To start, let’s go back to 2003. The culmination of the Matrix franchise was unleashed upon waiting moviegoers — Neo had somehow managed to port his powers into the real world, had broken completely free from the “maya” that was surrounding him and prepares for a final confrontation with Agent Smith even as Zion braces for a full-scale machine invasion.
It’s classic Hollywood. But with a heavy sprinkling of texts from ancient Indian philosophies. It’s a fact that’s even acknowledged by the cast. Actor Bernard White, who played Rama Kandra in the Matrix movies, once gave out an interview to Cinescape magazine saying “the Bhagavad Gita was a great spiritual inspiration for the Matrix movies”. In fact, he kept a copy of the Bhagavad Gita with him throughout filming and had a live performance of the Bhagavad Gita in Los Angeles that year, telling Matrix fans how the book has influenced one of the most “spiritual” action movies ever!
But that’s not all. The end credits of the Matrix Revolutions featured the peace chanting from the Upanishads — Asato Ma Sadgamaya, Tamaso Ma Jyotirgamaya, Mrityor Ma Amrutangamaya, Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Heem. “What the Wachowski brothers (the makers of the Matrix movies) did was expand the philosophies, not just borrow from them for a script. They understood the vedic scriptures completely and were able to assimilate it into a mainstream Hollywood flick,” says director Mani Shankar.
“For example, what do you think is happening to Neo at the end? He has discovered true knowledge — enlightenment. The concept of Maya is prevalent in the Matrix movies, about a world which is not real, the sense of self, a higher power and life within an illusion...,” explains Shankar.
The Star Wars universe
But the earliest reference to human life’s link with the cosmos appeared decades ago, when the first Star Wars movie released on May 25, 1977. Which is why, for the past 38 years, we have been talking about the “Force”, on posters, T-shirts and even postcards. In a piece for The Guardian, columnist Nirpal Dhaliwal notes how director George Lucas was heavily influenced by the mythologist Joseph Campbell. According to Dhaliwal, “Campbell lived by his Upanishadic mantra ‘follow your bliss’, which he derived from the Sanskrit term sat-chit-ananda”. In an explainer, Campbell says, “The word sat means being. Chit means consciousness. Ananda means bliss or rapture.”
In simpler terms, Campbell is referring to the path towards realising a potential that awaits those searching — the rapture. Jedis — the very talented defenders of all things right — are those who have achieved that potential, those who have merged with the cosmos to realise the presence of a “Force” within. Yes, it gives them enhanced abilities and yes, they have lead hermit-like lives but they have also become beings of a higher plane.
And then there are those quotes from the master himself — Yoda: “Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them, do not. Miss them, do not. Attachment leads to jealously. The shadow of greed, that is.” He also warned against a deviation from the path. “A Jedi’s strength flows from the Force. But beware of the dark side. Anger, fear, aggression; the dark side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan’s apprentice.”
Fans, however, have also claimed such instructions have been found within texts of several ancient cultures. Of course, the Matrix and Star Wars have borrowed from Buddhism too. The concept of peace is found in thousands of instructions that have been found scattered in several scriptures. Best-selling author Amish Tripathi offers an idea. “These ideas are not borrowed only from Indian philosophy, but from all ancient philosophies.
Most of these beliefs existed within societies of several ancient civilisations like the Indian, Greek, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Central American, etc. But most of these civilisations were wiped out — the result of extreme violence and organised oppression. India, and the regions nearby, were just lucky enough to survive and have managed to hold on to philosophies that are thousands of years old. We are fortunate.
“And let’s consider some of these ideas. The concept of nature as a mother — a nurturing element — existed amongst these ancient civilisations. Later, nature was turned into a resource for the use of man.” Explains why some of these blockbusters have elements in the script that are over a thousand years old.
