PROF. NIMDOK: This is the part where things start to veer into philosophic territory. I am not a professor of philosophy, but for the sake of our historical analysis, I want you to take a look at these two doctrines, Odan-Urr’s Jedi Code and the surviving version of the Je’daii Code, and compare and contrast them. Let’s start with the similarities. What do you see that is similar about them?
STUDENT A: The line “There is no ignorance; there is knowledge” is in both.
STUDENT B: “Immortal in the Force” and “There is no death; there is the Force” have similar meanings.
NIMDOK: I agree it’s just semantics, but I’m sure the real philosophers would beg to differ.
STUDENT C: Both juxtapose chaos and harmony.
STUDENT D: I forgot what I was going to say, sorry.
NIMDOK: I did too. Class dismissed. Right, now tell me the differences. What stands out the most to you?
STUDENT C: “There is no fear, there is power” would be considered incorrect by most Jedi sects today. Jedi are not supposed to crave power or revel in it, they’re supposed to surrender to the Force. At least, if you believe the Force has a will and is working toward benevolent goals.
STUDENT D: The Force is supposed to be created by life, so it probably wants to preserve life so people can keep making more babies.
NIMDOK: Why did the Je’daii consider power to be the opposite of fear?
STUDENT C: Fear was probably a constant thing in the lives of the ancient Je’daii, since they lived in an unstable society, so to survive they needed power. Power represents freedom from fear.
NIMDOK: But Jedi like Master Yoda say that fear leads to the Dark Side.
STUDENT C: The Jedi just replaced the quest for power with a quest for inner peace and spiritual harmony. But that was because society developed to the point where they weren’t having to fight just to survive.
NIMDOK: Odan-Urr didn’t live in a peaceful time.
STUDENT C: But he didn’t live in a time where everyone's ideology of the Force was confined to Tython and its moons.. The Jedi came into being only after the Je’daii ceased to be so primitive and limited.
NIMDOK: Ah, so the Jedi came into being because the Je’daii weren’t sophisticated enough? That’s an interesting interpretation. Most historians agree that the Jedi came into being at the end of the Force Wars, and that is when they started to expand beyond Tython's borders. Oh, I wanted to point out that the Jedi Code has two lines that are very similar: “There is no emotion, there is peace” and “There is no passion, there is serenity”. Is there a significant difference in meaning? Why are these ideas mentioned twice?
STUDENT A: Because it’s important. Odan-Urr was stressing the need to not lose control over your emotions and passions, as these things can distract you.
STUDENT C: Emotions can make a Jedi more chaotic and difficult to control, but Sith revel in their emotions and are always trying to gain more power. Jedi don’t seek power.
NIMDOK: Good. You see that the Je’daii Code also mentioned power. But I will be discussing the Sith Code at another date. Anything else?
STUDENT B: The Je’daii Code mentions darkness, but in a positive way, where it represents mystery. And then light represents discovery, I think? It’s not like the Light Side and the Dark Side.
NIMDOK: Yes. The metaphor used is different, I would say—or maybe the Je’daii are just using metaphors here, whereas the Jedi have turned it into an almost literal concept equating darkness with evil and light with good. Now, the ancient Je’daii didn’t really have the Light Side and the Dark Side yet, but they did divide the Force into binary halves. Ashla and Bogan were not just moons in Tython’s night sky, they were primordial forces. When they were not in balance, things went awry. So you’re right in that the Je’daii were all about balance, while the Jedi, at least the way they are presented in this version of the Jedi Code, were really not.
STUDENT B: I thought about it, it's not just semantics then. The Jedi Code begins every line with “there is no…”, cutting out not just ignorance, but emotion, passion, chaos, and death. The Jedi are cutting death out of the equation, but only the Je’daii promise immortality through the Force. There is a difference.
NIMDOK: Hm, I would say that they both more or less mean the same thing, but you’re right that the Jedi definitely put an emphasis on removing these things, on sacrificing them—remember ‘a Jedi’s life is sacrifice’?—while the Je’daii aren’t as concerned about removing things as they are with balance. Except where ignorance is concerned, but hey, I can agree with that.
