The Zoroastrian Faith Author: S. A. Nigosian Publisher: McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP ISBN: 9780773511446 Category : Religion Languages : en Pages : 172. In Zoroastrian tradition, the chaotic is represented by Angra Mainyu (also referred to as Ahriman), the Destructive Principle, while the benevolent is represented through Ahura Mazdas Spenta Mainyu, the instrument or Bounteous Principle of the act of creation. The number is imprecise because of wildly diverging counts in Iran.Indias 2011 Census found 57,264 Parsi Zoroastrians. This was done in spite of protests by the Iranians, who offered a very great sum of money to save the tree. Zoroastrians believe that when a person dies, the soul is divinely judged. Follow the Threefold Path of Asha: Humata, Huxta, Huvarshta (Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds). Superficially such a comparison seems apt, as both are dualistic and Manichaeism adopted many of the Yazatas for its own pantheon. Ascribed to the teachings of the Iranian-speaking prophetZoroaster (also known as Zarathustra),it exalts a deity of wisdom,Ahura Mazda(Wise Lord), as itsSupreme Being. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window), List of countries by Zoroastrian population. Zoroastrians currently seek official status for their religion in Iraqi Kurdistan. The religion of Zoroastrianism is closest to Vedic religion. Under the reign of King Valax of theArsacis Dynasty, an attempt was made to restore the Avesta. With possible roots dating back to the second millennium BC, Zoroastrianism enters recorded history in the 5th-century BC. Yuhan SohrabDinshaw Vevaina . While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. In the final renovation, all of creationeven the souls of the dead that were initially banished to darknesswill be reunited in Ahura Mazda, returning to life in the undead form. Iranian Zoroastrians were historically calledGabrs, originally without a pejorative connotation but in the present-day derogatorily applied to all non-Muslims. Prior to being born, theurvan(soul) of an individual is still united with itsfravashi (guardian spirit), which has existed since Mazda created the universe. During life, thefravashiacts as a guardian and protector. The original Avesta is believed to have been largely destroyed when Alexander the Great attacked Persia. The Zoroastrian name of the religion isMazdayasna, which combinesMazda- with the Avestan language wordyasna, meaning worship, devotion. Stausberg, M.: Zarathustra and Zoroastrianism: A Short Introduction. This item: Textual Sources for the Study of Zoroastrianism (Textual Sources for the Study of Religion) by Mary Boyce Paperback $30.00 Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices (The Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices) by Mary Boyce Paperback $34.74 The Spirit of Zoroastrianism by Prods Oktor Skjrv Paperback $16.50 An indispensable one-volume collection of primary materials."William R. Darrow, Religious Studies Review Zoroastrianism. ), The Concise Encyclopaedia of Living Faiths. About sixty such works are known to have existed, of which some are known only from references to them in other works. It is celebrated on the occasion of bringing the harvest home, falls in September every year. For example the battle between the good and evil and the return of a ''Messiah.''. |
1984, Textual Sources for the Study of Religion, Religion:
It is one of the basic disciplines for a Zarathustri. In the 16th century, in one of the early letters between Iranian Zoroastrians and their co-religionists in India, the priests ofYazdlamented that no period [in human history], not eventhat of Alexander, had been more grievous or troublesome for the faithful than this millennium of thedemon of Wrath., Further information:Parsi,Irani (India), andZoroastrians in Iran. The dying primordial man and bull emitted seeds. Though it is not required, some practitioners wear a knotted cord called a kusti; the kusti is knotted three times to symbolize the three Zoroastrian values. This symbol consists of a winged disc with a man emerging from it. Major features of Zoroastrianism, such asmessianism, judgment after death, heaven and hell, and free will may have influenced other religious systems, including Second Temple Judaism, Gnosticism, Christianity, Islam,andBuddhism. It is the mid summer festival, falls in June or July each year. Vedic religious texts are replete with people from far flung countries practising or leaving Aryan teachings. Zoroastrian groups in Iran say their number is approximately 60,000.According to the Iranian census data from 2011 the number of Zoroastrians in Iran was 25,271. Because of their sheer numbers, the conquered Zoroastrians had to be treated asdhimmis(despite doubts of the validity of this identification that persisted down the centuries), which made them eligible for protection. Ahuramazda is the supreme, omniscient and omnipotent God, who symbolizes truth, radiance, purity, order, justice, courage, strength and patience. Visitors to fire temples bring an offering of wood, which is placed in the fire by a masked priest. A comparatively minor population persisted in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Persia, and an expatriate community has formed in the United States (some from India), and to a lesser extent in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. While Ahura Mazda created the universe and humankind, Angra