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Anahita Amalsad
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Click here for Anahita's Biography The
History, Philosophy and Culture of Zoroastrianism Mary Boyce said, “Zoroastrianism
is the oldest of the revealed world-religions, and it has probably had
more influence on mankind, directly and indirectly, than any other single
faith.” [1][1]
The history of Zoroastrianism dates back to anywhere from 600 B.C.E. to
6000 B.C.E., with the most recent studies pointing to the Bronze Age,
about 1800 B.C.E. to 1200 B.C.E. The
main philosophy of Zoroastrianism is based on good thoughts, good words
and good deeds. The Zoroastrian culture embraces many customs and rituals
that may or may not be directly part of the religion. In this paper, I
will be focusing on these aspects of Zoroastrianism: the history,
philosophy and culture.
There is no confirmed date that tells us when the history of
Zoroastrianism started. The Gathas, hymns, suggest that Zoroaster lived at
the time when the Bronze Age developed. According to this, we suppose that
Zoroastrianism flourished at about 1800 B.C.E. to 1200 B.C.E. The Persian
prophet, Zartosht, (later named as Zoroaster by the Greeks), which means
the Golden Light or the Shining Star, founded Zoroastrianism. This
religion prospered through the rise and fall of many civilizations. For
1,000 years, (558 B.C.E. to 652 C.E.) it was the main religion of three
Persian Empires: the Achaemenians, the Parthians and the Sassanians.[2][2]
This religion spread across Asia, from Greece in the west, to the Hindu
Kush in the east, up into southern Russia and down into Egypt.
Zoroastrianism had millions of followers. This religion then spread
through Persia, and became the main religion of the Achaemenian Empire,
founded by Cyrus the Great in 558 B.C.E.
In 330 B.C.E., Zoroastrianism suffered many complications when
Alexander the Great conquered Persia, burned Persepolis, and burned much
of Zoroastrianism with it. The religion got rejuvenated during the
Parthian and the Sassanian Empires. In 652 C.E., Zoroastrianism suffered
another setback when the Muslims invaded Persia. At this time, a large
number of Zoroastrians converted into Muslims. They got scattered due to
massive persecutions, and today they are left with about 250,000 people
across the world. A few
shiploads of devoted Zoroastrians migrated to India in the 10th
century and were given shelter. The major concentration of Zoroastrians is
presently in Iran and India. There are approximately 25,000 Zoroastrians
in North America, 7,500 in the United Kingdom, 4,000 in Europe, 2,000 in
Australia and 3,000 in Pakistan. Some of the theological concepts shared
by Zoroastrianism with Judaism and Christianity are: the belief in one
supreme and loving God and that good ultimately prevails when one follows
strict moral and ethical codes. The exchange of Zoroastrian thought or
teachings with the Jewish and Christian beliefs first took place when
Cyrus the Great defeated the Assyrians and released the Jews from
Babylonian captivity. Therefore,
the Zoroastrian philosophies have played an important role in the
development of western religions and history.
The
main belief of Zoroastrian philosophy is based on good thoughts, good
words and good deeds. Zoroastrians follow their faith by thinking good
thoughts, speaking good words and by doing good deeds. The teachings of
Zoroaster are mainly preserved in 17 hymns, known as Gathas, which are in the Yasna, part of the sacred Avesta
scripture. This
pocket book of Gathas has divine songs, filled with inspiring philosophies
called the Manthra. Avesta, the holy
book of the Zoroastrians, is a collection of prayers for daily use by the
followers of this religion. When Zoroaster lived, the Persians were not
familiar with writing. Therefore, for many centuries, all their religious
works were handed down orally.[3][3]
In the 5th century C.E., it was the first time that the Avestan
alphabet was invented to actually write the Avesta. The simplest and most
powerful prayer of the Zoroastrians is the Ashem Vohu prayer. This
twelve-word prayer means: there is righteousness in the divine creation.
Happiness comes to those who use their consciousness to be on the path of
righteousness. Zoroastrianism is a religion of honoring the Wise Being,
Ahura Mazda. Zoroastrians consider Ahura Mazda as their God. Zoroaster was
the first prophet in the world who truly believed in monotheism. According
to him, there is only one God, Ahura Mazda, the creator, maintainer and
promoter of life. There are no assisting gods and goddesses. Mazda means
supreme wisdom. Since God is a divine being, Zoroaster added Ahura to
Mazda. Later, these two components were combined as Ahura Mazda, which
translates as the Wise Lord. The concept of good and evil in
Zoroastrianism has somehow been misunderstood and misinterpreted. In the
Gathas, Zoroaster tells people that they have to choose between following
the effective (righteous), or the ineffective path. This is different from
believing that there are two equal and powerful opposing sources in the
universe, whose constant struggle defines life and destiny. Zoroaster also
believed in the freedom of choice through responsibility. He indicates in
the Gathas to “Hear the best with your ears and ponder with your bright
mind. Then make the choice between right and wrong, and accept complete
responsibility for the consequences of your choice.”[4][4]
Based on Zoroaster’s teachings, the reward and consequence of our
actions are realized in this life. He emphasizes the individual’s role
in making this world a better place for everyone.
Zoroastrians follow a culture that consists of different customs
and rituals, which show respect and reverence for their religion. Most
cultures hold customs and rituals that may or may not be directly part of
their religion. Many of the rituals and customs that the Zoroastrians
follow are not described in the Gathas. But these rituals and customs are
actual events that are symbolic to Zoroastrians. They exchange meaning and
have real strength to influence us. There are many different customs that
Zoroastrians follow. For example: First, they celebrate Novrooz, or
Persian New Year, which is celebrated on the first day of spring. Khordad
Saal, the birthday of Zoroaster, is celebrated on March 27th.
