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Introduction
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Zoroaster
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Teachings
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Rituals and Practices
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The Holy Scripture
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Concept of God
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Zoroastrianism is
the religion of ancient Persia founded by Zoroaster in Seventh
century before Christ. Its sacred book is Avesta, also called Zend
– Avesta. Today it does not claim more than 200,000 adherents,
some 25,000 Gabars in Iran and around 150,000 Parsis in Bombay,
India, who are steadily decreasing day by day since conversion is
generally considered impossible.
If the religion
founded by Zoroaster has little authority today, it had a very
considerable influence in the past. Its philosophy and doctrines
are said to have penetrated into Judaism during the Exile and,
through Gnosticism, Christianity. Encyclopedia Americana
identifies numerous and important resemblances between
Zoroastrianism and Judaism. For example, figure of Satan in
Judaism resembles Ahriman of Zoroastrianism, figure of Messiah (saviour)
is similar to Zoroastrian Saoshyant, and the entities that came to
surround Yahweh (God of Jews) such as His wisdom and His spirit
are comparable to the archangels escorting Ahura Mazda. Other
points of comparison between the two faiths include the doctrine
of millennia; the last Judgment; the heavenly book in which human
actions are recorded; the Resurrection; the Paradise; the Hell,
etc. The Encyclopedia also compares Christianity and
Zoroastrianism and holds that the former owes many features to the
latter in addition to what the former inherited through Judaism.
Among others are probably the belief in guardian angels, in
resurrection, and in the heavenly journey of the soul.
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Zoroaster is the
founder of the ancient religion of Iran, known after his name as
Zoroastrianism. He is also the author of Gathas, 17 religious
poems embedded in the Avesta, the Holy Scripture of
Zoroastrianism. The Greeks came to hear of Zoroaster from the
magi, the priests of western Iran, around 400 B.C. The name
Zoroaster is the Greek corruption of the Persian word Zartusht’
(which means he of the Golden Light) or ‘Zarathushtra’ (Camel
Driver).
The exact dates of
Zoroaster’s birth and death are not known. But the generally taken
date of birth is 630 B.C. and date of death is 553 B.C. Zoroaster
was born in Media or in Bactria and the name of his father was
Pourushaspa.
At the age of 20
he left his family to wandering with a view to seek truth.
According to a source, he lived in a cave and kept silent for
seven years. At the age of 30 he is reported to have received a
revelation through Archangel Vohu Manah (good thought) who bade
him to mount to the presence of Ahura Mazda the ‘Wise Lord’ and
supreme being. Ahura Mazda then instructed Zoroaster, called now
to be a Prophet, in the doctrines and duties of the true religion.
Thus the obscure reference in the avesta to “the mountain and the
tree of the two who discuss holy matters” alludes, according to
the middle Persian Zoroastrian commentaries, seven revelations
that Zoroaster received from his God between 30th and
40th year of his life.
Zoroaster’s
initial preachings were without success. However the turning point
of his career occurred at the age of 42 when he succeeded in
converting Vishtaspa, an Aryan king, to his faith. The conversion
of King, Vishtaspa proved a blessing as the King put all his power
behind the newly introduced religion. Zoroaster died, at the age
of 77, in a holy war against the invading Turanians.
Under the
Achaemenidac (550 – 330 B.C) Zoroastrianism was the state religion
of Persia. Alexander’s conquest in 331 B.C. brought disruption but
the religion flourished again under the Sassanid dynasty (226 –
640 A.D.). With the conquest of Iran by the Muslims in 7th
century A.D. Zoroastrianism finally gave way to Islam. Some of its
followers remained in Iran, notably in Fars, and are known as
Gabars; while many fled to India and settled in Bombay who were
named Parsis after the name of their country of origin.
“The Chief
features of Zoroaster’s vision,” says the Encyclopedia of
Americana, “are his incisive solution of the problem of evil, of
which he absolves God without detracting from his omnipotence; the
pivotal significance of Truth in his system; the dignity he
confers on man as a free and responsible agent; and the belief in
a saviour and a resurrection into a state of eternal perfection.”