Mainyu, whose instinct is to destroy, miscreated demons, evilyazads, and noxious creatures (khrafstar) such as snakes, ants, and flies. It was founded by the Prophet Zoroaster in ancient Iran approximately 3500 years ago. The people who tell the truth are on the side of Asha, and are known as the people of righteousness. It is one of the most important texts composed in Zoroastrian Middle Persian, also known as Zoroastrian Book Pahlavi, in the centuries after the fall of the Sasanian Empire to the invading Arab and Islamic forces in the mid seventh century. Cyrus showed great respect for the nations he had conquered. Though the Armenians share a rich history affiliated with Zoroastrianism (that eventually declined with the advent of Christianity), reports indicate that there were Zoroastrian Armenians in Armenia until the 1920s. BBC 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Holy Books, Prophets and Followers Little is known about the prophet Zoroaster himself. The Sassanid authority clashed with their Armenian subjects in the Battle of Avarayr (a.d. 451), making them officially break with the Roman Church. A further 3,500 live inAustralia(mainly inSydney). The Zarathushtri also practice traditional head covering ritual similar to that of Judaism. i. In Zoroastrianism, good transpires for those who do righteous deeds. Angra Mainyu invaded the universe through the base of the sky, inflicting Gayomard and the bull with suffering and death. Some of the deities of the old religion, theDaevas(Devasin Sanskrit), appeared to delight in war and strife. Middle Persian and Pahlavi works created in the 9th and 10th century contain many religious Zoroastrian books, as most of the writers and copyists were part of the Zoroastrian clergy. The prophet Zoroaster himself, though traditionally dated to the 6th century BCE, is thought by many modern historians to have been a reformer of the polytheistic Iranian religion who lived in the 10th century BCE. by The first was the Achaemenian Empire, founded by Cyrus the Great (ca. Although the names are old, this opposition is a modern Western-influenced development popularized byMartin Haugin the 1880s, and was, in effect, a realignment of the precepts ofZurvanism(Zurvanite Zoroastrianism), which had postulated athirddeity,Zurvan, to explain a mention of twinship (Yasna30.3) between the moral and immoral. Development of the Avesta Text . Mihir Patel. Being good for the sake of goodness and without the hope of reward (see. An Introduction. Yazd became the seat of the Iranian high priests during Mongol Il-Khanate rule, when the best hope for survival [for a non-Muslim] was to be inconspicuous.Crucial to the present-day survival of Zoroastrianism was a migration from the northeastern Iranian town ofSanjan in south-western Khorasan,toGujarat, in westernIndia. Such baiting, which was to continue down the centuries, was indulged in by all; not only by high officials, but by the general uneducated population as well. Along with these texts is the communal household prayer book called the Khordeh Avesta, which contains the Yashts and the Siroza. 17.72.217.72.6). What is known is recorded in theGathasthe core of the Avesta, which contains hymns thought to be composed by Zoroaster himself. From the 19th century onward, the Parsis gained a reputation for their education and widespread influence in all aspects of society. At some point, Zoroastrianism was adopted by the Achaemenid Empire (also known as the First Persian Empire), likely during the reign of Darius I (522-486 BC). The Zoroastrian coming-of-age ceremony is called The Navjote, or Sedreh-Pushi. Zoroastrianism is one of the world's oldest monotheistic religions. The contesting force to Ahura Mazda was called Angra Mainyu, or angry spirit. Born into theSpitamaclan, he worked as a priest. Married female relatives hold a white scarf over the couples heads while cones of sugar are rubbed together to sweeten the marriage. Zaehner (ed. Charity is a way of maintaining one's soul aligned to Asha and to spread happiness. Author: Mary Boyce: Publsiher: Mazda Pub: Total Pages . Following the unification of the Median and Persian empires in 550 BCE, Cyrus the Great and, later, his son Cambyses II curtailed the powers of the Magi after they had attempted to sow dissent following their loss of influence. Mountains will again flatten and valleys will rise; heaven will descend to the moon, and the earth will rise to meet them both. In 2011 the Tehran Mobeds Anjuman announced that for the first time in the history of Iran and of the Zoroastrian communities worldwide, women had been ordained in Iran and North America as mobedyars, meaning women mobeds (Zoroastrian priests). More recently the Zoroastrian faith has gained strength among theKurds in Iraq and claims to have 100,000 followers. