Early Zarathushtrîanism and Early Buddhism: a Comparative Study of Religious Innovation As an Occasion for Social Reform
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• Early Zarathushtrîanism and Early Buddhism: A Comparative Study of Religious Innovation as an Occasion for Social Reform By Aptin A Khanbaghi Faculty ofReligious Studies McGill Univerisity, Montreal A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfilment or the requirements ofthe degree ofMaster's degree. • o Aptin A Khanbaghi 1996 r-Jal:ona: Llbrarj Bibliothèque natlonaie 1+1 oi C:;mada du Canada !~,(~qUISlt:OilS and Direction des acquisitions el Blbl!ographlc Ser/lces Branch des services bibliographiques j'-j:, 'Nr:",rlfj:(J(' ~-::!r(";, 395, rue Weillna!on (j!ia'l/:, (>'!:J'I'> Ottawa (OntariO) ,...1 /. :)r~~ V,1J.QN4 The author has granted an L'auteur a accordé une licence irrevocable non-exclusive licence irrévocable et non exclusive allowing the National Library of permettant à la Bibliothèque Canada to reproduce, loan, nationale du Canada de distribute or sell copies of reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou hisjher thesis by any means and vendre des copies de sa thèse in any form or format, making de quelque manière et sous this thesis available to interested quelque forme que ce soit pour persons. mettre des exemplaires de cette thèse à la disposition des personnes intéressées. The 2!.Jthor retains ownership of L'auteur conserve la propriété du the copyright in hisjher thesis. droit d'auteur qui protège sa Neither the thesis nor substantial thèse. Ni la thèse ni des extraits extracts from it mc1Y be printed or substantiels de celle-ci ne otherwise reproduced without doivent être imprimés ou hisjher permission. autrement reproduits sans son autorisation. ISBN 0-612-19899-5 Canada • Arknowledgements 1 wish ta thank my thesis supervisar, Professar Richard Hayes, without whl,e apenness t0~vard my academic interests, this study could nat have taken place 1 wauld like ta express my gratitude ta my mother, Dr. M. Khanbaghi, withaut whorn my academic gaals could not have been achieved. Many thanks ta my sister, Maryarn, future Dr. Khanbaghi, for her great assistance. 1 wish als0 to thank my father. Finally, 1 wauld like ta extend my appreciatian ta fellow graduate students for their help, particularly Barbra Claytan, Lynken Ghase, Lowell Jaks and jim Kanaris. • • II Sommaire Ce mémoire présente une étude comparative entre àeux mouvements réformateurs issus de la tradition aryenne (indo-iranienne): le Zoroastrisme et le Bouddhisme originels. Bien que œ travail établit l'origine commune du Zoroastrisme et du Bouddhisme, l'ambition première de cette dissertation est de démontrer l'engagement social de ces jeux mouvements. Zarathushtra et le Bouddha sont appréhendés dans ce travail comme des réformateurs qui se sont débattus contre les institutions religieuses (di\;nités et rites) et les systèmes sociaux de leur temps du fait que ceux-ci représentaient exclusivement les aspirations des classes dominantes, guerrières ou hiératiques. Cet exposé s'intéresse avant tout aux messages sociAUX dégagés des discours "religieux" de Zarathushtra et du Bouddha. Il \;se à établir que leurs propos appuyaient l'émancipation des classes qui assuraient la prospérité économique de leur °ociété Enfin, en ce qui concerne le plan de ce mémoire, les deux premières parties sont des chapitres préliminaires consacrés à des études séparées du Zoroastrisme et du Bouddhisme. Celles-ci permettront de saisir l'étude comparative entre les deux mouvements aryens recueillit dans le dernier chapitre. • • III Abstract This thesis presents a comparative study between two refomling movements emanating From the Aryan (lndo-lranian) tradition. Early Zarathllshtrianism and Early Buddhism. Although this thesis estabhhes the common origin of Zarathll>:htrianism and Buddhism, the principal pllrpose of this research is to demonstrate the social comm;tmcnt of the two movements. Zarathushtra and !he Buddha are discemed in this discussion as reformers strllggling against the religious institutions (worshipped !,'ods and observed rites) and the social system oftheir time as the latter represented exclusively the aspirations of the dominating knightly or priestly classes. This treatise is primarily interested in the socli\l message conveyed by Zarathushtra's and the Buddha's "religious" discourses. lt aims to establish their statements as one supporting the emancipation of the classes who secured the economic prosperity of their society. Finally, as regards the outline of this thesis, the tirst two ,ections are preliminary chapters dedicated to separate studies ofZarathushtrianism and Buddhism. They pave the way for the comparative stlldy between the two Aryan movements recordcd in the last • chapter. • IV Preface My initial objective was to write a master's