Asian Theories and Perspective

Zoroastrianism

Also called Zarathustraism, Mazdaism and Magianism.

One of the oldest monotheistic religion.

Dualistic religion founded by the Persian prophet Zoroaster also known as Zarathushtra in the late 7th or early 6th centuries. (Iran)

Zoroastrianism became the state religion of various Persian empires, until the 7th Century CE.

Zoroaster / Zarathushtra

o Zoroastrians believe there is one God called Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord) and He created

the world.

Ahura Mazda

The creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil originates from him.

Omniscient (knows everything)Omnipotent (all powerful)Omnipresent (is everywhere)Impossible for humans to conceiveUnchangingThe Creator of lifeThe Source of all goodness and happiness

Ahura Mazda

Communication between Ahura Mazda and humans is by a number of Attributes, called Amesha Spentas or Bounteous Immortals. (these Immortals are sometimes described as concepts, and are sometimes personified.)

Amesha Spentas Also called Amshaspends or Spenta Mainyu. Impersonal emanations and abstractions of various qualities of Ahura Mazda. Zoroastrians were to emulate and embrace what they represented.

Vohu Manah Asha Vahishta Khshathra Vairya Spenta Armaiti  Haurvatat Ameretat

Vohu Mano : “Good Mind”.  good thought, ruling the realm of animals

He is an angel who, as the embodiment of wisdom, calms anger.

Zoroastrian astrology, medicine, as well as the sanity of the community depended on the actions of this angel.

Vohu Manah is also associated with animals, particularly cattle.

Asha Vashita : “ Highest Truth” or “Highest Existence”   

• Asha or arta - Avestan language (Vedic language) term for a concept of  ultimate Truth.

• Asha is order: universal order, moral order and social order.

• He symbolizes truth and righteousness, as well as embraces the unchanging aim of creation.

• This is represented as Fire.

• The opposite of Avestan aša is druj, "lie.“

• Fire is the symbol of Asha and righteousness, because it will be fire that purifies the world and separates the good from the wicked.

• Artavahisht guides the world away from evil and directs it towards the truth. He is the guardian of the fires and the mountains.

Khshathra Vairya

'Desirable Dominion'

The sovereign and divine power of Azura Mazda and is the Good Kingdom, the perfect kingdom followers are encouraged to build through righteous behavior.

Khshathra is particularly associated with metals, the wealth of earthly kingdoms which can be acquired through hard work.

• The final judgment will involve molten metal, from which the righteous will emerged unharmed and pure and the wicked will be burned.

• He enforces peace by using his weapons.

• His attributes are the helmet, the shield and the spear.

Spenta Armaiti 'Holy Devotion'

She is the connection between a devout man and Ahura Mazda. She is also associated with the earth and agriculture.

social welfare of humanity, animals, and plants.

'Perfection or Health'.Haurvatat : 

The goddess Haurvatat reflects the mental and physical well-being of the individual.

Water represents Haurvatat in this world.

she brings prosperity and health.

Ameretat : 'Immortality'.

The goddess Ameretat personifies the destination of those who have vanquished evil.

Plants represent Ameretat in this world.

Haurvatat and Ameretat are always mentioned as a pair.

They are perfection and immortality.

It is through the perfection of ourselves that leads to immortality, while wickedness robs a person of it.

They are associated with water and plant life, respectively

Yazatas:

Good powers in general and include such figures as Haoma, Atar, Mithra,

Sraosha, and Rashnu.

Daevas

• Daevas are false or evil beings created by Angra Mainya.

• To honor them as deities is false religion, and Zoroastrians are ordered to always fight and resist them.

Ahura Mazda revealed the truth

through the Prophet, Zoroaster.

Zoroastrians are not fire-worshippers, as some Westerners wrongly believe. Zoroastrians

believe that the elements are pure and that fire

represents God's light or wisdom.

• Zoroastrians usually pray in the presence of some form of fire (which can be considered evident in any source of light).

• Fire is considered a medium through which spiritual insight and wisdom is gained, and water is considered the source of that wisdom.

Zoroastrians traditionally pray

several times a day.

Purification is strongly emphasised in Zoroastrian rituals. Zoroastrians focus on keeping their minds, bodies and environments pure in the quest to defeat evil (Angra Mainyu).

