A SHORT OVERVIEW OF ZOROASTRIANISM
                                       
   
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   Zoroastrianism is the ancient religion of Persia. It was founded about
   3500 years ago by the prophet Zarathushtra. Arising out of the
   polytheistic traditions of ancient India and Iran, he was one of the
   first monotheists in human history. Zarathushtra preached that there
   was one God, whom he called Ahura Mazda. Ahura means "Lord," and Mazda
   means "Wise," so Zoroastrians call God the "Wise Lord." Zarathushtra
   has been known in the West as Zoroaster, from the Greek
   transliteration of his name; in Persia and India he is known as
   Zarthosht.
   
   No one knows exactly when Zarathushtra lived. Zoroastrian tradition
   places him at around 600 B.C.E., but this date is thought by modern
   scholars to be far too late. The modern estimate of Zarathushtra's
   date is anywhere from 1500 to 1000 B.C.E.
   
   The basic scripture of Zoroastrianism is a set of 5 poetic songs
   called the Gathas, which were composed by Zarathushtra himself and
   have been preserved through the millennia by Zoroastrian priests. Over
   the years many other scriptures have accumulated around these Gathas.
   Much of these scriptures were destroyed by the Greek, Muslim, and
   Mongol invasions, but some remain. The Gathas are still the core text
   of the faith.They are composed in a very ancient language known as
   Avestan, which is closely related to Sanskrit. The evidence scholars
   use to give a time reference to Zarathushtra is linguistic: the
   language of the hymns composed by the Prophet is similar to the
   Sanskrit of the Rig-Veda, an ancient Hindu text which has been dated
   to the period of 1500-1000 B.C.E.
   
   In the Gathas, Zarathushtra preached that the One God, Ahura Mazda, is
   transcendent, but he is in constant relationship with human beings and
   the world God created through his Attributes. These Attributes are how
   God reaches the world, and how the world reaches God. Zarathushtra did
   not specify a fixed number of Attributes, but soon after the Prophet
   they were specified into seven. These attributes are called the Amesha
   Spentas, or "Bounteous Immortals." Each one of these embodies an
   attribute of God, as well as a human virtue. They are also symbols for
   the various sectors of Creation over which God watches. They are:
   
          * 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
          
   
   
   In the Gathas these are sometimes personified, and sometimes just
   Ideas or concepts. In later traditions, they are personified, and
   become like archangels. They are never worshipped on their own.
   
   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. 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.
   
   Some Zoroastrians believe in "cosmic" dualism, others in ethical
   dualism. The teachings of the Gathas, the original work of the
   Prophet, tend toward ethical dualism.
   
   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.
   
   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.
   
   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.
   
   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.
   
   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
          
   
   
   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).
   
   If there is anything to remember about Zoroastrianism, it is this
   threefold path. By thinking good thoughts, one is moved to speak good
   words, and that leads to good deeds. This is a practical and
   world-affirming faith, that does not hate the world nor dwell on sin
   and guilt.
   
   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.
   
   The best current book on Zoroastrianism is The Zoroastrian Tradition
   by Farhang Mehr, published by Element Books, 1991.
   
   A widely available translation of the Gathas is by the Belgian scholar
   Duchesne-Guillemin, translated from the French by Henning. This is a
   little red book in the "Wisdom of the East" series, published by
   Charles E. Tuttle Co, Inc., 1992.
   
   
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   This is the FAQ for the alt.religion.zoroastrianism newsgroup, posted
   every few months by Hannah M.G. Shapero. Many thanks go to Ms. Shapero
   for the excellent work. To contact her, send email to:
   hmgs@access1.digex.net.
   
   
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   [Faravahar Image] Stanford University Zoroastrian Group home page
   
   
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    Cyrus Hirjibehedin / http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~cfh