STUDENT A: The line “There is no ignorance; there is knowledge” is in both.
STUDENT B: “Immortal in the Force” and “There is no death; there is the Force” have similar meanings.
NIMDOK: I agree it’s just semantics, but I’m sure the real philosophers would beg to differ.
STUDENT C: Both juxtapose chaos and harmony.
STUDENT D: I forgot what I was going to say, sorry.
NIMDOK: I did too. Class dismissed. Right, now tell me the differences. What stands out the most to you?
STUDENT C: “There is no fear, there is power” would be considered incorrect by most Jedi sects today. Jedi are not supposed to crave power or revel in it, they’re supposed to surrender to the Force. At least, if you believe the Force has a will and is working toward benevolent goals.
STUDENT D: The Force is supposed to be created by life, so it probably wants to preserve life so people can keep making more babies.
NIMDOK: Why did the Je’daii consider power to be the opposite of fear?
STUDENT C: Fear was probably a constant thing in the lives of the ancient Je’daii, since they lived in an unstable society, so to survive they needed power. Power represents freedom from fear.
NIMDOK: But Jedi like Master Yoda say that fear leads to the Dark Side.
STUDENT C: The Jedi just replaced the quest for power with a quest for inner peace and spiritual harmony. But that was because society developed to the point where they weren’t having to fight just to survive.
NIMDOK: Odan-Urr didn’t live in a peaceful time.
STUDENT C: But he didn’t live in a time where everyone's ideology of the Force was confined to Tython and its moons.. The Jedi came into being only after the Je’daii ceased to be so primitive and limited.
NIMDOK: Ah, so the Jedi came into being because the Je’daii weren’t sophisticated enough? That’s an interesting interpretation. Most historians agree that the Jedi came into being at the end of the Force Wars, and that is when they started to expand beyond Tython's borders. Oh, I wanted to point out that the Jedi Code has two lines that are very similar: “There is no emotion, there is peace” and “There is no passion, there is serenity”. Is there a significant difference in meaning? Why are these ideas mentioned twice?
STUDENT A: Because it’s important. Odan-Urr was stressing the need to not lose control over your emotions and passions, as these things can distract you.
STUDENT C: Emotions can make a Jedi more chaotic and difficult to control, but Sith revel in their emotions and are always trying to gain more power. Jedi don’t seek power.
NIMDOK: Good. You see that the Je’daii Code also mentioned power. But I will be discussing the Sith Code at another date. Anything else?
STUDENT B: The Je’daii Code mentions darkness, but in a positive way, where it represents mystery. And then light represents discovery, I think? It’s not like the Light Side and the Dark Side.
NIMDOK: Yes. The metaphor used is different, I would say—or maybe the Je’daii are just using metaphors here, whereas the Jedi have turned it into an almost literal concept equating darkness with evil and light with good. Now, the ancient Je’daii didn’t really have the Light Side and the Dark Side yet, but they did divide the Force into binary halves. Ashla and Bogan were not just moons in Tython’s night sky, they were primordial forces. When they were not in balance, things went awry. So you’re right in that the Je’daii were all about balance, while the Jedi, at least the way they are presented in this version of the Jedi Code, were really not.
STUDENT B: I thought about it, it's not just semantics then. The Jedi Code begins every line with “there is no…”, cutting out not just ignorance, but emotion, passion, chaos, and death. The Jedi are cutting death out of the equation, but only the Je’daii promise immortality through the Force. There is a difference.
NIMDOK: Hm, I would say that they both more or less mean the same thing, but you’re right that the Jedi definitely put an emphasis on removing these things, on sacrificing them—remember ‘a Jedi’s life is sacrifice’?—while the Je’daii aren’t as concerned about removing things as they are with balance. Except where ignorance is concerned, but hey, I can agree with that.
