Zoroastrianism (Or Mazdaism)

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Zoroastrianism (or Mazdaism) Zoroastrianism is a monotheist religion that was founded in the late 7th or early 6th centuries BCE by the Persian prophet Zarathustra, or Zoroaster. After Zoroaster’s death, his religion spread throughout Persia and was the state religion of several powerful empires from c550 BCE to the 600s CE, including the Persian Empire. Islam had replaced Zoroastrianism as the main southwest Asian religion by the 800s, when a small group of believers settled in Gujarat, northwestern India. Today, there are at least 250,000 Zoroastrians worldwide, living in more than 17 different countries. Over 3,000 live in North America A ritual meeting among Irani Zoroastrians but the majority live in India, where they are known as Parsees (or Parsis), or in Iran. Basic teachings Zoroastrianism teaches concern for truth, ● Good will triumph in the struggle over evil, charity, chastity, justice, compassion, and care and the dead will be resurrected. Both living for the natural elements. Main beliefs include: and dead will then be judged; hell and the ● One eternal god, Ahura Mazda, the creator of wicked will be destroyed, and there will be all things good and “Lord of Wisdom” paradise on Earth ● Angra Mainyu (or Ahriman) is the destructive ● Fire is sacred, and believers must pray in the principle of greed, anger, and darkness presence of fire, five times a day Sacred texts Yazatas and amesha spentas ● Avesta, the holy book, consisting of prayers, The yazatas are lesser good spirits created by hymns, rituals, instruction, practice, and law Ahura Mazda to help him govern; amesha ● Gathas, hymns attributed to Zoroaster spentas are the six chief yazatas. Each is ● Pahlavi, literature worshipped separately and has a special month, festival, flower, and element. ● Asha Vahishta (Excellence, Order, Truth) presides over justice, fire, and spiritual knowledge ● Vohu Manah (Good Mind) presides over divine wisdom, illumination, and love and welcomes souls to paradise ● Khshathra Vairya (Desirable Dominion) presides over metal and represents the power of Ahura Mazda's kingdom ● Spenta Armaiti (Beneficent Devotion; female), the spirit of devotion and faith, presides over Earth and guides devotees ● Haurvatat (Wholeness or Perfection) and Ameretat (Immortality), the sisters, preside over plants and water Representation of Ahura Mazda.

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ZOROASTRIANISM Chapter Outline and Unit Summaries I. Introduction
CHAPTER TEN: ZOROASTRIANISM Chapter Outline and Unit Summaries I. Introduction A. Zoroastrianism: One of the World’s Oldest Living Religions B. Possesses Only 250,000 Adherents, Most Living in India C. Zoroastrianism Important because of Influence of Zoroastrianism on Christianity, Islam, Middle Eastern History, and Western Philosophy II. Pre-Zoroastrian Persian Religion A. The Gathas: Hymns of Early Zoroastrianism Provide Clues to Pre- Zoroastrian Persian Religion 1. The Gathas Considered the words of Zoroaster, and are Foundation for all Later Zoroastrian Scriptures 2. The Gathas Disparage Earlier Persian Religions B. The Aryans (Noble Ones): Nomadic Inhabitants of Ancient Persia 1. The Gathas Indicate Aryans Nature Worshippers Venerating Series of Deities (also mentioned in Hindu Vedic literature) a. The Daevas: Gods of Sun, Moon, Earth, Fire, Water b. Higher Gods, Intar the God of War, Asha the God of Truth and Justice, Uruwana a Sky God c. Most Popular God: Mithra, Giver and Benefactor of Cattle, God of Light, Loyalty, Obedience d. Mithra Survives in Zoroastrianism as Judge on Judgment Day 2. Aryans Worship a Supreme High God: Ahura Mazda (The Wise Lord) 3. Aryan Prophets / Reformers: Saoshyants 97 III. The Life of Zoroaster A. Scant Sources of Information about Zoroaster 1. The Gathas Provide Some Clues 2. Greek and Roman Writers (Plato, Pliny, Plutarch) Comment B. Zoroaster (born between 1400 and 1000 B.C.E.) 1. Original Name (Zarathustra Spitama) Indicates Birth into Warrior Clan Connected to Royal Family of Ancient Persia 2. Zoroaster Becomes Priest in His Religion; the Only Founder of a World Religion to be Trained as a Priest 3.
