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By Fali S. Chothia Who are the Zoroastrians? Once the state religion of the mighty Iranian empire--which at one time extended from Africa to China, from the Danube in Europe to the plains of Judea in the Middle East, and up to the Punjab and Sindh in India--its followers today number less than 300,000 worldwide. After Iran was conquered by the Moslem Arabs in the seventh century, those Zoroastrians who refused to convert to Islam either sought refuge in isolated areas of Iran or fled to India, China, present-day Afghanistan and Russia, and other countries. One of the largest surviving groups is to be found in India where its members are known as the 'Parsis'. Another large population still resides in Iran. There are sizable groups in the U.S.A., Canada, Britain, and Pakistan; and smaller ones in Hong Kong, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Australia, East Africa and other places. A few Zoroastrians can be found in almost all English-speaking countries and even in some non English-speaking countries. Who was Zarathustra? Zarathustra was born in Iran, probably in the region that is now part of present-day Russia or Afghanistan. He was married and had children. His father was Pourushaspa and his mother was Dughdova. Long before the coming of Zarathustra the people of Iran followed the "Mazdayasni" religion, one characterized by the worship of multiple deities. This caused a good deal of distress to Zarathustra. To seek a message from God he withdrew himself from the material world at an early age and spent several years in solitude. When he knew that he had heard the voice of God, he set out to preach. For ten years no one paid any heed to him; in fact, he was denounced as a heretic and sorcerer. The tide turned when he was received by King Vishtasp. So impressed was the King by Zarathustra's message that he publicly embraced the new religion which spread rapidly throughout Iran and neighboring countries. The success of the new religion was not liked by his opponents who succeeded by slander and deception in having him imprisoned on a charge of sorcery. Undaunted, he continued to spread his faith after his release from prison. His enemies, however, continued to persecute him. He died a martyr's death, at the age of seventy-seven, at the hands of one of his enemies while praying in a temple. There is controversy about the time when Zarathustra lived. At one time western scholars believed that he lived around 600 B.C., but today some scholars believe that he lived around 1500 B.C. or even earlier. This would make Zoroastrianism the oldest of the prophetic religions. What are the principal teachings of Zarathustra? The principal characteristics of the religion taught by Zarathustra are: its stress on ethics, its positive approach to life, optimism about the future of the world, its emphasis on free choice and its catholicity. According to Zarathustra, the world is a battleground between the forces of good and evil. Ultimately, good will prevail over evil. Our mission in life is to so conduct ourselves that this ultimate victory is achieved. He urged his followers to live a full and useful life in this world, to appreciate all things that are good and beautiful in creation, not only to do good and desist from evil but also to fight evil, and to make others happy. He assured his followers that the strength of God would be given to those who fought evil, and stressed that an evil deed could be offset by a good one. As for happiness, the way to seek happiness was by making others happy. He pointed out that in each of us there is a divine spark. It is up to us to recognize this divine spark or essence within us, to understand its capabilities and to try and so conduct ourselves that we reach the state of perfection in this world. As a practical guide in daily life, his prescription was very simple:
Zarathustra emphasized free choice. In one his first sermons he preached: "Ye who seek knowledge, please listen carefully to what I say, and perceive the truth in the light of reason, because it is possible for each man to have a separate creed." He also taught that one should be liberal in thinking and to respect all that is good, true and beautiful. Here is a passage that brings home this point: "We reserve and love all good thoughts, words and deeds that may have been presented here or else- where, now or at any future period. because we are on the side of goodness." Some scholars believe that some of the important concepts found in other religions--such as the concepts of monotheism, of heaven and hell, of the end of the world, of the resurrection of the dead, and of the coming of the Savior--originated with Zoroastrianism.
