A dive into Navi Philosophy and Religion

[JforA]

Below is a comment I was going to make on the dormant "Na'vi bible' project" and it exploded into this so I decided to make it a thread for those interested. It concerns the absence of the Na'vi word for 'Faith' and my deep-dive as to why.


I too struggled with how Na'vi was missing the word 'faith', now I think I understand why this is. I've been reading a book called 'Buddhism Plain and Simple'. True to it's name, it illustrates the basic core of Buddhism, treating it not at all as a faith or religion but more accurately a philosophy. An excerpt from the book.

"Buddhism is not a belief system. It's not about accepting certain tenets or believing a set of claims or principles. In fact, it's quite the opposite. It's about examine the world clearly and carefully, about testing everything and every day. Buddhism is about seeing. It's about knowing rather than believing or hoping or wishing."

It also goes on to discuss how you are constantly changing, every second you are in a different state as you are continually receiving and reacting to what is happening around you. This is actually in line with what the Na'vi believe, that everything is 'ever changing' (This is their view on evolution according to the books). Also, in Bhuddism, there's a huge emphasis is on accepting things in life, including suffering and going with the flow. All very zen.

So lets compare this to an excerpt of "Avatar: The Visual Dictionary"

"The Na'vi perception of space, time and the unity of all things results in the concept of "seeing". -- To "see" is to remind oneself to let go of past experiences, particularly negative ones, and perceive new stimuli, as if encountering them for the first time. When one learns to 'see,' pain and suffering are easier to bear, answers to burning questions reveal themselves, and fate guides the seer to fulfill their destiny."

Now this is very much Buddha-dharma but with a twist because it's incorporating fate and destiny Buddha-dharma leans more towards 'fate and destiny' don't exist, nothing exists until it happens and now you decide how you let it effect you' So really it the opposite of 'faith'. Seeing is Believing, not To Believe without Seeing.

So the Na'vi thinking is like this, you're riding a boat down a river. You can choose what routes you want to take, but certain things will always be out of your control and for the Na'vi, the way of 'seeing' is to be content with those things happen. Like if your boat hits rapids, or tips, or rushes you down an area you don't want to go, you can either accept it, or complain. This is the Na'vi philosophy but it's not their religion. Their religion shares similarities to Taoism, actually. Here's another excerpt from the Visual Dictionary

"The Na'vi also believe that all living things have a spiritual counterpart, or soul. At the end of life, this spirit returns to the consciousness of Eywa and is brought back as living matter in an eternal cycle of death an rebirth."

That is hundred percent Taosim which preaches reincarnation. It's also, environmentalism, since Eywa's recycling souls. Waste not, want not. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

And since this post is getting really long, lets explore the crux of Na'vi belief, Eywa.

"Animals and the Na'vi have free will and are not, strictly speaking, a part of Eywa—in the same way a child is not a part of the mother but does owe it's life to her."

A unique way of looking at it because, scientifically speaking, babies won't typically learn to say 'mother' as their first word because they don't identify themselves as being separate from her, the connection is so strong, they see themselves as a part of their mother. While a baby takes from it's Mother's milk, it's not a parasitical relationship, but symbiotic as suckling causes dopamine to release in a mother's brain, so caring for a baby rewards her with joy. So that means the Na'vi give Eywa joy and their relying on Her like a child does it's mother's milk is an aspect of Hinduism. They view Earth as the Divine Mother, the first guru who provides for all living things. Giving shelter to those who shed ignorance and seek truth. Did Cameron know this? Maybe not. The whole term 'Mother Earth' derives from Hinduism, so if you're going to feature that in you movie, then you are touching upon that religion to some extent.

Now back to Buddha-dharma. Fscinating as I find it and how it really helps me understand the Na'vi thinking, the philosophy kinda breaks down in Avatar because Cameron inserted this one line Jake says, 'The people say, Eywa will provide.' That is hundred percent faith. So to some extent, the Na'vi do Believe without Seeing. Now they've seen in the past how Eywa provides but, Buddha-dharma teaches 'in the moment' so what about right now? Eywa allowed the Na'vi to find game yesterday, but they might not find game today, or water, or shelter. Bad things do happen, so for the Na'vi to say 'Eywa will provide' they're saying they trust Eywa even when they can't physically see an immediate answer, they 'see' into Eywa and Her consistent character of always giving Her children what they need, one way or another.

Now that brings me to this point, a fourth religion that is also reflected in the Na'vi beliefs. Let's explore one last line in the visual dictionary.

"The Na'vi desire to live in harmony with their world. Their oneness with Eywa provides them with a sense of certainty, selfless values, and pure motives. The Na'vi's trusting ways can appear naive to humans, some of whom prey on the Na'vi's perceived innocence. However, faith and optimism have proved strong enough to lead the Na'vi through many hard times in their long history."

(This is probably the most unintentional on-the-nose depiction of Christian faith I have ever seen in a story.)

So even in the visual dictionary, the word 'Faith' is used! The official material cannot describe the Na'vi without using the word! So logically speaking their should be a word for 'faith' in their language. My only theory as to it's absence (Other than a reflection of the secular views of whoever penned this world) is that the Na'vi's trust in Eywa is so strong, they don't even see it as 'faith'. To them Her providing is such a guarantee that their is never any room for doubt. If you are a hundred-percent confident that you are steeping out onto an invisible bridge, are you really taking a leap of faith? or are simply seeing with another eye that one is there? So therefore, 'kame' 'To see' IS the Na'vi word for faith, we just have to see it through Na'vi eyes, eyes that do not doubt their world but are so one with it, they don't identify as being separate from their Mother.

In the end, I love how Avatar (2009) has this level of spirituality even if created by a secular man and for this reason, it's universal, anyone can enjoy it no matter their background. 

[Toliman]

I would say it's quite interesting

[Toliman]

Wondering about that more today, really interesting points

In the end, I love how Avatar (2009) has this level of spirituality even if created by a secular man and for this reason, it's universal, anyone can enjoy it no matter their background. 

Yeah

[Zeeisha]

That's got me interested. Do you think one Na'vi can directly pray to Eywa? (Like christians with Jesus)

[Toliman]

I would say theoretically it's possible.