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ZOROASTRIANISM 5433 ZOROASTRIANISM Reward of Piety). In part they are the unforgotten forms of Aryan mythology, such as Mithra Other and Verethraghna (the genius of Victory, good *pirita. the Iranian counterpart of the Indian Indra Vrtrahan), or they are the familiar personifications of iiatural phenomena such as the sun, the found.' Man takes part in this conflict by all his life and activity in the world. By a true confession of faith, by every good deed, by continually keeping pure his body and his soul, he impairs the power of Ahriman and strengthens the power of goodness, and establishes a claim for reward upon Ormazd ; by false confession, moon, fire, wind (cp Herod. ~I!I). In the Gathiis by every evil deed and defilement, he increases the evil most of the Yazatas are not mentloned-even such as hold quite an important place in the later system and ritual, like Mithra. It is only Sraosha (holy obedience) and Atar, the fire, the son of Ormazd. that play a more important de. For the younger Avesta, special mention must also be made of AnBhita, goddess of the waters, and of the Fravashis (Fervers). the spiritual prototypes of men and of the good creation and at the same time the guardian spirits of the pious. and renders service to Ahriman. The life of man falls into two parts-its earthly portion and that which is lived beyond the grave. The *13. ~~~ here lot assigned to him afterbeath is the and hereafter. result and consequence of his life upon earth. No religion has so clearly grasped the ideas of guilt and merit. k strict reckoning of the works of men here below will be kept in heaven. After death, at the end of the third night, the soul Ahriman also has his infernal hosts which he created arrives at the head of the Cinvat6-Peretu. or Accountant's for the conflict with Ormazd. These are endowed with less individuality, 11. Other however, than those of the kingdom of light. evil spirits. The Druj (Lie, Falsehood), for example, is opposed to Asha ; Akem Man6 (Bad Thought) to Vohu Mano ; and Armaiti to Tarrjmaiti (Pride or Presumption). In the Gathis, the Druj is mentioned more often than Ahriman himself. In the later texts, the word Druj signifies a -s cia1 class of female demons. The most familiar of these is ksu, the corpse spirit. The schematic system of later times ven Ahrimanian counterparts to each of the other ?ie%i? gpent..s. Myriads of demons, DaEvas (Devs), make up the mighty horde of Ahriman. They embody all the disturhing elements in nature and the baser instincts in man. Of most of them we know only the names. The best-known among them is Aeshma, the demon of Wrath (see ASMODEUS). As soon as the two spirits encounter each other their active or creative, and at the same time permanent, 12. The conflict begins. The history of this conflict conffict. is the history of the world. Every move of Ormazd is met by a counter-move {puityinz) of Ahriman. Whatever the good spirit creates, the evil spirit sullies, or, as the text says, 'just like a fly he rushed out upon the whole creation ' (Bundahisir, iii. 17). No sooner has Ormazd created the world than Ahriman brings upon the earth distress in the form of plague and noxious creatures. Ormazd brings into .existence the primeval bull (prototype of all animals) ; Ahriman tortures it to death with hunger sickness, and blows, and its soul (Geush Urva) complains befire the throne of Ormazd about the violence it has had to suffer. Ormazd comforts the soul of the creature with the assurance of the future coming of Zoroaster .(l'asna, 29;. Bundaltish, 4). Ormazd creates the first man ,(Gays Maretan); Ahriman incites against this man Asta- Vidhatu, the demon of death, and thus sets death in opposition to life.1 A great cleft runs through the entire world and divides it into two great camps-the kingdom of light and the realm of darkness. All creation is divided into that which is Ahura's and that which is Ahriman's. This division extends even to the language. Whenever mention is made of face, ears, hands, and feet, of activity, speaking, going, striving, a sharp distinction is made in the expression between good and evil beings. The two spirits do not carry on the struggle in person. They leave it to be fought out by their respective creations and by creatures which they send into the field. The field of battle is the present world. In the centre of the battle is man; his soul is the abject of the war. Man is a creation of Ormazd, who therefore has the right to call him to account. Ormazd. however, created him free in all his decisions and in his actions, wherefore he is accessible to the influences of the evil powers. This freedom of the will is clearly expressed in Yusnu, 3111 : e Since thou, 0 Mazda, didst at the.first create our being and our souls in accordance with thy mind, and didst create our understanding and our life together with the body, and works and words in which man according to his own will can frame his confession, the liar and the truth-speaker alike lay hold of the word, the knowing and the ignorant each after his own heart and understanding. Armaiti searches, following thy spirit, where errors are Bridge, over which lies the way to heaven.' Here takes dace the revealing - and disclosure of all its past 14. Judicium life, the judicium parficulure. The particdare. angel Mithra and the angel Rashnu make UD the account and reckoning (SBE~~Z~S), or Rashnu-the Just weighs the good an; the evil deeds over against each other in the impartial balance that does not vary a hair's breadth in favour of any man, not even a monarch (SBE 24 18). Perhaps in ancient times the bridge itself was conceived of as a sort of automatic scale. In the case of the soul of the just whose good deeds outweigh his evil acts, the bridge becomes wide and easy of crossing. and at this moment his own religion