Scriptures of the World's Religions
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Zoroastrian Ethics by MA Buch
The Gnekwad Stu<Uc'^ in Rdi/tuii and Plcilu-^oph i/ : /I ZOKOASTRIAN ETHICS IVintod at the Mirfsion Press, Siirat l.y n. K. 8colt, and imblislieil l»y A. G. Wi(l;.'ery the Collej,'e, Baroda. I. V. 1919. ZOROASTHIAN ETHICS By MAGAXLAL A. BUCH, M. A. Fellow of the Seminar for the Comparative Stn<ly of IJelifjioiiP, Barotla, With an Infrnrhicfion hv ALBAN n. WrDGERY, ^f. A. Professor of Philosophy and of the Comparative Study of PiPlii^doiis, Baroda. B A K D A 515604 P n E F A C E The present small volume was undertaken as one subject of study as Fellow in the Seminar for the Comparative Study of Religions established in the College, Baroda, by His Highness the Maharaja Sayaji Eao Gaekwad, K C. S. I. etc. The subject was suggested by Professor Widgery who also guided the author in the plan and in the general working out of the theme. It is his hope that companion volumes on the ethical ideas associated with other religions will shortly be undertaken. Such ethical studies form an important part of the aim which His Highness had in view in establishing the Seminar. The chapter which treats of the religious conceptions is less elaborate than it might well have been, because Dr. Dhalla's masterly volume on Zomasfrirm Theolof/y^ New York, 1914, cannot be dispens- ed with by any genuine student of Zoroastrian- ism, and all important details may be learned from it. It only remains to thank I'rotessor Widgcrv lor writinf,' a L;enoral introduotion and for his continued help thronghont tho process of the work. -
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. -
Religion of Asho Zarathusht and Influence Through the Ages
Religion of Asho Zarathusht and Influence Through the Ages Foreword by Farhang Mehr Professor Emeritus, International Relations Boston University, MA, USA The publication was made possible through the generosity of the trustees of Informal Religious Meetings (IRM) Trust Funds, Karachi Ervad Dr. Jehan Bagli FOREWORD Religions address the mysteries of creation and provide their followers with a guide to life. They are composed of two main parts: doctrine and ritual. Religious ritual without doctrine is like a shell without a kernel; religious doctrine without ritual is like a kernel without a protective shell. Religious doctrine respond to mental quests, religious rituals, to emotional needs. Rituals provide individuals with a means to communicate with God, with the souls of the deceased or imaginary angels, often within the context of their communities. They embody hopes and aspirations as well as expressions of gratitude for vouchsafes received. In light of the important role that philosophy and doctrine play in the Zoroastrian religion it is helpful to touch on the main doctrinal concepts of this reflective religion. God or Ahura Mazda is characterized as having seven attributes. Ahura Mazda’s first attribute is Vahishta Mana which means supreme intelligence, essence of wisdom. The concept of wisdom holds a prominent position in the Zoroastrian philosophy. Ahura Mazda created the world in its wisdom. Also, Zarathushtra discovered the mysteries of creation, that is, the notion of one supreme creator in his wisdom. Zarathushtra then encouraged people to use their good mind, Vohu Mana, and Conscience, Daena, to decide if they choose to accept the religion and its way of life. -
Zoroaster's Contributions to Christianity
ZOROASTER'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO CHRIS- TIANITY. r.V THE EDITOR. WE read in the Arabic Gospel of the Infancy (p. 176) the fol- lowing passage which we cannot doubt is but a more com- plete version of Matt. 11 :i : "And it came to pass when the Lord Jesus was born at Bethle- hem of Judah. in the time of Herod the King, behold Magi came from the East to Jerusalem, as Zerdusht had predicted : and they liad with them gifts, gold, incense and myrrh ; and they worshipped him and offered unto him their gifts." Zerdusht is the Arabic name for Zoroaster, and we have here the positive statement that Zoroaster had predicted the Saviour. The three Magi are now commonly supposed to be represent- atives of the Gentile nations, but among the early Christians they were Magi, or priests of Mesopotamia. They are always represented as wearing