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The Jedi Code
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The Jedi Code was a code of conduct that established rules and modes of behavior for all Jedi. Although changing in style through the generations, the main tenets, context and meaning of the code stayed the same. Mantra One of the key portions of the Code was a five-line mantra. Several versions of the mantra exist, though the original version was: :Emotion, yet peace. :Ignorance, yet knowledge. :Passion, yet serenity. :Chaos, yet harmony. :Death, yet the Force. The refined version established by Odan-Urr was perhaps the best known: :There is no emotion, there is peace. :There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. :There is no passion, there is serenity. :(There is no chaos, there is harmony.) :There is no death, there is the Force. :—The Jedi Code (Based on the meditations of Odan-Urr) The fourth line "There is no chaos, there is harmony," is removed in some Jedi texts. At the Funeral of Mara Jade Skywalker, for instance, this line was omitted. The Jedi Code was rewritten by Grand Master Luke Skywalker upon reestablishing the Jedi Order in the Galaxy: :Jedi are the guardians of peace in the galaxy. :Jedi use their powers to defend and to protect. :Jedi respect all life, in any form. :Jedi serve others rather than ruling over them, for the good of the galaxy. :Jedi seek to improve themselves through knowledge and training. Meaning *There is no emotion, there is peace *:Emotions are a natural part of living. As the great sagas have shown us, Jedi are not immune to feeling emotions. Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and Master Yoda both openly express their sorrow when they discover the death of younglings at the newly-appointed Darth Vader's hand. This tenet is not to say that emotion does not exist but that it ought to be set aside. Emotions must be understood first, and it is a young Jedi's duty to explore his feelings. Unless a Jedi can confront his thoughts and feelings, he will never achieve peace. Emotions, then, are not to be overcome or denied, but rather understood and dealt with. A'Sharad Hett reminds the young Anakin Skywalker of this during their campaigns together during the Clone Wars. Hett points out that Anakin's anger is understandable, but he must face it. This tenet could be modified to read "Emotion cannot take away my peace." *There is no ignorance, there is knowledge *:A Jedi must be circumspective and try to understand the world that is surrounding him. That ignorance does not exist is, of course, a flat-out lie or gross misunderstanding. Simply ignoring facts that do not fit with one's viewpoint is equally foolhardy. Ignorance is a part of life but it must not be feared. For more knowledge to light their way, the Jedi Temple Archives contain possibly the single largest source of information in the galaxy, but this tenet also reminds the Knight that knowledge can be taken from the most unusual places. The great Master Yoda demonstrated this to the young Luke Skywalker on Dagobah when he acted like a fool, and when he acted childish in front of younglings. This performance was meant to teach Luke and the younglings the simple fact: even the foolish can be wise. Indeed, while instructing younglings, Master Yoda was often heard to remark that "Truly wonderful the mind of a child is." This tenet is what gives the Jedi his open mind and ability to accept what other beings would tend to see as unacceptable, unbounded by preconceived notions, unfettered by rigid thought, and unhampered by doubt. In other words, this tenet points out that often a Jedi must use not only his rational mind but also his intuitive mind in order to ascertain the truth of a situation. This tenet is embodied by Qui-Gon Jinn's statement to Anakin Skywalker to "feel, don't think." Dexter Jettster would further demonstrate this notion: "I should think you Jedi would have more respect for the difference between knowledge and wisdom." *There is no passion, there is serenity *:This tenet is more than a repetition of the first. It refers more directly to situations of extreme stress in which a Jedi might be tempted to react strongly, or be so focused on the task and not the goal. That a Jedi must draw his weapon only in defense is an expression of this tenet, keeping all other options open. While emotions and intuition must be understood and utilized in a Jedi's daily life, they must be checked, lest the Jedi act rashly and lose objectivity. Passionate use of power leads to the dark side. A Jedi must always act with a calm hand and an even temper. 