comes to meet him in tie shape of a beautiful maiden, and accompanies him to Paradise (Garbdemiinem), where Vohu Mano receives him (Vend. 1930-31). In the case of the soul of the wicked, however, the bridge becomes as narrow as the edge of a razor, and when he reaches the middle of it he falls off and is plunged headlong into hell (SBE 17 48). Should the evil and the good be equally balanced, the soul passes into an intermediate stage of existence (the HarnEstakSm), and its final lot is not decided until the last judgment. Man, however, has been smitten with blindness and ignorance; he knows neither the eternal law nor the things that await him after death. He allows himself only too easily to be ensnared by the craft of the evil powers who seek to ruin his future existence. He worships and serves false gods, being unable to distinguish between truth and lies. Thus it came about that Ormazd graciously determined to open the eyes of mankind by sending a prophet to show them the right way of salvation. According to the later legend ( Vend. Zr), Ormazd at first w-ished to entrust this task to Yima (Jemshid), the ideal of an Iranian king ; but Yima, the secular man, felt himself unfitted for it and declined the office. He contented himself therefore with establishing by order of the Lord in his paradise (vuru) a heavenly kingdom in miniature, to serve at the same time as a pattern for the heavenly kingdom that was to come. Zoroaster at last was found fit for the mission. It was not without special reason, the GBthHs believe, that the calling of a prophet should have taken place precisely when it did. It was, they held, the final appeal of Ormazd to mankind at large. Like John the Baptist and the apostles of Jesus, Zoroaster believed that the fulness of time was near, that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. Through the whole of the GHthZs runs the pious hope that the end of the present world is not far off. Zoroaster himself hopes along with his followers to live to see the decisive turn of things, the dawn of the new and better aeon. Ormazd will summon together all his forces for a final decisive struggle, and break the power of evil for ever ; by his help the faithful will achieve the victory 15. Judicium over their detested enemies. the duZvu worshippers, and render them poweruniversale. less. Then the great act (yih) will be accomplished. Ormazd will institute a universal world.. judgment (judicium universuk). 1 This story is by some wrongly connected with the story of Adam in Genesis. 1 For parallels see Che. OPs. 438, note e? 5434
ZOROASTRIANISM By means of an ordeal of fire and molten metal he will separate the good from the wicked and will judge strictly according to justice, punish the wicked, and assign to the good the hoped-for reward. Ahriman will be cast, along with all those who have been delivered over to him to suffer the pains of hell, into the abyss, where he will thenceforward lie powerless. Forthwith begins the one undivided kingdom of God in heaven and on earth. This is called, sometimes the good kingdom, sometimes simply the kingdom. Here the sun will for ever shine, and all the pious and faithful will live a happy life that no evil power can disturb, in the fellowship of Ormazd and his angels for ever. In one respect with regard to this, there has come about in the later writings a change that is easy to understand. In them the catastrophe and renovation of the world are placed in a far distant future. Whereas in the GMhZs Zoroaster himself is more or less clearly designated as the Saoshyant--i.e., the predestined saviour of the world-the later writings look for the which as a principle is already proclaimed in'the GMhHs ( Ynsna, 485). has led to the adoption of the niosc scrupulous washings and lustrations and elaborate ceremonies of purification, as well as of many strange customs, such as the exposing of corpses on the Towers of Silence (Dakhmas). According to strict logic, offences against the precepts of the law cannot be undone ; but in the heavenly account they can be counterbalanced by L surplus of good works. The elaborately developed system of Zoroastrianism fixed the doctrine of equivalents. with mathematical precision, and definitely assigned certain useful and pious works as acts of penance for certain sins. But corporal chastisements also were prescribed ; these, in the main, were for the purpose of driving out the Devs that had taken possession of the sinner's body. In later times, however, matters were made easier for the sinner. For corporal punishment monetary fines could be substituted, and absolution from appearance of this Saoshyant only at the end of the present aeon. The Avesta does not contain any definite statement as to the division of time in the existence of the universe (vet CD Fracm. ~I . - Vend. 2 24). According to the Budehesh, the duration of this world is IZ,OOO years divided into periods of ~000 years each (cp Plut. de Is. 47). In the first 3000 years Ormazd creates his creatio; in its spiritual form or prototype, without Ahriman heing aware of it. At the beginning of the second period Ahriman raises himself from hell into the light and perceives the start which Ormazd has obtained. In this period both spirits create their material creation. At the heginning of the third era Ahriman invades the creation of Ormazd, and during this period good and evil counterbalance each other. At the beginning of the tenth millennium, Zoroaster appears, and a new prophet is to spring from his seed after each of the three remaining millennia. As the last of these Messiahs the real Saoshyant shall appear. The Saoshyant with his helpers will accomplish the sin became more and more a means of grace to be had only at the hands of the church. Confession to the high priest, sincere repentance and reform, remove every sin from the body (SBE 2495 