Persian caps, the same head covering which Mithra wears, and which under the name of miter, has become the typical cap of honor of the Christian bishops. The names of the three Magi according to an ancient popular legend, are Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar. All are pagan names ; not one of them is Jewish. Caspar means "radiance", Melchior means "the light of Malech or Moloch" (i. e. the king, viz., God), Balchazar means "Bel protect the king." The story of the Magi is the last remnant in the Christian can- on of the evidences of the influence which the religion of the Per- sians exercised on early Christianity. We know now that this in- fluence must have been enormous although it appears that during the rivalry between Mithraism and Christianity, the vestiges that might testify to it have been systematically obliterated, leaving only hints of the significance of Zoroaster's faith at the beginning of the Christian era. -
Zoroastrianism from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
Create account Log in Article Talk Read View source View history Search Zoroastrianism From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss Main page these issues on the talk page. Contents The neutrality of this article is disputed. (March 2012) Featured content This article may contain previously unpublished synthesis of Current events published material that conveys ideas not attributable to the Random article original sources. (March 2012) Donate to Wikipedia This article contains weasel words: vague phrasing that often Interaction accompanies biased or unverifiable information. (March 2012) Help Part of a series on About Wikipedia Zoroastrianism /ˌzɒroʊˈæstriənɪzəm/, also called Mazdaism Zoroastrianism Community portal and Magianism, is an ancient Iranian religion and a religious Recent changes philosophy. It was once the state religion of the Achaemenid, Contact page Parthian, and Sasanian empires. Estimates of the current number of Zoroastrians worldwide vary between 145,000 and Toolbox 2.6 million.[1] Print/export In the eastern part of ancient Persia more than a thousand The Faravahar, believed to be a depiction of a fravashi years BCE, a religious philosopher called Zoroaster simplified Languages Primary topics the pantheon of early Iranian gods[2] into two opposing forces: Afrikaans Ahura Mazda Ahura Mazda (Illuminating Wisdom) and Angra Mainyu Alemannisch Zarathustra (Destructive Spirit) which were in conflict. aša (asha) / arta Angels and demons ا open in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API pdfcrowd.com Angels and demons ا Aragonés Zoroaster's ideas led to a formal religion bearing his name by Amesha Spentas · Yazatas about the 6th century BCE and have influenced other later Asturianu Ahuras · Daevas Azərbaycanca religions including Judaism, Gnosticism, Christianity and Angra Mainyu [3] Беларуская Islam. -
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. -
Parsee Religious Ceremonial Objects in the United States National Museum
PARSES RELIGIOUS CEREMONIAL OBJECTS IN THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.^ By I. M. Casanowicz, Assistant Curator, Division of Old ^VorUl Archeology, United States National Museum. INTRODUCTION. THE PABSEES. The Parsees are the descendants of the ancient Persians, who, at the overthrow of their country by the Arabs in G41 A. D., remained faithful to Zoroastrianism, which was, for centuries previous to the Mohammedan conquest, the state and national religion of Persia. They derive their name of Parsees from the province of Pars or Fars, broadly employed for Persia in general. According to the census of 1911 the number of Parsees in India, including Aden, the Andaman Islands, and Ceylon, the Straits Settlements, China, and Japan, amounted to 100,499, of whom 80,980 belonged to the Bombay Presidency.2 About 10,000 are scattered in their former homeland of Persia, mainly in Yezd and Kerman, where they are Imown by the name of Gebers, Guebers, or Gabars, derived by some from the Arabic Kafir, infidel. persian, zoroaster (avesta, zarathushtea ; pahlavi texts, zartdsht ; modern zaeddsht). The religious beliefs and practices of the Parsees are based on the is, teachings of Zoroaster, the Prophet of the ancient Iranians ; that those Aryans who at an unknown early date separated from the Aryo- Indians and spread from their old seats on the high plateau north of the Hindu Kush westward into Media and Persia on the great plateau between the plain of the Tigris in the west and the valley of the Indus in the east, the Caspian Sea and the Turanian desert in lA brief description of part of tlie collection described in this paper appeared in the American Anthropologist, new series, vol. -