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The religion,
which Zoroaster taught, was a unique ethical monotheism. He called
the supreme God of his faith Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord) and claimed
that he had been set to his prophetic mission by Ahura Mazda
himself. His religion, according to him was perfect and final
religion. Although Zoroaster gave all his devotion to one god,
Ahura Mazda, who was supreme deity in his view, but conceded that
Ahura Mazda is not unopposed. According to him, Ahura Mazda is
opposed strongly by Ahirman (Angra Mainyu or the bad spirit).1
A central feature
of Zoroastrianism is its doctrine of dualism which personifies the
opposing principles of good and evil and recognizes age-long war
between good and evil. The powers of good are led by Ahura Mazda
with bands of angels and archangels; whereas powers of evil are
led by Ahriman with companies of demons and archfiends. Ultimately
the powers of good would prevail.
For the first time
in a world-religion, eschatology, the conception of “last thing”,
or the end of the world, comes into prominence. According to
Zoroaster’s teachings, a general resurrection will take place at
the end of the present world order. The good and evil will then be
subjected to an ordeal of fire and molten metal. Again, according
to the teaching of Zoroaster, individual judgment follows shortly
after death, and the state of the soul remains fixed thereafter
until the general resurrection at the end of the world.2
Good and evil are
not clearly defined, although Gathas (which are devotional hymns)
provide us some indication of the practical difference between
right and wrong. In creating man, Ahura Mazda gave him freedom to
determine his own actions and hence the power to choose between
right and wrong.
Zoroastrian
doctrine of millennia is explained as follows by the Encyclopedia
Americana:
“According to
Zoroastrianism, the world’s history is a contest between good and
evil, or light and darkness, which will endure for 12,000 years,
divided into four equal periods. The first period is one of
spiritual existence. Conscious that Ahriman lives, Ahura Mazda
makes the world as a spiritual creation before it assumes material
form. When Ahriman discovers his enemy at work, he arouses to life
his army of demons and fiends. In the second epoch Ahura Mazda
creates the material world, which is invaded by Ahriman and his
cohorts. The third period marks the contest for mastery between
the rivals and the battle for the human soul until Zoroaster is
born. The fourth and last epoch then begins. The prophet and his
three sons, to be born in ages to come, the last being the
Saoshyant, or Savior, preside over the final eon. As the world
enters the stage of regeneration, with the resurrection and final
judgment, Ahriman will form his hosts for a final battle. They
will be defeated, and good will reign forever.”
The maintenance of
life and the struggle against evil form two basic principles of
Zoroastrian code of ethics. In order to maintain life, one must
marry and raise children; asceticism and celibacy to be condemned.
To fight evil is to combat the demons and all beings (either human
or animal).3
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1- Yasna
or
sacrifice is the chief ceremony of Zoroastrianism. It is an
offering of haoma, the sacred liquor together with water and milk
in the presence of a fire in the honour of Ahura Mazda for the
benefit of the dead or living. In the course of this ceremony, the
main part of the Avesta is recited, including Zoroaster’s Gathas!4
2- The Fire
is an object of special reverence in Zoroastrian faith. It is kept
burning in the temple and fed at fixed intervals, and embers from
all the fires of the community are brought to it periodically for
regeneration. Fire was thought to be all pervading as a kind of
life fluid, coming down from heaven in the lightening.5
The matter of
purifying the fire in their fire-temples is distinctive of
Zoroastrians and is of more than ordinary interest. The more holy
fire has to be compounded of sixteen different fires, all purified
after a long and complicated ritual. One such fire is obtained
from the cremation of a corpse.6
3- Dakhma:
Another very important feature of Zoroastrian faith, apart from
fire ritual, is the practice of disposing of the dead by exposing
them to birds of prey in so-called towers of silence (dakhma) to
avoid defiling the earth, fire or water.