thesis on Zarathushtrianism. However after my encounters with Buddhism through courses, lectures and discussions with my supervisor, 1gravitated towards a comparative study ofZarathushtrianism and Buddhism. After realizing that there were not any extensive comparative work on this suoject, 1 decided to undertake a short comparison ofmy own. Even though this thesis concentrates primarily on historical and social aspects of religion and avoids any other debates, it contributes to the field of comparative religion, as no other work of its genre precedes it. Finally 1 should add that the secondary sources on Zarathushtrianism have been selected meticulously. Ifsome older treatises have been consulted instead ofnewer ones, it is only because they seemed to gather more sensible ideas. As Henning pertinently said: nIt is a fallacy to think that a novel opinion is necessarily right, or an old opinion necessarily wrong."l 'W. B Henning, Zoroaster Politician or Witch-Doctor?, London, Oxford Univerisity Press, 19S1, • pSI • V Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1. Zarathushtrianism, a Reform for Religion and Society. 11 Zarathushtrianism, an Indo-Iranian Religion Il Zarathushtra and his World 13 The Repudiation of Indra, The Execration ofail Devas . 16 The Soma CulL Warfaring Rituals and Zarathushtra .. A Socio-Political Movement in Dissidence · . 26 -Soma the Elitist Cult 26 -The Double-Elite and the "Third-State" . · . 28 A Religious Conflict Leading a Social Conflict ... 33 Chapter 2. Buddhism Another Vision ofReligion and Society. 36 The Vicissitudes of the Aryan Religion and Society in India 36 Devas in Buddhism and the Case of Indra. 40 An Eloquent Protest against Sacerdotal Rilualism 47 A "Religion" Responding te ils Society 51 A Religion Conciliated with Social Changes . .... 62 Chapter 3. "Vanguardist" Social Movemenls among Indo-Iranians . .... 65 The Common Ground belween Zarathushtrianism and Buddhism A Link from Immemorial Time . 65 Devas. Evil Gods or Dispensable Beings .69 The Struggle against Sacrificial Rituals . · . 75 The Rulers ofthe Society on Trial 83 Conclusion .96 Appendix ... 103 Bibliography 105 • • VI Abbreviations A. N. Anguttara Nikiiya DN Dïgha Nikiiya MN. Majjhima Nikiiya S.S. Satapatha Sriihma~a SN. Samyutta Nikiiya RV ~gveda y. Yasna (ofthe Gathas and the Avesta) • • Introduction ln earlier times social reforms were principally expressed thrcugh religion, as religion was indissolubly interlaced \\<ith everyday life' The advent ofany creed was usually generated by a social quest for change.' Comparative studies have been particularly llseful in demonstrating socio-ecDnomic factors as a common point in religious refomls • Iran and India are full ofaccounts ofsocial upheavals which led to the blooming of new ideas and new lores. The aim oftpjs study is to discuss two kindred religious refomls relat~d by a cornillon root and to a certain extent linked by ideals. The two reforms in question are Zarathushtrianism and Buddhism, one known as the 1ranian religion par excellence, and the other as Indian. However, in earlier times, about 1000 Re. (maybe eariier), the Indians and the Iranians composed a single cultural and ethnic entity,' and had settled in the regions between the Oxus and the Indus Valley· The linguistic similarities between the Rgveda and Avesta corroborated the fact that the Indo-Iranians kept their unity aller the scattering of the lndo-Europeans. Both literatures contain authentic reminiscences ofhistorical events which 'JGonda, Triads in the Veda, Amsterdam, North-Holland Publishing Co, 1973, P 169, footnote 248. 3S.P.Sen, Social Contents of lndian Religious Reform Movements, Calcutta, Institute of Historical Studies, 1978, p. V, VI. "Sen, op. Cil, pVL 'N.S.Gorekar, Indo-Iran Relations-Cultural Aspects, Bombay, Sindhu Publications Private Lld, 1970, p.3 . 6Hugh G. Rawlinson, Bactria, The History of a Forgotlen Empire, London, Probsthain and • Co, 1912, p.20. 2 • confirm the unity of Indo-Iranians as one nation sharing the same language, custom, and religion. The early hymns ofthe ~eda are even believed to have been composed before the separation of Indo-Iran;ans This is important to know in arder to understand the relation between the socio-religious movements that occurred later in the Indo-Iranian lands.' Religion, as in most ancient societies, was an intrinsic part ofthe lives ofthe Indo- Iranians.' These Indo-Iranians, as the J3.gveda and the Avesta testify, were polytheists, worshipping a plurality of deities usu21ly thirty-three in number9 The conception of the sovereign god varied according to the circumstances and the epoch. Usually the gods ofthe ruling c1ass or the strongest clan were the most exalted. lo 'HDGriswold, T,le Religion ofthe Rgveda, Delhi, Motilal Banarisidass, 1971, p.20, p.66: "Vedic and Avestan are simply dialects ofthe same