Comparative Analysis of the Philosophies of Enlightenment
ENLIGHTENMENTS: Towards a Comparative Analysis of the Philosophies of Enlightenment in Buddhist, Eastern and Western Thought and the Search for a Holistic Enlightenment Suitable for the Contemporary World © Thomas Clough Daffern (B.A. Hons D.Sc. Hon PGCE), Director, International Institute of Peace Studies and Global Philosophy SOAS Buddhist Conference for Dongguk University on Global Ecological problems and the Buddhist Perspective, Feb. 2005 INDEX 1. Enlightenments: why the plural ? Some introductory questions 2. European Classical enlightenments 3. Zoroastrian Enlightenments 4. Enlightenments in Judaism 5. Christian enlightenments 6. Islamic Enlightenments 7. Buddhist Enlightenments 8. Hindu Enlightenments 9. Chinese enlightenments 10. Shinto 11. Pagan and Neo-pagan enlightenments 12. Transpersonal enlightenment theory 13. Conclusions 1. Enlightenments: why the plural ? Some introductory questions A word first about the basic presuppositions underlying this paper. I wish to institute a semantic and linguistic reform into our discussion abut enlightenment both in the academic literature and in everyday speech. We are all used to talk of the nature of enlightenment; Buddhist and Hindu textbooks carry information on the nature of enlightenment, as do Western philosophical and historical texts, although here we more often talk of The Enlightenment, as a period of largely European originated intellectual history, running from approximately the 1680’s to an indeterminate time, but usually September 1914 is taken as cut off time. This paper -
Zoroastrians Their Religious Beliefs and Practices
Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices General Editor: John R. Hinnells The University, Manchester In the series: The Sikhs W. Owen Cole and Piara Singh Sambhi Zoroastrians Their Religious Beliefs and Practices MaryBoyce ROUTLEDGE & KEGAN PAUL London, Boston and Henley HARVARD UNIVERSITY, UBRARY.: DEe 1 81979 First published in 1979 by Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd 39 Store Street, London WC1E 7DD, Broadway House, Newtown Road, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon RG9 1EN and 9 Park Street, Boston, Mass. 02108, USA Set in 10 on 12pt Garamond and printed in Great Britain by Lowe & BrydonePrinters Ltd Thetford, Norfolk © Mary Boyce 1979 No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except for the quotation of brief passages in criticism British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Boyce, Mary Zoroastrians. - (Libraryof religious beliefs and practices). I. Zoroastrianism - History I. Title II. Series ISBN 0 7100 0121 5 Dedicated in gratitude to the memory of HECTOR MUNRO CHADWICK Elrington and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon in the University of Cambridge 1912-4 1 Contents Preface XJ1l Glossary xv Signs and abbreviations XIX \/ I The background I Introduction I The Indo-Iranians 2 The old religion 3 cult The J The gods 6 the 12 Death and hereafter Conclusion 16 2 Zoroaster and his teaching 17 Introduction 17 Zoroaster and his mission 18 Ahura Mazda and his Adversary 19 The heptad and the seven creations 21 .. vu Contents Creation and the Three Times 25 Death and the hereafter 27 3 The establishing of Mazda -
Historical, Mythical and Religious Narratives of the Babylonian Talmud