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Throughout theGathas, Zoroaster emphasizes deeds and actions, and accordinglyasceticismis frowned upon in Zoroastrianism. Because of cause and effect, they are responsible for the consequences of their choices. . Among them were several groups who ventured to Gujarat on the western shores of the Indian subcontinent, where they finally settled. Zoroaster said these were evil spirits, workers of Angra Mainyu. London/New York: Macmillan, vol. At the request of the government of Tajikistan, UNESCO declared 2003 a year to celebrate the 3000th anniversary of Zoroastrian culture, with special events throughout the world. Because fire or light represents the divine light of the Ahura Mazda, they pray in the direction of the light. This has led some to proclaim it as the worlds first ecological religion. Some have argued that, since the protections are part of a ritual, they stem from theology rather than ecology. Practicing charity to keep one's soul aligned with Asha and thus with spreading happiness. Zoroastrianism flourished during three great Persian Empires. Zoroastrianism expanded to become one of the most important religions in the ancient world. As of 2012, the population of Zoroastrians in USA was 15,000, making it the third largest Zoroastrian population in the World after those of India and Iran. My dear Zarathustris, wearing cap is not imposed upon us but it is a remedy to protect oneself from destructive thought process[es], Further information:List of countries by Zoroastrian populationandList of Zoroastrians. InEnglish, an adherent of the faith is commonly called a Zoroastrian or a Zarathustrian. Tauris, 2011. These dates, however, are very rough; some researchers believe he may have lived as much as a millennium earlier or later. All Rights Reserved. Zoroastrianism replaced the earlier belief system and was adopted by the . For example, while Nowruz is theZoroastrian New Year, Iranians celebrate it on the vernal equinox while Indian Parsis celebrate it in August. Strabo furthermore relates, were noteworthy enclosures; and in their midst there is an altar, on which there is a large quantity of ashes and where the magi keep the fire ever burning. It was not until the end of the Parthian period (247 b.c.a.d. Through good words, thoughts and deeds, humans can serve Ahura Mazda and help defeat Angra Mainyu. 1 map
Indo-Iranian religion in Zarathushtras time was polytheistic (meaning that people worshipped multiple gods). Gan festivals are held whenever the day and month are both associated with the same aspect, such as fire, water, etc. However, it does contain many other sources including works from Herodutos, Strabo and my personal favorite a newspaper report of the new Atash Bahram in Bombay dated 1897. The old woman leads the dead down a bridge that narrows until the departed falls off into the abyss of hell. He is known as ZartoshtandZardosht in Persian andZaratoshtinGujarati. 'good thoughts, good words, good deeds'). Our main source for details on Zoroaster is the Avesta, a collection of sacred texts which was put in writing between 346-360 AD [Herz.ZW, 774] and of which we have manuscript copies only as early as the 13th century [Wat.Z, 56 -- and note to conspiracy theorists: blame Alexander the Great and the Muslims for the destruction of Zoroastrian literature]. This book contains only selections of the Avesta, Vendidad and other works unfortunately. Zoroastrianism enters recorded history in the mid-5th century BCE. Cyrus showed great respect for the nations he had conquered. The alleged descent from the Sassanid house counterbalanced the Arab nationalism of the Umayyads, and the Iranian national association with a Zoroastrian past was disarmed. onwards, and extracts from modern Zoroastrian writings representing traditionalism, occultism and reformist opinion. Angra Mainyu will either be destroyed or made powerless, and everyone will live in paradise except perhaps the extremely wicked, which some sources believe will continue to suffer endlessly. Humans bear responsibility for all situations they are in, and in the way they act toward one another. In Zoroastrianism, the purpose in life is to "be among those who renew the worldto make the world progress towards perfection". Under the early orthodoxcaliphs, as long as the non-Muslims paid their taxes and adhered to thedhimmilaws, administrators were enjoined to leave non-Muslims in their religion and their land. (Caliph Abu Bakr, qtd. "Zoroaster was thus the first to teach the doctrines of an individual judgment, Heaven and Hell, the future resurrection of the body, the general Last Judgment, and life everlasting for the reunited soul and body. In Bukhara (in present-day Uzbekistan), resistance to Islam required the 9th-century Arab commander Qutaiba to convert his province four times. Zoroastrianism developed the abstract concepts of heaven and hell, as well as personal and final judgment, all of which are only alluded to in theGathas. Some of Zoroastrianism's religious elements are similar to Christianity. ", for Textual Sources for the Study of Zoroastrianism, : Textual Sources for the Study of Zoroastrianism, about Textual Sources for the Study of Zoroastrianism, 1427 E. 60th Street Chicago, IL 60637 USA. Here, in their lives, they are active participants in the conflict, and it is theirdutyto defend order, which would decay without counteraction. ZoroastrianismscreatorAhura Mazda, through theSpenta Mainyu(Good Spirit, Bounteous Immortals)is an all-good father ofAsha (Truth, order, justice),in opposition toDruj(falsehood, deceit) and no evil originates from him. In Zoroastrian cosmogony, water and fire are respectively the second and last primordial elements to have been created, and scripture considers fire to have its origin in the waters. The mask prevents the fire from being desecrated by his breath. Zarathustra, better known as Zoroaster (the Greek version of his name), was a prophet from Persia. Huvarshta ( good thoughts, good transpires for those who do righteous deeds,. 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