoy reading about the parallels between different religions and Star Wars. George Lucas went to great lengths to make sure that his films were not religion-specific, meaning that they didn't cater to any one belief system outright. You can watch the films and find elements of Buddhism, Catholicism, Judaism, and more. Therefore, just about any belief system could be the basis for countless books comparing it to Star Wars, and I feel that this book won't be the last.
Bortolin never fails to impress you with his knowledge of Buddhism and of Star Wars. He colors each page with many phrases from the film or replaces the more cliche every day words you might use with some kind of Star Wars reference or term. That's where Star Wars fans will have the most fun here - relating the important lessons learned within the pages to their favorite films. Sometimes it's easier to teach something to someone by using familiar examples. Jesus did this with the parables he told and likewise, Buddha told many similar stories, some of which you'll read in this book.
This book definitely caters to fans but I feel anyone can read this work and learn a thing or two. There's a lovely section near the end called "The Padawan Handbook" that contains "Zen Contemplations for the Would-Be Jedi." In that section you'll find short one-liners that you might hear Obi-Wan Kenobi telling his young apprentice, Anakin, on any given day during his training, ("Ambition and desire lead to the Dark Side. Be wise, my determined apprentice, there is no happiness like the happiness of having few desires.")
Bortolin not only does a good job of tying Buddhism to Star Wars, he also gives you some background into the faith and does a wonderful job of explaining all its concepts like Dharma itself, nirvana, and meditation. I know that I personally took a few of the concepts in this book and tried to adapt them to my personal life. When I feel my kids are getting on my nerves, I stop and try to breathe before exploding into an angered rage. If the book can help you in little ways like that, then this is a good thing. It's by no means a book that's trying to convert anyone to the Buddhist faith, and I certainly won't be doing that, but that does not mean there aren't concepts and lessons inside which can help you in your daily lives.
For those who aren't aware of all the Eastern philosophies and concepts that are embedded within the subtext of the Star Wars films, you'll be pleasantly surprised when reading this book. You'll look a the films in a different light, especially The Phantom Menace which is loaded with Buddhist references, ("...hate leads to suffering.") In fact, there's a lot of talk about "suffering" in this book but, like Luke, you have to unlearn what you have learned and not take suffering literally, or at face value. There are many forms of suffering described in this book and it's supposed to be a part of life, not something you get rid of. Learn about it, accept it and deal with it, are the things you must do. This is wonderful and insightful advice.
The Dharma of Star Wars is definitely a book worthy of your attention if you're interested in learning more about both Star Wars and one of the belief systems the films are based on. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised...and hopefully enlightened.
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