Next, they celebrate Ghanbars, or seasonal Thanksgiving festivals.
Finally, one of the most important ceremonies in the Zoroastrian religion
is called Navjote, or the initiation ceremony.[5][5]
A Zoroastrian child is officially initiated into the faith with the
Navjote ceremony. During this ceremony, he or she is provided with the
sacred Sudreh and Kushti, accompanied with recitation of prayers from the
Avesta. The Sudreh is an undershirt of pure white muslin with a small
symbolic pocket in front, reminding the wearer to fill it everyday with
good thoughts, good words and good deeds. The Kushti, a woolen cord,
signifies that the wearer has committed himself or herself to practice the
teachings of Zoroaster. These customs often reflect their belief in the
purity of the environment and their hopes for prosperity. Zoroastrians
believe that cleanliness is next to Godliness. Therefore, in most of their
rituals, they use fire as a symbol of cleanliness and are mistakenly
labeled as fire worshippers by non-Zoroastrians. Zoroastrians are not fire
worshippers. They just respect fire and light because they believe that
life would be difficult without fire and light. Therefore, when they pray,
they face the sun or a light source.
In
the Gathas, Zoroaster considers Atash, or fire, as mental light, warmth,
and energy, three qualities that help one to transform good thoughts into
good words and good deeds. Zoroaster also regarded Atash as a symbol of
purity because it is the only element of nature whose sanctity is not
affected by any kind of impurity because the energy radiated from fire
destroys all impurities. For this reason, Zoroastrians consider fire as a
sacred element, and have Fire Temples to worship Ahura Mazda. There are
three grades of Fire Temples: Atash Bahram, Atash Adaram, and Dar-e-Meher.
“The oldest existing Atash Bahram in the world is in the village
of Sharifabad in Iran. Here the holy fire has been kept perpetually
burning for over 2000 years…” [6] (Roshan
Rivetna) Another old Fire Temple in Iran, is situated in the city of Yazd,
which is called the center of Zoroastrianism. The holiest Fire Temple in
India is the Atash Bahram at Udvada, about one hundred miles from Bombay,
where the Sacred Fire brought by Iranian refuges from Iran has been
continuously burning since 1741. In India, Pakistan and Iran, many
Zoroastrians have built a special fireplace for prayers in their homes.
This fire is called Atash Dadgah. Another symbol used by Zoroastrians is a
Fravahar, a guardian spirit, or an inner voice. The Fravahar is a daily
reminder to follow good thoughts, good words and good deeds, to keep
promises, to respect the elderly and to choose the path of righteousness.
As you can see, Zoroastrians have many different rituals and customs to
show respect and admiration for their religion.
In the last few pages, I have researched the history, philosophy
and culture of the Zoroastrian religion. Most people do not know very much
about this religion because it is the oldest monotheistic religion in the
world. Most of the vital books and information about Zoroastrianism were
first burned during the attack of Alexander the Great, and later destroyed
by the Muslim invasion. Zoroastrian history was founded and taught in
eastern Iran in about 1800 B.C.E. to 1200 B.C.E. This religion spread all
over the Persian Empire by the 6th century B.C.E.
Zoroastrianism flourished during the Achaemenians, the Parthians and the
Sassanians Empires. The Zoroastrian kings, such as Cyrus the Great, were
known for their tolerance and kindness towards other religions and races.
Zoroaster, the founder of this religion, preached his main philosophy of
good thoughts, good words and good deeds. The Zoroastrians holy book is
called the Avesta; and their psalms are called the Gathas. Zoroastrians
are supposed to respect other religions and choose the path of
righteousness. The Zoroastrians follow certain customs and rituals to show
love and respect for their religion. In most of their rituals, fire is
used as a symbol of cleanliness and purity. Therefore, when they pray,
they are to face the sun or a source of light. The most significant ritual
in this religion is the Navjote, or the initiation ceremony, through which
a child is officially accepted into the Zoroastrian faith. Most people
have either not heard about this religion or have had misconceived
concepts about its philosophy. I hope that my research paper on the
history, philosophy and culture of Zoroastrianism, has clarified some
misconceptions and brought more knowledge and understanding about this
religion. ACKNOWLEDGMENT:
I like to acknowledge the guidance, patience and support of my parents. [1] Roshan
Rivetna, The Legacy of Zarathushtra (Hinsdale: FEZANA, 2002), 22. [2]
Roshan Rivetna, The Legacy of Zarathushtra (Hinsdale: FEZANA,
2002), 59 [3]
Mary Boyce, Textual Sources for the Study of Zoroastrianism. (London,
Manchester University Press, 1984), 1 [4]
This is my parents’ understanding of the Gathas. [5]
Lorraine N. Moos, My Simple Book of Zoroastrianism. (New Delhi,
Business Communicators, 1996), 36 [6]
Roshan Rivetna, The Legacy of Zarathushtra (Hinsdale: FEZANA,
2002), 40. Bibliography Bowker,
John. World Religions: The great faiths explored and explained. New
York: DK Publishing Inc., 1997. Boyce,
Mary. Textual Sources for the Study of Zoroastrianism. Manchester:
Manchester University Press, 1984. Braden,
Charles S. The
World’s Religions. New York: Abington Press, 1976. Jagadeesan,
J. Unity of Faiths. Kuala Lumpur: Sathya Sai Central Council of
Malaysia, 1997. Moos,
Lorraine N. My Simple Book of Zoroastrianism. New Delhi: Business
Communicators, 1996. Rivetna,
Roshan. The Legacy of Zarathushtra. Hinsdale: FEZANA, 2002. Roberts,
Paul W. In Search of the Birth of Jesus: The Real Journey of the Magi. New
York: Riverhead Books, 1995.
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