Every religion puts more importance on some aspects than others. It is important to know the values stressed in Zoroastrianism because these values influence the daily life of the Zoroastrians. Truth. Zoroastrianism stresses truth more than anything else. The very first prayer a Zoroastrian child learns is devoted to truth. A free translation of that prayer--called Ashem Vohu--is: "Truth is the greatest virtue. It is happiness. Happy is who is truthful for the sake of truth". According to the Greek historian, Herodotus, every young man in ancient Iran was instructed in three things--to ride a horse, to shoot with bow and arrow, and to speak the truth. Lying was considered the greatest disgrace. It is, therefore, not surprising that the Parsis of India and the Zoroastrians of Iran have earned a reputation for honesty. Charity. Another cherished value is charity. In the very second prayer a Zoroastrian child learns--the "Yatha Ahu Vairyo" --there is a line which says: "He who give assistance to the poor acknowledges the kingdom of God." There is so much stress on charity in the Zoroastrian way of life that in India there is a saying: "Parsi, thy name is charity." This tradition is also to be found in Iran. Purity. Zoroastrianism also puts value on purity--purity of the body as well as that of the mind. Dignity of labor. Zoroastrianism also stresses hard work and dignity of labor. In the "Gathas" which are a record of the prophet's conversations with God, we find this passage. To the question: "What is the way of furthering the Mazdayasni religion?" Ahura Mazda replies: "Incessant cultivation of corn, O Spitama Zarathustra. Who cultivates corn cultivates righteousness." What are the sacred books of the Zoroastrians? All the existing scriptures propounded by Zarathustra as well as the religious writings of his followers are collectively known as the "Avesta." (Avesta is also the name of the language spoken in Iran at one time.) The "Avesta" consists of two parts--the older Avesta and the later Avesta (or "Khordeh Avesta"). The most important part of the scriptures is the "Gathas" or Divine Songs. These are dialogues between the prophet and God, and they are ascribed to Zarathustra himself. The "Avesta" is written in a number of languages. The "Gathas" were written in a language that was Pre-Avestan. Later scriptures were written in the Avesta language and in the Pahlavi and Pazand dialects. What exists today is only a fraction of the original scriptures, many of which were burned when Alexander destroyed Persepolis. The Zoroastrians still recite their prayers in the language in which the scriptures were written. Some reformers argue that they should be recited in the language of the believer or in English so that the person offering the prayers can understand what he or she is praying. Others, who want to continue the old practice, prefer to "keep with tradition."
They do. There is a mistaken belief among some western scholars that Zoroastrians believe in two Gods--a God of good and a God of evil. This is not true. In fact, some scholars claim that Zarathustra was the first prophet to preach monotheism, the concept of one God. Zarathustra talked about two opposing forces--the forces of good personified by 'Hormuzd' and the forces of evil personified by 'Ahriman'. According to Zarathustra the forces of good will ultimately prevail over the forces of evil, and the purpose of life is to help this process.
They do. Besides one day in each month, the last ten days of the Zoroastrian calendar are set aside for remembering the dead. There is also a special day each year when the departed are supposed to visit the earth. This corresponds to the All Souls Day observed by Christians. It is also believed that the soul hovers over the dead body for three days after death.
They do. In the "Gathas" Zarathustra often refers to life after death, and to the "Chinwat Bridge" where the good deeds done on earth are weighed against the evil deeds. Many Zoroastrian scholars believe that the descriptions of heaven and hell in Zoroastrian scriptures are purely allegorical, that heaven and hell are not places but conditions. Some Zoroastrians believe that the reward or punishment for good or bad deeds is often given in this world itself rather than in the next.
Few scholars have found any evidence of this belief in Zoroastrian scriptures.
They do. Some scholars believe that the concept of the Final Savior originated with Zoroastrianism.
Zoroastrians do not believe that human beings are born in sin. They believe that there is potential for good as well as evil in every human being. There is a divine spark or essence in each of us. We should recognize it and utilize it to its fullest potential. This divine spark ("Fravashi" or "Farohar") is depicted in architecture as a bird with outstretched wings.
No, they are not. They do not "worship" fire. The fire is a symbol of the Zoroastrian faith just as the cross is a symbol of Christianity. In a Zoroastrian temple the only symbol before which prayers are said is the fire which is tended by a priest five times a day. The fire stands for a number of things. It is a symbol of purity, for fire purifies everything. It also stands for the "inner fire" or divine spark in a human being. The fire burning in the Zoroastrian temple or at home is a constant reminder that we should always keep our "inner fire" alive. There are three "grades" of temples, depending upon the process of consecration and who is allowed to tend the fire. The first and second grades of fire can only be tended by the priests, whereas the last can be tended even by laymen.