Zoroastrians worship communally in a Fire Temple or

Agiary.

Both water and fire are considered life-sustaining, and both water and

fire are represented within the precinct of a fire temple.

The Zoroastrian book of Holy

Scriptures is called The Avesta.

AVESTA Holy Book of the Zoroastrian.

This includes the original words of their founder Zarathushtra, preserved in a series of five hymns, called the Gathas.

THE GATHAS

1.Worship to one God.

2.Understanding of righteousness or cosmic order.

3.Promotional of social justice.

4.Individual choice between Good and Evil.

Dualism in Zoroastroanism

Dualism in Zoroastrianism is the existence of, yet complete separation of, good and evil. This is recognised in two interconnecting ways:

1. Cosmically (opposing forces within the universe)

2. Morally (opposing forces within the mind)

COSMIC DUALISM

The ongoing battle between Good (Ahura Mazda) and Evil

(Angra Mainyu) within the universe.

It is important to understand that Angra Mainyu is not God's equal opposite, rather that Angra Mainyu is the destructive energy that opposes God's creative energy.

This creative energy is called Spenta Mainyu.

God created a pure world through his creative energy, which Angra Mainyu continues to attack, making it impure. Aging, sickness, famine, natural disasters, death and so on are attributed to this.

With cosmic dualism we have life and death, day and night, good and evil. One cannot be understood without the other. Life is a mixture of these two opposing forces.

The resulting cosmic conflict involves the entire universe, including humanity who is required to choose which to follow. Evil, and the Spirit of Evil, will be completely destroyed at the end of time. Dualism will come to an end and Goodness will be all in all.

Zoroaster's concept of free will

ZOROASTRIANISM REJECTS ALL FORMS OF MONASTICISM.

In Zoroastrian tradition, life is a temporary state in which a mortal is expected to actively participate in the continuing battle between truth and falsehood.

MORAL DUALISM

Moral dualism refers to the opposition of good and evil in the mind of mankind.

God's gift to man was free will; therefore man has the choice to follow the path of Evil (druj - deceit) or the path of Righteousness (asha - truth).

The path of Evil leads to misery and ultimately Hell. The

path of Righteousness leads

to peace and everlasting

happiness in Heaven.

Ahura Mazda will ultimately prevail over the evil Angra Mainyu or Ahriman, at which point the universe will undergo a cosmic renovation and time will end. In the final renovation, all of creation—even the souls of the dead that were initially banished to "darkness"—will be reunited in Ahura Mazda, returning to life in the undead form. At the end of time, a savior-figure (a Saoshyant) will bring about a final renovation of the world (frashokereti), in which the dead will be revived

A Saoshyant (savior) will be born of a virgin, but of the

lineage of the Prophet Zoroaster who will raise the dead and judge everyone in a final judgment. This is a

theme that is seen in many world religions.

Zoroastrian burial rites center on exposure of the dead. After death, a dog is brought before the corpse The rite is repeated five times a day. After the first one, fire is brought into the room where it is kept burning until three days after the removal of the corpse to the Tower of Silence. The removal must be done during the daytime.

Burial rites

Members are dedicated to a three-fold path, as shown

in their motto:

Humata, Hukhta, Huveshta

"Good thoughts, good words, good deeds."

Members can pray at home instead of going to a temple if they wish.

Zoroastrians do not generally accept converts.

Many Zoroastrians actively discourage and do not recognize inter-faith marriages.

They do not proselytize.

Prior to being born, the urvan (soul) of an individual is still united with its fravashi (guardian spirit), and which have existed since Mazda created the universe.

During life, the fravashi acts as a guardian and protector. On the fourth day after death, the soul is reunited with its fravashi, in which the experiences of life in the material world are collected for the continuing battle in the spiritual world. For the most part, Zoroastrianism does not have a notion of reincarnation, at least not until the final renovation of the world.

In Zoroastrian scripture and tradition, a corpse is a host for decay, i.e., of druj.

scripture enjoins the safe disposal of the dead in a manner such that a corpse does not pollute the good creation.

Thank you for Listening Prepared by: J. Magarzo

BSED- Social ScienceColegio de sta. Teresa De Avila