The Jedi Ideal was spawned from many different sources and philosophies. One of those were the Samurai. At their time of greatest refinement, the Samurai were held to a code of conduct called Bushido, the Warrior’s Way. There were seven precepts of Bushido, all of which should be very directly implemented in the training of a Jedi.
-Self-Control
This tenet is included in more modern teachings of Bushido, but wasn’t nearly as needed in the earlier version. That is because, being of Japanese culture, the concept of self-control was already such an integrated part of the culture, it would have been redundant, and possibly offensive, to include it as one of the teachings of a Samurai. However, that doesn’t mean it should not be addressed. The Jedi Way is filled with many challenges that require a heightened level of self control and self discipline, some in training and others in life.
-Respect of Self and Others
The Body Code says that a Jedi respects all life, but respecting life as a sacred living thing does not always mean the same thing as respecting the sacredness of yourself and/or other people. We have to make the conscious effort to always see living, breathing people as just another part of the Force, just as we are. We have to be mindful to see the spark of the Force in all people, even if we don’t agree with them, or cannot mesh with their personality. We don’t have to like someone to respect them as people, and as living spirits. This also does not mean that we have to be tolerant to a flawed world view, or wrong action. In standing up against these bad actions and incorrect thoughts, such as prejudices both spoken and acted upon, we are acting with the respect of them as living beings, knowing that all people are on a path of growth. Thus, our response to these wrongs must be both absolute and compassionate. We seek to defend those who may be harmed by these thoughts and actions through education and enlightenment above all else. This is what it means to be a Lightbringer.
-Sincerity in Word and Action
This line is a small bit tricky, because what it is going to sound like is that I am telling you that it is okay for a Jedi to be dishonest, which is not the case. Being sincere in word, and in action, is being totally present in all things that we say and do. That is not always the same as truthfulness, because there are times that we may not know the entire truth on a subject or situation. Yes, the Code calls for knowledge over ignorance, but much as discussed previously, there may come a time when we do not have the availability to gain a more complete knowledge, and thus must act/speak from a point of limited knowledge. In that case, we are charged with acting/speaking as best we can with what we know, and being totally, sincerely ourself in the process.
-Righteousness of Selfless Deeds
When acting as a Warrior, the Jedi must always strive to act selflessly. That does not mean that they cannot do something that could benefit them, but that they should never choose an action BECAUSE it will be of benefit to them over another. The right way to act as a Warrior is for the greatest good possible at any given time, and most often, that does not include any kind of gain on the part of the Jedi. We should always strive to act as selflessly as we can, because ours is the calling to aid others. In this way, the Warrior is similar to the Monk, accepting that they do not need more than what they have.
-Benevolence and Generosity
A Jedi should always be willing to give, and to do so from a place of peace and compassion. It is in this way that we should always practice acts of benevolent giving. Give of the body, give of the mind, give of the spirit… give freely and openly, as the Force gives to each of us. Never give with expectation, or act with cruelty towards another. We are all, at our core, the sacred spark that is the Force. This does not call for a Jedi to give up their worldly possessions, or put themselves repeatedly in a position where their health and/or safety is in jeopardy. While Jedi are meant to stand in service to others, we cannot do that is we ruin ourselves in the process. Be generous and benevolen to others, but not at the expense of true dificulty for the self. Of course, there will come times when we have to forsake our own wants and needs to help others, but it should never be the default.
-Courage to Stand
This is one of the most important aspects of being a Warrior, and that is the courage to stand up for others. That could be in a sense of bearing truthful witness, but it could also be setting yourself between a person in need and another person, intent to do them harm. It can be willingness to stand in a picket line, or creating content for the entire world to see/hear/read speaking out against an injustice. We all have things that we have to stand for, at times. It is okay to stand up with shaking knees, or butterflies, or shaking hands. Those are responses to breaking your comfort zone, and proof that you are stronger than your desire for safety… the standing is the hardest, bravest part.
-Loyalty to Family, Friends, and the Force
Loyalty is a very complex topic, because it means something different, depending on how you use it. When we speak of loyalty to family, there are two layers for that: blood relatives, and the spirit family, those who have become far closer than the word friend can possibly convey. We have to honor our ancestors and elders, because without their struggles, we would not be who we are, whether their input was positive or negative. Negative input from outside just shows us the way to positivity internally. Next, we move onto loyalty to our friends. These are the people who we take into our circle, and into our charge. We owe them the dedication that they have shown us. To do otherwise is to use that person, and that is not the Jedi Way. Lastly, we discuss to the loyalty to the Force, which is equally loyalty to self. The Force is All, and as such, we are part of that All. We move within the flow of the Force, and we must be aware of that current, that river, so that we might best lead self and others to the other side of the waterfall safely.
-Honor
So, I always save this point for last in any of the times I discuss the tenets of Bushido. This is one of the most difficult topics to put into solid words, because this word can mean so MANY different things to different people, and different cultures. Even within the culture that spawned this teaching, the Japanese, the concept of honor is often violently defended, in the long run, costing someone their honor anyway. Honor is not pride, or glory. It is how you carry yourself, and your reputation of doing so. There is a story in the mythos about why Jedi should always strive to be honorable.
A civilian interacts with a Jedi, and that Jedi is acting dishonorably. This first impression leads the civilian to question if all Jedi are dishonorable. They come across another Jedi who is acting honorably. Now, they question which is the anomaly: the first or the second. Finally, the civilian come across a third Jedi, also acting honorably. Now, the civilian begins to see that Jedi can be both honorable and dishonorable. Only after contact with the fourth Jedi, acting with great honor, will the civilian decide that the first Jedi was truly not the norm, and that Jedi were largely honorable.
In this story, because one acted without honor, it took the actions of three more to remove the negative impression. However, even then, there will still be the lingering prejudice that at least one of these four were dishonorable. Acting without honor does not merely remove your personal honor, but it places a stain on your brothers and sisters in the Force, and on the Jedi Way. In this way, we must be extra careful to always behave with honor. There are times where we must vent feelings that could bring dishonor if taken seriously, but in those cases, only vent to a truly trusted friend, so that you can release the built up negativity without placing that stain on another.