'when in doubt, stay your hand", observing each situation as clearly as the Force sees it, not clouded with unbridled passion. *There is no chaos, there is harmony *:This statement reflects the cosmology of the Jedi Order. Whereas uninitiated beings see the universe as a chaotic and disconnected place, a Jedi realizes that all things are interconnected and, more importantly, interdependent, in a never-ending cycle of balance. While an uninitiated being sees sorrow and tragedy in the workings of the universe, through the Force, a Jedi is able to interpret and understand even the most painful of life's events. Without this cosmology, surely the first tenets of the Jedi Code would be meaningless. After all, how could one possibly forsake love and compassion if he did not understand the truth of the universe: there is no chaos, there is harmony. Every event has a purpose. As the great Jedi Master Yoda told Anakin Skywalker once, "Death is a natural part of life." Minor inconveniences such as failure, disappointment, and disagreement are also inevitable and should be taken in stride. Jedi do not deny the fact that tragic and terrible things happen; they merely point out that tragedy is simply another part of life.This too leads to a balanced, objective, and realistic view of existence. Without this tenet, all other tenets of the Jedi Code would be meaningless. *There is no death, there is the Force *: A common argument is merely observing a thing affects a thing, preventing those ware of their own finite existence from truly seeing the world as the Force sees it. A Jedi, like many ancient feudal knights of various empires, must always be ready for death, and not obsess nor be ruled by it. As a warrior not only in combat but also in day-to-day life, it is easy to fail and fall, then rise up without distraction or attachment holding the Jedi back. As Qui-Gon Jinn pointed out to the young Anakin Skywalker, it is quite possible to kill a Jedi, and it happens often. The sense of loss is often even greater for one who feels it with the Force, and it is difficult to maintain equilibrium. Death, however, is not a tragedy and is merely a part of the life cycle. Without death, life could not exist. The Force in us, still lives on after we die. This tenet represents the view of the Jedi Order that accepts, indeed embraces, death and life, rot and growth, corruption and purity, not as opposites but as dual pairs, each can't exist without the other, as nature intends. As such, Jedi do not fear death nor do they mourn it overmuch; a Jedi, after all, must celebrate death if he is to also celebrate life. While sources disagree on this point, it is noteworthy to point out that this tenet does not support vegetarianism among the Jedi but, some scholars argue, it does in fact support omnivorism among Jedi, whatever life form does to survive. In one notable encounter, a Jedi continued to deal with Colicoids after a companion was slain and consumed, maintaining that if the Colicoids did not act thus, they would not be following their own path, and if he allowed sentiment to cloud his dealings, he too, would not be on his path either. This tenet is often quoted upon a Jedi's death, sometimes referring to becoming one with the force, or even as living forever as a force ghost. This tenet also reminds the Jedi that death is a transitory state for any living being and is not truly an end to one's life, but merely the beginning of the next stage of one's journey. Through the Force, existence continues both as a constant state of connection to all living things as well as through the state of afterlife which follows death. Death, as perceived by the living, is an illusion and the Jedi must strive to remember this, as it removes what is often seen as the ultimate instinctual fear. When the Jedi have accepted the natural place of their own ending as well as the knowledge that whether they prevail or fall, the Force will remain with them, it becomes easier for a Jedi to put those fears aside and focus on the matters at hand. Miscellaneous tenets :Here can be read a number of miscellaneous tenets which are not mentioned in the Code, but should be known for all Jedi. *The Jedi are the guardians of civilization, yet do not allow civilization to destroy needlessly. *A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for aggression or personal gain. **A corollary of the Code was "A Jedi does not act for personal power." *The lightsaber is the symbol of the members of the Jedi Order. *Jedi do not marry (with some exceptions), in order to avoid attachment and—according to Vergere—so as not to create dynasties of those strong