A dakhma is, in
essence, a stone floor with a circular brick or stone wall around
it. The floor is built with a pit in the center, and is in three
sections – the highest section for men, the next for women, and
the lowest for children. The corpse is brought to the dakhma by
six bearers, followed by the mourners, all in white. After a final
viewing of the remains by the funeral procession, the body is
taken inside the Tower, laid in a shallow pit on its proper level,
and partially uncovered by a thorough slitting of its clothes with
scissors. Then vultures attack and eat away the flesh leaving the
bones dry. The bones are then cast into the central well where
they crumble away!7
4- Priesthood:
The ceremonial life of the Parsis is regulated by the priesthood,
which is hereditary and traces its descent to the ancient tribe of
magi. Their high priests are called dasturs, and many of them are
highly educated; yet the ceremonies in the fire temples are not
performed by them, but by a specially-trained class of priests,
called mobeds, whose ritual of initiation is very exacting and who
keep themselves constantly purified by cleansing rites. These
priests memorize fully half of the Avesta, without, as a rule,
understanding a word of it, since it is composed in what is now a
dead language.8
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The sacred book of
the Zoroastrian faith, the Avesta, is more or less a miscellany,
without cohesion; indeed, it is but the remnant of a far larger
body of literature, a great part of which has perished. The
portion of the Avesta, most important for us, is the Yasna,
because it contains the Gathas (17 religious poems) or ‘Hymns of
Zoroaster,’ written in an ancient dialect (Zend) and containing
our only really trustworthy information on his life and thought.
The other portions of the Avesta – the Vispered, the Vendidad, the
Yashts or ‘songs of praise’ and the Kordah Avesta or ‘little
Avesta’ are less reliable, because of their latter date and change
in emphasis and world-view.9
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In theory,
Zoroastrianism is a monotheistic religion. According to the
official creed of the Avesta, Ahura Mazda (or Ormuzd, as he came
to be called) was always adored as a supreme deity, Omni potent,
transcendent having no equal. He was held to be too great and
spiritual to have images made of him. But very soon, the old Aryan
nature worship, which Zoroaster had condemned, crept back into the
faith. Even Zoroaster himself was raised to the status of the
deity and a highly worshipful attitude came to be taken toward
him. To the adoring eyes of his later followers, that very human
man, “the shepherd of the poor,” who appears in the Gathas, became
a Godlike personage, whose whole existence was attended by
supernatural manifestations. Heaven and hell were thrown in
commotion by him. His coming was known and foretold 3000 years
before by the mythical primeval bull!10
Although
Zoroaster gave all his devotion to one god, Ahura Mazda, who was
supreme deity in his view, but he conceded that Ahura Mazda was
not unopposed. According to him, Ahura (wise lord) is strongly
opposed by Ahriman (Angra Mainyu, the Evil Spirit). This led to
the concept of dualism or two gods in Zorostrianism – god of good
and god of evil. This doctrine of dualism has been beautifully
elaborated by Encyclopedia Americana as under:
“A central
feature of Zoroastrianism is its doctrine of dualism, which
personifies the opposing principles of good and evil and
recognizes the universal sway of these hostile forces. The power
of good are led by Ahura Mazda (the Wise Lord); those of evil by
Ahriman (Angra Mainyu; the Evil Spirit). Each has an array of
warriors. On one side are bands of angels and archangels; on the
other, companies of demons and archfiends. Under the general name
of Amesha Spentas (Immortal Holy Ones) are grouped the six
archangels who personify fundamental virtues and abstract ideas,
and whose names, represent Good Mind, Excellent Truth, Wished for
Kingdom, Devotion, Wholesomeness, and Non-Death. In addition there
are a number of angles and lesser divinities called Worshipful
Ones. In the opposing army a crowd of lesser fiends and demons
(including the daeva Aeshma) accompany the six archfiends.”
During Sassanid
period, another school of thought developed a unique principle,
Zurvan or Infinite time. In fact, although the Avesta has little
trace of it, Zurvan was the supreme god in Iran at the time of
Mani (d. 276 A.D.), for the Manchaens never called their god Ahura
Mazda but, sometimes, Zurvan. Ahura Mazda was in Manichaeism the
name of the primal man.11
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1,2- Islam and World Religions
3- Pear’s Cyclopedia
4,5- Encyclopedia Americana
6 to 10-
Islam and World Religions
11-
Encyclopedia Americana.
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