Zoroastrianism

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Zoroastrianism

• K.D. Borcoman,
• Philosophy Professor
• Santa Ana College

http//www.geocities.com/Area51/Station/2921/zarat
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ZARATHUSHTRA Prophet and founder

• The name of the founding Prophet of
  Zoroastrianism is not Zoroaster, which is a Greek
  transliteration of the name, but Zarathushtra,
  which means, in ancient Iranian, "yellow camel."
  (zara yellow, ushtra camel).

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• The modern estimate of Zarathushtra's date of
  flourishing is anywhere from 1500 to 1000 B.C.E.

The basic scripture of Zoroastrianism is a set of
5 poetic songs called the Gathas
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• In the Gathas, Zarathushtra preached that the One
  God, Ahura Mazda, is transcendent-these are the
  attributes
• Vohu Manah - Good Thought - connected with
  Animals
• Asha Vahishta - Justice and Truth - Fire and
  Energy
• Kshathra - Dominion - Metals and minerals
• Spenta Armaiti - Devotion and Serenity - The
  earth and land
• Haurvatat - Wholeness - Waters
• Ameretat - Immortality - Plants
• Spenta Mainyu - Creative Energy - Human beings

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• The "dualism" of Zoroastrianism is known in the
  "West," but is mostly misunderstood. In the
  Gathas Spenta Mainyu, the "Holy Creative Spirit,"
  is opposed to Angra Mainyu, the Hostile Spirit

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• This conflict takes place in the human heart and
  mind, not in the material Universe. It is the
  constant struggle between good and evil in human
  beings. This is ethical dualism, the dualism of
  Good and Evil. In later traditions this changed
  into a dualism that took in the material world,
  dividing the Universe into two camps, each ruled
  by the Good God or the Evil Spirit. This is
  called "cosmic" dualism.

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• Zoroastrian worship involves prayers and symbolic
  ceremonies said before a sacred fire. This fire,
  which was a God- symbol even before Zarathushtra,
  was used by the Prophet and by his followers ever
  after as the ideal sign of God, who is light,
  warmth, energy. Zoroastrians do NOT worship fire,
  as some people believe. They use Fire as a
  symbol, or an icon, the focus of their worship.

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• Zoroastrianism does not teach or believe in
  reincarnation or karma. Zoroastrians believe that
  after life on earth, the human soul is judged by
  God as to whether it did more good or evil in its
  life. Those who chose good over evil go to what
  Zarathushtra referred to simply as the "best
  existence," or heaven, and those who chose evil
  go to the "worst existence," or hell.
  Zoroastrianism was one of the first religions to
  give the afterlife a moral dimension.

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• Zoroastrianism also believes in the progress of
  sacred time, and the eventual end of time. The
  belief is that the collective good acts of
  humanity will slowly transform the imperfect
  material world into its heavenly ideal. This is
  known as the "frasho-kereti," or "making-fresh,"
  that is, renewal. At the end of time everything
  and everyone will be purified, even the souls in
  hell - so hell is not eternal.

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• Zoroastrian ideas of moral dualism, heaven and
  hell, sacred time, and angelic beings have
  influenced Judaism and Christianity, during long
  centuries of contact between these faiths in the
  Middle East

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• The most important thing about Zoroastrianism is
  the dedication to ethical and moral excellence.
  The motto of the faith is
• GOOD THOUGHTS, GOOD WORDS, GOOD DEEDS.

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• This threefold path is the center of the faith.
  One knows what is good through the Divine help of
  Vohu Manah (Good Mind) and divinely inspired
  conscience (Daena).

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• Zoroastrians are mostly of Persian origin, though
  the recent breakup of the Soviet Union has
  revealed isolated groups of Central Asian and
  Armenian Zoroastrians as well. In the 10th
  century A.D. groups of Persian Zoroastrians fled
  an oppressive Muslim regime and settled in
  Gujarat, in western India. These are the Parsis
  of India, who are a major influence today. From
  India and Iran Zoroastrians have spread all over
  the world, and there are communities in England,
  Australia, Canada, the United States, and other
  countries. These diaspora communites now face the
  problems of how to adapt their ancient religious
  traditions to a modern world.

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VOHU MANAH The Good Mind-

• Zoroastrianism is almost unique among ancient
  faiths for its reliance on reason and the mind,
  rather than faith, non-rational experience, and
  the "heart." It puts tremendous emphasis on
  reason, (called Vohu Manah, or Good Mind in the
  Gatha hymns of the Prophet) rather than the
  arbitrary and mysterious will of an all- powerful
  God.

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ASHA VAHISHTA Truth, Righteousness, Cosmic Order

• The Avestan word Asha is related to the Sanskrit
  root RTA which means "eternal law and order." The
  Indo-European word- root became, in modern
  languages, such words as "right,"
  "righteousness," "ritual," and "rite."

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• Therefore, to praise Asha as the "best" (Avestan,
  vahishta) is to put yourself in harmony with
  cosmic order, and to commit yourself to the
  search for Truth in your spiritual, moral, and
  work life. Asha indwells within you, as it does
  in everyone, and it is divine. Every time you do
  a righteous deed, no matter how small, you are
  bringing yourself closer to God through Asha
  Vahishta.

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KSHATHRA The Kingdom and the Power

• Kshathra is one of the great Principles exalted
  by Zarathushtra, and is numbered among the Amesha
  Spentas, the "Bounteous Immortals" who are the
  personified attributes of God in Zoroastrian
  theology
• It is related to the Sanskrit word kshatriya
  which denotes the Hindu warrior caste, and in
  later transformations, Kshathra becomes the
  Persian word shahr or "settlement," and the more
  famous word shah, or Ruler.

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• This idea of kingship or Dominion under God's Law
  is evident in the rock-cut inscriptions left by
  the Iranian kings of the Achaemenid Empire (c.600
  BC-330 BC). King Darius advertised his lawful
  rule in this inscription "Within these countries
  (of the Persian Empire) the man who was
  accommodating, him I treated well (him) who was
  false I punished well.

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SPENTA ARMAITI Spirit of serenity

• Scholars of Avesta have rendered the name as
  "divine wisdom," "devotion," "piety,"
  "benevolence," "loving- kindness,"
  "right-mindedness," "peace and love," or even
  "service
• The object of Zoroastrian spirituality is to
  actualize the Amesha Spentas within oneself, and
  thus become closer and closer to God. This means
  learning and practicing the virtues of each
  Amesha Spenta, whether they are "masculine" or
  "feminine."

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HAURVATAT AND AMERETAT - Wholeness and
Immortality

• Haurvatat and Ameretat are the last two of the
  seven Amesha Spentas, the emanations of God which
  Zoroastrians call the "Bounteous Immortals." They
  are not last in precedence, as there is no
  clearly defined hierarchy among the Seven, but
  they are last in that they are the latest to
  appear in the divine scheme of things. They are
  the virtues and gifts of the future, things
  devoutly to be hoped for, the signs of the
  Renewal at the End of Time.

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http//www.zarathushtra.com/