and Vend. 371). For such a confession it was obligatory to recite one of the confessional formulas (Patets). in which the later literature abounds. The cult of the Zoroastrian religion was without pomp. The sacrifice is described by Strabo (732). The sacred l,. Worship. fire formed the central point. The sacrificial gifts which were offered were The Magi meat and milk, and more especially the sacred drink Haoma. The main stress was laid upon prayer and the ascription of glory to God. The systematic development of the teachings of Zoroaster and of the Zoroastrian law is undoubtedly renovation of the world (frashd-kereti). Ormazd will raise the dead and the Saoshyant will assemble them the work of the priesthood which through their strict exclusiveness became an hereditary caste. In the W. all in one place. Everyone must descend into the great they were called-Magi ; in the language of the Avesta flood of molten metal. To the pious this lake will seem like a flood of warm milk ; but to the wicked it will feel they are termed Athravan ; but even in the sacred texts the word Magi occurs in a few instances. The Athravans. as if they were wading in molten metal. Then, in were the privileged guardians of the religion and the the name of hfazda, the Saoshyant will distribute unto leaders of worship. They alone could perform the everyone a reward according to his works. Ormazd sacrifices (Herod. 1132), and carry out the ecclesiastical will hurl Ahriman powerless back into hell, which is punishments and penances ; they alone could interpret filled up with the molten metal, and the world will be- the law. They exercised a sort of spiritual guardianship come purified for ever and for aye (Bund. 30). The over the laity. Every young man, after his reception younger (later) Avesta speaks of the end of the world into the community of the faithful, or Mazdayasnians, and of the last things only in brief allusions. The idea. of the resurrection of the dead is quite familiar had to select a spiritual guide, a father-confessor (Ratu). The priesthood never attained political power-or never to it and seems to be referred to several times even in even claimed it. the GHthBs. The moral and ethical teachings of Zoroastrianism are sound and consistent. The moral code is summed up 16. Ethics. in the three words ; ' good thoughts, good words, good deeds.' Man must enlist in the service of Ormazd and devote himself to the good cause with his whole being, and he must do every injury possible to Ahriman. This fundamental principle dominates the entire religious code and all the ecclesiastical legislation. Because of the general utility of its precepts this code represents a high standard of civilisation when we consider the early times to which it belongs. It imposed upon the faithful the duty of worshipping Ormazd and his spirits, of prayer, sacrifice, the inviolability of his creatures, the sacred respect for the cow (emphasised especially in the GBthHs), attention After the fall of the Achzmenidae (331 B.c.) Zoroastrianism lost greatly in power and dignity. It was suhsequently rehabilitated, however, by the Sassanians, 18. History Of under whom it reached its highest pros- Zoroastrianism. perity. It was at this epoch that the clergy advanced to a firmly-constituted hierarchy, and Zoroastrianism became the official religion of the state favoured and protected by the government. The forma; tion Af sects was at this period not infrequent (cp ' Manichaeism in EBP)). The Zervanites flourished under Yazdeqard 11. (438-457 A.u.). They represented Ormazd and Ahriman as twin sons proceeding from the fundamental prhciple of all, the limitless time (Znmn akarann). The Mohammedan invasion (636 A.D.) with the terrible persecution of the following centuries, was a dedthblow to Zoroastrianism. In Persia itself only a few followers of Zoroaster are now found (in Kirman and Yazd). The Parsees in and around Bombay hold to Zoroaster as their prophet and adhere to the ancient usages ; but their doctrine has reached the stage of a pure monotheism (see PARSEES in EN)). to agriculture and arboriculture. irrigation of dry lands, If we inquire into the origin of the Zoroastrian religion extermination of noxious animals, charity toward one's co-religionists, and the observance of absolute truthfulwe must not lose sight of the fact that everything which 19. Origin. is written on this point must necessarily ness. Above all stands the law of chastity. The faithful shall preserve purity, both of body and of soul. rest upon mere conjecture. Tradition has obliterated every trace of the actual process by The soul must be kept pure from heretical doctrines and the influences of the Devs, the body must be kept n-hich the faith came into existence, and of the particular factors which were active in its formation. As far as from coming into contact with unclean persons, with tradition is concerned the complete doctrine was revealed corpses, filth, or other Ahrimanian objects. Man also by Ormazd in its entirety. Already in the GBthHs the must not in any way defile the pure elements of Ormazd belief in inspiration predominates ; nevertheless they such as fire, water, and earth. This love of purity, allow us to read between the lines other things as welL 5435 ZOROASTRIANISM 5436
Page 1 and 2: ZEEB ZELOPHEHAD southern Hamath or
Page 3 and 4: ZEPHANIAH ZEPHANIAH no cogent reaso
Page 5 and 6: ZEPHANIAH ZEPHANIAH structed himsel
Page 7 and 8: ZERAHIAH , 5411 ZERUBBABEL ZERAHIAH
Page 9 and 10: ZETHAN ZIKLAG ZETHAN (IC’!, as if
Page 11 and 12: ZILTHAI ZIN Hebrew traditions, and
Page 13 and 14: ZIPHION ZOAR never was a 'wocd' in
Page 15 and 16: ZOHETH ZOROASTRIANISM Others (e.g.
Page 17: ZOROASTRIANISM figure of the royal
Page 21 and 22: ZOROASTRIANISM were likely to be co
Page 23: ZUR . rock of my salvation ' are su

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