There are two symbols that Zoroastrians wear. One is the "sudra", a white, muslin shirt. In the center of the front neck opening is a small "pocket" into which all good deeds are "inserted". This is, of course a daily reminder that one must perform good deeds. The garment's color is white, because white is a symbol of purity. The other symbol is the "kusti" a sacred thread tied three times around the waist while saying a prayer. It is tied three times to remind one of the three basic principles of the faith--good thoughts, good words, good deeds. The "kusti" is woven out of 72 threads of sheep's wool. These thread symbolize the 72 chapters of the scriptures, called the "Yasna", which include the "Gathas". The first time a Zoroastrian wears the "sudra" and the "kusti" is when he or she is formally inducted into the faith, usually between the ages of 7 and 11.
The "Navzote" is the name of the ceremony during which a Zoroastrian child is formally initiated into the religion. In India it is usually performed at the age of 7, 9 or 11. Tradition says it should be an odd number, and the ceremony must be done before the onset of puberty. After a bath (to signify purity of body), the boy or girl is made to ware the "sudra" for the first time. After a short prayer he or she ties the "kusti" around the waist. During the ceremony the child recites a few simple prayers, receives benedictions from the priest, and declares his or her acceptance of the Zoroastrians religion in the following words (freely translated): "I follow the Mazdayasni religion, the religion of Zarathustra. I love and accept this religion. I love and accept the very mind of good thought. I love and accept the very utterance of the good word. I love and accept the very action of the good deed. I love and accept the good and true Mazdayasni religion which stops all quarrels and wars, teaches us to die for others, and leads us to Asha, the truth of God. The Mazdayasni religion is for me the greatest, the best and the finest of all religions which are or which shall be, because it is God's religion shown to us by Zarathustra. I believe all things good come from Ahura Mazda. Such are the boons of those who follow the Mazdayasni religion". What did the Zoroastrians achieve in Iran? The history of pre-Islamic Iran is usually divided into five periods--pre Achaemenian, Achaemenian, Greek, Parathion, and Sassanian. The Achaemenian period (550 B.C. to 330 B.C.) was the most glorious in the history of Iran. This was the time of Cyrus and Darius, two of the most illustrious rulers not only in the history of Iran but also in the history of the world. This was also the period of the crucial wars between the Persians and the Greeks. Although Iran lost militarily in the end, the contacts between the two nations had great cultural significance. Iran's literary works were translated into Greek and her culture had a powerful influence on Greek thought, and through Greece on Western Civilization. Cyrus, the founder of the Achaemenian dynasty, is sometimes called the first world emperor in history for he united all of West Asia into a vast empire. He is also remembered for his sense of justice, his humane treatment of subjugated nations, and his respect for other religions which were allowed to flourish in his empire. The Jews in particular have a high regard for Cyrus who is mentioned several times in the Bible. After conquering Babylon in 538 B.C., he freed the captive Jews and allowed them to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple. It is not surprising that Cyrus as a personal name is to be found not only in the countries of the Middle East, but also in Europe and North America. Under Darius the Great, the Iranian empire reached its Zenith, extending from Africa to China, from the Danube in Europe to the plain of Judaea in the Middle East, and up to Punjab and Sindh in India. Darius was not only a conqueror. He was also a very able administrator and a great builder. He is believed to be the first emperor in history to divide his empire into a number of provinces, each ruled over by a governor, a general, and a secretary of state, each of whom was appointed directly from the capital and was independent of the others. (We see that the doctrine of separation of powers, such as the one prevailing in the USA, is a very old one). As a builder, Darius constructed a canal linking Iran with the Mediterranean and a 1500 mile royal road from Sardis to his capital at Susa, and built many palaces and cities including beautiful Persepolis which was burned by Alexander. Under Darius, the Iranians controlled a third of the Greek population. When some of the Greek cities revolted, the Iranians attacked Greece, but lost. Darius' second son Xerxes, who succeeded him, began another invasion against Greece but after a series of battles the Iranians again lost. It is interesting to speculate that, if the Iranians had won, the Zoroastrian religion might have spread to Greece and later to much of Europe. That is why Zoroastrianism is sometimes called "the religion that almost became the religion of Europe". The achievements of the Zoroastrians of Iran are not restricted to the period of the Iranian empire. Many Zoroastrians have achieved success in modern Iran also. They have held important positions in the government, in the armed forces, in education and other fields. Among them are Dr. Farhang Mehr who was appointed President of Shiraz University and who also held important posts in the government, and the late Arab Rustom Guiv who donated generously to many causes.
Zoroastrians in India number less than a hundred thousand in a total population of nearly 750 million. In relation to their numbers, their achievements in recent times can truly be described as outstanding:
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