in the Force. However, in many periods of the Order's history, such as the era prior to Exar Kun and in Luke Skywalker's reformed Jedi Order, marriage was not forbidden. *Jedi respect each other, and all other life forms. * Jedi must put the needs of the community above the needs of individuals. *A Jedi must protect the weak and defenseless from evil. *Jedi must always cooperate in battle or crisis. *Jedi must not have wants; self-reliance must be shown. *Jedi are forbidden from ruling others, although by the end of the Republic there was some debate over whether or not this was part of the actual Code. *A Jedi Master may not have more than one Padawan. This particular rule developed after the Old Sith Wars, as most ancient Masters such as Arca Jeth, Thon, Vodo-Siosk Baas and Krynda Draay did not have to abide by it. The Jedi Exile also trained many apprentices at the same time due to their Force-sensitivity and the galaxy's dire need for Jedi. However, one apprentice per master seemed to be the standard around 32 BBY. But due to the lack of Masters in Luke Skywalker's Academy, several Padawans per master was necessary, as seen in Jaden Korr and Rosh Penin training under Kyle Katarn *While the Code did not mention a maximum age for taking Padawans, Jedi Master Simikarty wrote influential interpretations of the Code that inserted such limits; over time, his interpretations of the Code became conflated with the Code itself. In era, apprentices were taken from early childhood. After the end of the New Sith Wars, it became policy to take apprentices from infancy, which proved controversial with those outside the Order. Conversely, Nomi Sunrider started her training as an adult, as did the apprentices of the Jedi Exile and many of the New Jedi Order. *A Jedi will not kill an unarmed opponent, such as the way Anakin Skywalker executed Count Dooku. *A Jedi will not take revenge, such as Anakin did against the Tusken Raiders *A Jedi does not cling to the past. *The Jedi do not believe in killing their prisoners. Following the code Self-discipline Self-discipline was one of the key concepts of Jedi behavior, and Jedi Padawans were taught this from a very early age. The lessons started off similar to what might be taught to an ordinary student; however, as the student progressed, so did the complexity of the lessons. Conquer Arrogance Jedi were required to learn that, although they were able to use the Force, they were no better than those who could not. Jedi were taught that they were only Jedi because some had taken the trouble to teach them, not because they were superior to others, and that a Jedi Master was only a Jedi Master because he had disregarded his own sense of self-importance and embraced the will of the Force. Jedi were forbidden from taking a political appointment or to accept gifts. They were taught that their loyalty was to be to the Jedi Order, and to nothing else. :The crystal is the heart of the blade. :The heart is the crystal of the Jedi. :The Jedi is the crystal of the Force. :The Force is the blade of the heart. :All are intertwined. :The crystal, the blade, the Jedi. :You are one. Behind the scenes The Jedi philosophy of non-attachment is paralleled in similar or identical tenets and principles such as asceticism and monasticism, found in many religions (Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism). The Hindu Bhagavad Gita, states that "when a man dwells in his mind on the object of sense, attachment to them is produced. From attachment springs desire and from desire comes anger." In the video game version of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, during the fight with Serra Keto, the training holograms that repeat the Jedi Code can be damaged, revealing a "Saber Crystal" power-up and thoroughly darkening the Jedi Code; e.g. There is no death, there is the Force replaced by Death...is the Force. Appearances *Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic *Darth Bane: Path of Destruction *Jedi Apprentice series *Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter *Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace * *Jedi Quest series *Outbound Flight *Jedi Trial *Star Wars The Clone Wars 7: In Service of the Republic, Part 1 * *Coruscant Nights I: Jedi Twilight *Coruscant Nights III: Patterns of Force *Heir to the Empire *Dark Apprentice *Shield of Lies *I, Jedi *Junior Jedi Knights: The Golden Globe *Junior Jedi Knights: Lyric's World *Junior Jedi Knights: Promises *Survivor's Quest *Destiny's Way *Inferno *Star Wars Legacy 15: Claws of the Dragon, Part 2 See Also
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