Historical, Mythical and Religious Narratives of the Babylonian Talmud in their Middle Persian Context Azadeh Ehsani Chombeli A Thesis In the Department Of Religions and Cultures Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Religion) at Concordia University Montreal, Quebec, Canada April 2018 © Azadeh Ehsani Chombeli, 2018 CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES This is to certify that the thesis prepared By: Azadeh Ehsani Chombeli Entitled: Historical, Mythical and Religious Narratives of the Babylonian Talmud in their Middle Persian Context and submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Religion) complies with the regulations of the University and meets the accepted standards with respect to originality and quality. Signed by the final examining committee: Chair Dr. Marguerite Mendell _____________________________________________External Examiner Dr. Touraj Daryaee _____________________________________________External to Program Dr. Ivana Djordjevic _____________________________________________Examiner Dr. Naftali Cohn _____________________________________________Examiner Dr. Mark Hale _____________________________________________Thesis Supervisor Dr. Richard Foltz Approved by __________________________________________________________ Dr. Leslie Orr, Graduate Program Director Tuesday, June 26, 2018 Dr. André Roy, Dean Faculty of Arts and Science ABSTRACT Historical, Mythical and Religious Narratives of the Babylonian Talmud in their -
Mazdaism. the Religion of the Ancient Persians. Illustrated
MAZDAISM. BY THE EDITOR. MAZDAISM, the belief of the ancient Persians, is perhaps the most remarkable religion of antiquity, not only on account of the purity of its ethics, but also by reason of the striking similar- ities which it bears to Christianity. Ahura Mazda, the Lord Omniscient, is frequently represented (as seen in Fig. i) upon bas-reliefs of Persian monuments and rock Fig. I. Ahurx Mazda. (Conventional reproduction of the figure on the great rock inscription of Darius at Behistan.) inscriptions. He reveals himself through "the excellent, the pure and stirring Word," also called "the creative Word which was in the beginning," which reminds one not only of the Christian idea of the Logos, 6 Xoyos o? r)v iv oepx^, but also of the Brah- man Fdc/i, word (etymologically the same as the Latin vox), which is glorified in the fourth hymn of the Rig Veda, as "pervading heaven and earth, existing in all the worlds and extending to the heavens." 142 THE OPEN COURT. On the rock inscription of Elvend, which had been made by the order of King Darius, we read these Hnes^: " There is one God, omnipotent Ahura Mazda, It is who has created the earth here He ; It is has created the heaven there He who ; It is He who has created mortal man." Lenormant characterises the God of Zoroaster as follows : "Ahura Mazda has creaited as/ia, purity or rather the cosmic order; he has created both the moral and material world constitution ; he has made the universe; [datar], [ahura), he has made the law ; he is, in a word, creator sovereign omnis- Fig. -
David Winston the IRANIAN COMPONENT in the BIBLE, APOCRYPHA, and QUMRAN: a REVIEW of the EVIDENCE in Attempting to Assess
David Winston THE IRANIAN COMPONENT IN THE BIBLE, APOCRYPHA, AND QUMRAN: A REVIEW OF THE EVIDENCE INTRODUCTION In attempting to assess the Iranian elements in Jewish thought one is initially struck by the Jewish Hellenistic tendency to annex the sages of ancient culture. Moses, for example, was identified with Musaeus, and Orpheus became his disciple (Artapanos, ap. Euseb. Praep. Ev. 9.27). The Serapis image was identified with Joseph, that of Isis with Eve, while Pythagoras and Plato were The following abbreviations are used throughout: ANET-Ancient Near Eastern Texts, ed. J. B. Pritchard (Princeton, N.J., 1955). BA-Biblical Archaeologist. RASOR-Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research. BCM-Joseph Bidez and Franz Cumont, Les Mnges Helle'nisBs (2 vols.; Paris, 1938). Bd-(Indian) Bundahishn. BR-Bereshith Rabba. BSOS-Bulletin of the School of Oriental [and Ajrican] Studies (London). BT-Babylonian Talmud. CP--Classical Philology. DD-Datastan i Denik. DGWR-Jacques Duchesne-Guillemin, The Western Response to Zoroaster (Oxford, 1958). 183 Iranian Component in the Bible, Apocrypha and Qumran supposed to have gotten their doctrines from Moses.' Similarly, Jewish tradition made Abraham Zarathushtra's teacher in ERE-Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, ed. James Hastings. GB-Greater (or Iranian) Bundahishn. HJAS-Hamard Journal of Asiatic Studies. H TR-Hamard Theological Review. JAOSJournal of the American Oriental Society. JE--Jewish Encyclopaedia. JNES-Journal of Near Eastern Studies. JQRJewish Quarterly Review. JSS-Journal of Semitic Studies. NTS-New Testament Studies. PT-Palestinian Talmud. RHR-Revue de l'histoire des religions. RQ-Revue de Qumran. SBE-Sacred Books of the East.