Though I've only read a small portion, I've already found something that parallels the Jedi philosophy..here's a nice little quote:
"Always without desire we must be found,
If its deep mystery we would sound;
But if desire always within us be,
Its outer fringe is all that we shall see."
For those of you who have no idea whatsoever about what I'm talking about, the Tao-te Ching is the sacred book of Taoism, written by Lao-tzu...the "tao" which means "the way" is the force in nature which motivates all things, all things are like the Tao...Taoism also emphazizes balance, yes, like in the Jedi..but it is a bit different......
"The highest excellence is like (that of) water. The excellence of water
appears in its benefitting all things, and in its occupying, without striving
(to the contrary), the low place which all men dislike. Hence (its way)
is near to (that of) the Tao."
I suppose this is similar to the Jedi philosophy, but Taosim tends to have a more passive side while the Jedi,
"Simplicity without a name
Is free from all external aim.
With no desire, at rest and still,
All things go right, as of their will."
though traditionally not as active as Qui-gon, are much more active. Taoists believe that following the Tao is the ultimate goal in life, and things go wrong when we do not follow it. How do you follow othe Tao? You simply follow the way of nature. Which is passive. Both in fighting and mediating, learning and instructing....the Jedi are more active, but still here, we can see the parallels.
This one is probably the most obvious connection for anyone who knows anything about the development of Star Wars. Ever seen Seven Samurai ? You should (At least the old black and white one.. not in English! .... it had subtitles, don't worry.).
First off, even the name "Samurai" translates into "One who serves." Jedi are also there to serve. The Samurai had a code of honor that they followed, the code of Bushido which means "The way of the warrior." Of course, the Jedi Code is different, but the idea for a Jedi Code of Honor came from those real codes such as Bushido.
And, if you are a really educated star wars fan, you'll know where the term "Jedi' comes from. "Jedi" came from the word "Jedai Gekei"--the high times of the Samurai (yes I know that's the most awful spelling in the world, but I'm used to saying it not spelling it...hopefully I'll find the correct spelling somewhere).
The whole idea of the Jedi Order, largely, sprang from the Samurai. When you think of the weapons they use, even, they are very similar--though the Jedi have more high tech weapons of course....but hey, it's sci-fi. Anyway, any Samurai sword is unique. There are special sword makers in Japan, still, who manufacture these swords. The sword is very sharp, and it is kept that way. Jedi lightsabres are handmade by the owner, all sabers are different. The Samurai did not use guns even when they were introduced into Japan--which contributed to their downfall--as the Jedi do not use blasters.
I could say a lot more, and maybe later I will, but this connection is perhaps the most obvious--and intended--one. The Samurai were very honor oriented, as are the Jedi. The Japanese religion of Shinto (I'll get to that in depth later perhaps) is very nature oriented, as is the Jedi belief in the force. Though Jedi may be more idealized Samurai, they are nevertheless highly disciplined warriors (when needed) who are honor bound by the codes they follow.