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By Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram
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A Brief Exposition of Spirituality in Zoroastrianism -Kersey H
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A Comparative Study of Religions J.N.K
A Comparative Study of Religions J.N.K. Mugambi Published by African Books Collective Mugambi, J.N.K. A Comparative Study of Religions: Second Edition. African Books Collective, 2010. Project MUSE.muse.jhu.edu/book/39862. https://muse.jhu.edu/. For additional information about this book https://muse.jhu.edu/book/39862 [ Access provided at 12 Apr 2020 15:13 GMT with no institutional affiliation ] 29 D.W. Waruta The teaching of Zarathustra are found mainly in the Gathas. In later writings in the history of Zoroastrianism, as happens with most religions, there were some changes in the teachings, but all the same Zarathustras teachings have continued as the basis and foundation of the teachings of Zorastrianism. The religion Zarathustra taught was not a completely new religion; it was rather a religion based on the old religion of his people, but which he reformed so radically that it had now important elements and teachings deriving from his prophetic genius. First and foremost, in opposition to the polytheism and ritualism of the old religion, Zarathustra taught a unique ethical monotheism.1 He declared Ahura Mazdas the one and only true God. This deity was already known in the old religion and was paid a special allegiance by Zarathustra’s own clan; and in comparison to other deities he was regarded as highly ethical. Ahura Mazda seems to be identical with Varuna, a sky god of vedic religion, who was similarly regarded as a very ethical god. Ahura Mazda then, is the one who called Zarathustra to his presence, who revealed himself to him as the one and only true God, who instructed him on the true religion appointing him his 1 Noss, J.B., Man’s Religions, p.
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Compendium of Shenshai Zoroastrian Monthly Calendars 1379 A.Y
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UNIT 3 ZOROASTRIANISM & TAOISM Contents 3.0
1 UNIT 3 ZOROASTRIANISM & TAOISM Contents 3.0 Objectives 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Zoroastrianism: Origin and Background 3.3 Concept of God 3.4 Cosmology and Eschatology 3.5 Fate and Free will 3.6 Rituals and Festivals 3.7 Taoism: Origin and Beliefs 3.8 Taoist Concepts and Symbols 3.9 Tao Rituals and Ceremonies 3.10 Alchemy and Longevity 3.11 Understanding of God and Human 3.12 Let us Sum up 3.13 Key Words 3.14 Further Readings and References 3.0 OBJECTIVES Zoroastrianism is believed to have originated in the proto-Indo-Iranian culture of southern Russia, and was to become the state religion of the Iranian people until the arrival of Islam. The real significance of Zoroastrianism is in the major influence it has had on other religions of the Middle East and Mediterranean area. It is arguably the oldest monotheistic religion in the world. During the Persian era, Judaism adopted many new concepts that had existed in Zoroastrianism for many centuries. The objective of this article is to instill in the students a basic idea of this religion, its origin, growth, and its different aspects. These include God, angels, Satan, and heaven and hell. Their basic teaching, (practice of righteousness and doing good to fellow human beings), is useful for students as well as for all humanity. Taoism, one of the major religious traditions of China had tremendous influence on the people of China as well as the world. The thought and practise of Taoism is described in this article. Taoists teach that Tao (the Way) is the force that existed before all other things.
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Core Principles of Zarathushti Life – Doctrinal Aspects
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Fm't (4 the Requirements for * N ' the Degree
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Ameretat-Hebrew.Pdf
Ameretat Ameretat (Amərətāt) is the Avestan language name of Avestan texts allude to their respective guardianships of the Zoroastrian divinity/divine concept of immortality. plant life and water (comparable with the Gathic allusion Ameretat is the Amesha Spenta of long life on earth and to sustenence), but these identifications are only properly perpetuality in the hereafter. developed in later tradition (see below). These associa- The word amərətāt is grammatically feminine and the tions with also reflect the Zoroastrian cosmological model divinity Ameretat is a female entity. Etymologically, in which each of the Amesha Spentas is identified with Avestan amərətāt derives from an Indo-Iranian root and one aspect of creation. is linguistically related to Vedic Sanskrit amṛtatva. In The antithetical counterpart of Ameretat is the demon Sassanid Era Zoroastrian tradition, Ameretat appears as (daeva) Shud “hunger”, while Haurvatat’s counterpart is Middle Persian Amurdad, continuing in New Persian as Tarshna “thirst”. Ameretat and Haurvatat are the only Mordad or Amordad. two Amesha Spentas who are not already assigned an an- tithetical counterpart in the Gathas. In the eschatological framework of Yasht 1.25, Ameretat and Haurvatat repre- 1 In scripture sent the reward of the righteous after death (cf. Ashi and ashavan). 1.1 In the Gathas 2 In tradition Like the other Amesha Spentas also, Ameretat is already attested in the Gathas, the oldest texts of the Zoroastrian- ism and considered to have been composed by Zoroaster In the Bundahishn, a Zoroastrian account of creation himself. And like most other principles, Ameretat is not completed in the 12th century, Ameretat and Haurvatat unambiguously an entity in those hymns.
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Evolution of the Zoroastrian Iconography and Temple Cults
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20121202 All NA Tele Class Z Core Beliefs
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