The Three Pillars of the Jedi Order

The Three Pillars of the Jedi
"Jedi do not fight for peace. That's only a slogan, and is as misleading as slogans always are. Jedi fight for civilization, because only civilization creates peace. We fight for justice because justice is the fundamental bedrock of civilization: an unjust civilization is built upon sand. It does not long survive a storm."

- Mace Windu

The strength of the Jedi Code and organization of the Order rested on the three core tenets of Force, Knowledge, and Self-Discipline. Built into a Jedi's everyday life, the Coruscant Jedi Temple's main entrance statuary was illustrative of the three pillars.

The first pillar was the Force, the constant between all things. Given purpose by the Force, Master Sabla-Mandibu described the Jedi as "swimming in the Force in our every moment--breathing it, tasting it, riding its currents to our unique destines." A symbiosis of midi-chlorians and sentient beings was the key needed to be able to touch the Force, but this biological necessity was not a main focus of Jedi study. Instead, Jedi contemplated the will of the Force and the differences between its two aspects: the Unifying and Living Force.

The Pillar of Knowledge maintained that a Jedi's role in the galaxy could not be filled without intense study and accumulated wisdom. To assist in the pursuit of knowledge, the Temple was equipped with a deep well of knowledge known as the Jedi Archives. In addition to the Archives and supplementary library, the Temple contained several vaults which housed the holocrons of the Order. While an individual could never learn everything within the collection, the presiding Chief Librarian that maintained the collection would argue that it wouldn't hurt to try.

Lastly, the Pillar of Self-Discipline was rightly known as the Third Pillar. Classes on combat and physical training were not given until mastery of the first two tenets was gained. Once ready to study the art of self-discipline, students were oftentimes disappointed to learn that they would not begin intense lightsaber training, but would be encouraged to take on more stringent forms of meditation. Only after mastering oneself could an Initiate proceed to take up a lightsaber for the first time.

The Pillars of the Jedi: The First Pillar is Knowledge The Second Pillar is The Force The Third Pillar is Self-Discipline