Vandidad has firm connection with Gathas
Friends, Following article was published on Amordad News on August 29, 2009. The link was posted on zna newsgroup earlier. It describes how the Vendidad is an important scripture which was written with the Gathas in mind.
Regards, Maneck Bhujwala ------
Farid Shoulizadeh in a meeting in Bonyad Jamshid ‘Vandidad’ has firm connection with Gathas
By Shahdad Heidari, Amordad correspondent
TEHRAN (Amordadnews) : There are many who avoid even mentioning the name of ‘Vandidad’ because they think that this book belongs to the past and its percepts are no more applicable. This is a wrong understanding and has prevented scholars of Zoroastrian scripts from studying Vandadad. While, there are clear and obvious reasons to show that the mentality of the composers of Vandidad have had strong connection with Gathas (Zarathushtra’ s hymns).
In a meeting on “The connection of Vandidad with Gathas” Farid Shoulizadeh stated the above, and referring to the meaning of religious jurisprudence, added: “Vandidad book can be considered as gist of jurisprudence, or in other words, religious law. Religious laws are the pillars of every religion and an outer reaction of the ideology and mentality of the believers of a religion, therefore religious laws cannot be separated from a religion. All through history the system was that the religious leaders have interpreted the outer behaviors in a frame of some kind of customs in order to guide the outer behaviors and the inner behaviors (mind) of the believers of a religion, in the same direction (with the same ideology and insight). These customs and interpreted behaviors have the ability to become updated, though the main structure and entirety of the religion cannot be changed. Avesta is the laws of the Zoroastrian religion, in other words, the mental reaction and interpretation of the religious leaders, in a period of 3000 years. So, it is wrong to think that we should summarize the Zoroastrian religion in the Gathas and ignore the other parts of Avesta.”
He referred to the intellectual structure that appeared after the French revolution and the spread of the ideas of Jean Jacques Rousseau that formed its roots. This structure was based on the idea that those who were pro religion and those who were anti religion should be solved in one single movement. From this idea secularism was born and this movement was an ideology that was trying to ignore the beliefs and create a dialogue which does not have religious inclination.
According to Shoulizadeh, introducing secularism for religions, especially for Zoroastrian religion, was like poison and would result in its disruption. Under these conditions the Mobeds and scientists decided to fight against this harmful trend for the religion, because the danger of its spreading among the Parsis of India was felt. The golden period of these efforts was from 1890 to 1930. In this period the Parsis of India published many books and went through great hardships. Many of the knowledgeable Zoroastrian mobeds of Iran were also trained in that golden period like, Master Khodabakhsh, Dastur Khodayar Shahriyar, Azargoshasb brothers and Mobed Rostam Shahzadi. The result of those efforts was the freedom of Zoroastrians from secularism.
Shoulizadeh spoke in Bonyad Jamshid about the factor of finding the truth among religions: “Every religion is searching for the truth. The truth of the Zoroastrian religion is to gain knowledge and insight of the essence of God. The path to pave for knowing this truth is called “the rule of life”. The rule of the Zoroastrian religion is Gathas. On the other hand, whoever wants to live according to this rule will form outer behaviors. Those behaviors have an interpreting inclination. These interpretations are called the laws of Zoroastrian religion. All the religious laws in Pahlavi script spoke about these laws, for instance, the script “Shekand Gamanik Veecher” is about the skill of speech, or “Bondahesh” explains about legends, or “Sad dar Bondahesh” which is about the Zoroastrian religious laws.”
Shoulizadeh believes that those who think that Vandidad is a text belonging to the past and that there is no need for it any more, have overlooked the fact that in Vandidad there are strong rooted frames and mental bonds which connects it to Gathas. To understand these bonds, the knowledge of the spiritual insight and proficiency in the Avesta language, lexicology and finding the roots of verbs, is a necessity. In addition to all this, we should have positive thoughts and avoid wrong assumptions.
Shoulizadeh said: “Avesta has a pyramid structure. On the summit of the pyramid stands Gathas and its slopes are Avesta. Is it possible to reach the summit without passing from the slopes? He who wants to reach the summit and find its secrets and mysteries should first step on the slopes. Avesta is the slopes of the Zoroastrian religion and Vandidad is one of its most valuable and important parts.”
Shoulizadeh referred to the period when Vandidad was compiled, and said: “Vandidad was not written in Xerxes time. The text was collected in that period. The Achamenian Persian language, compared to the Vandidad language was new and in those days no one would speak in the Vandidad language, what more, to think about writing it. It was only the religious leaders (Mogh) who had knowledge of Vandidad. The Achamenian language had separated from Vandidad and was more inclined towards summarized style of speech.
Shoulizadeh concluded: “There is no doubt that those who wrote the Vandidad had Gathas in their minds, and this mentality created the connection between Gathas and Vandidad. Therefore, Vandidad is a valuable and important text that should not be neglected. If you compare Vandidad with the Hammurabi law, which was the most advanced law in Mesopotamia, 3500 years back, you will realize the superiority of Vandidad.
Translation by Rowshan Lohrasbpour
+writing byamordad inSat 29 Aug 2009 and hour 10:19 AM | put view it