The PROPOSAL OF ZARATHUSHTRA:

BEYOND RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY

By: Dr. José Luis Abreu,
Zarathushtrian Group, Spenta University,
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

The objective of this study is to discuss and determine the most appropriate concept that describes the message of Zarathushtra, according to what he intended to teach. In this sense, several terminologies will be analyzed to find out the one (s) that fit (s) best such a definition within the frames of the gathic teachings. Pre-gathic and Post-Gathic elements will not be considered in this assay.

The terminologies involved in this discussion are: religion, philosophy, and consciousness.

PHILOSOPHY AND ZOROASTRIANISM

When the following concepts, stated by The Standard Encyclopedic Dictionary are studied:

• Philosophy: Science that deals with the inquiry into the most comprehensive principles of reality in general, or of some sector of it, as human knowledge or human values. The love of wisdom, and the search for it (Greek).

• Philosopher: A student or specialist in philosophy. Lover of wisdom (Greek).

It can be affirmed without the slightest shadow of a doubt that besides being a religious person, Zarathushtra was the first historically known philosopher. It can be found in many stanzas of the Gathas songs that Zarathushtra promotes the love for wisdom, which meets the concepts previously depicted.

The name of Zarathushtra's God "Ahura Mazda" is a compound one, Ahura means Existing or Self-Existing One, and Mazda means Wisdom; also known as Lord Wisdom. For Zarathushtra God is the personification of a Super Intellect or Universal Wisdom.

The Philosophical Attitude. For Albornoz ( 1998) this attitude is fundamentally speculative. Speculation, as indicated by its etymology (specus-caverna) means getting from itself. Speculation is a way of intuitive apprehension. The speculative thought starts from experience, but it does not remain in it, it transcends searching for universal relators. The philosophical attitude is characterized by a permanent search for the eternal questioning. A questioning where the questions are more essential than the answers. In this regard Heidegger (1965) said that philosophy is an extraordinary questioning for the extraordinary.

Zarathushtra has shown a philosophical attitude, he was not limited in his questioning this affirmation is evident in the following stanza:

"I realized You, God Wise, to be progressive when I was encircled by it (enlightenment) through good mind, and it asked: "Who are you? To whom do you belong? How would you, in these days of questioning, explain the directives to the living and to yourself?" (Gatha Song 8.7).

In addition in Gatha Song 9 each stanza represents a question. Just in that Ushtavaiti Gatha there are 20 stanzas of questioning. In general, I have counted a total of 69 straight questions in the whole gathic document.

The knowledge that a philosopher is looking for can be qualified as wider and more profound than the usual. This wish of amplitude and the spirit of depth constitute the best virtue of a philosopher, this allow the submission of everything to a rigorous examination.

For Plato a philosopher is contemplative "embracing all the beings, seeing the eternal, the immutable, its ideas and essences and expresses it in definitions". In the case of Zarathushtra, this type of knowledge can be seen in a well known stanza:

"This I ask You, tell me truly, Lord. Who is the foremost creator and parent of righteousness? Who made the sun and the stars in their paths? Who makes the moon wax and wane? I am, Wise One, eager to know all this and more. (Song 9.3)

Zarathushtra obviously presented a philosophical attitude as determined through the analyzes of his gathic writings.

The search for Wisdom and Truth. One of the main characteristics of a philosopher is the search for the truth. Karl Jasper (1958), said that "philosophy is to go in a journey. Its questions are more essential than its answer and every answer becomes a new question. This journey brings the possibility of acquiring happiness and achieving this reality is the main sense of philosophy". In addition, Rene Descartes affirmed that "philosophy is by definition, the love and procurement of wisdom.

A traditional anecdote written by Diogenes Laercio in his "Lives and Opinions of Great Philosophers" says that Pythagoras was the first to mention the word philosophy, calling himself a philosopher in a conversation at Sicion with Leonte, tyrant of Sicionans. It also has been accepted that the first thinker that use this word with signification was Heraclitus, who wrote the following fragment: "It is necessary that the lovers of wisdom (philosophers) are well instructed in many things".

The time of Pytagoras has been placed in 580-500 BC and Heraclitus in 535-475 BC. The search for Wisdom of Zarathushtra began long before these times. Just in the first stanza we can detect this effort to find wisdom:

"Mazda, Wise God, with a bow and uplifted arms, I pray. First, I ask for support through progressive mentality. Then I pray that I may perform all my actions, based as they are on the wisdom of good mind, precisely according to the laws of righteousness so that I please You and the soul of the Living World" (Song 1.1).

In addition to this stanza there are several other stanzas in the Gathas in which the manifestation of the search of Zarathushtra for wisdom is clear:

"When, Wise One, shall those days dawn which will, for the maintenance of the righteous world, motivate the wisdom of the benefactors with advanced teachings. To whom shall this wisdom come with good mind to help? For myself, Lord, I choose Your teachings". (Song 11.3)

"….To whom shall the wisdom of good mind come?" (Song 13.11)

"Wise One, where are Your devotees who comprehend good mind, and despite retrogression and failure, attend to inherited doctrines with wisdom? I have none besides You. Therefore, protect me and my people through righteousness." (Song 7.7)

"And may we be among those who make this life fresh! You, lords of wisdom, who bring happiness through righteousness, come, let us be single-minded in the realm of inner intellect." (Song 3.9)

In the book "The Hymns of Zarathushtra" by Jacques Duchesne-Guillermin (1992) appears a statement of Mlle Simone Pétrement who says: "I do not know why scholars avoid with a kind of horror representing Zoroaster as a philosopher or having anything, however little, to do with philosophy. Yet if there is an abstract and philosophical thought, it is indeed his. Why should one not recognize it? Because it is very ancient? Everything is more ancient than one thinks, even, and especially, philosophy. Before we ask ourselves in what sense-obviously rather a different one from that inherited from the Greek thinkers- the term philosopher is applicable to Zoroaster." 
Courtesy of CreatingAwarness

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