OPENING HYMN OF ZOROASTER
(opening words)
With uplifted hands and deep humility,
I beseech, 0 Mazda, first and foremost this,
the abiding joy of Spenta Mainyu. Your Holy Mind. Grant that I perform all actions in
harmony With righteousness (Your Divine Law) And acquire the Wisdom of the Good Mind
So that I may bring happiness
To the soul of the universe.
0 Ahura Mazda, may I reach you
In fullness of Knowledge, through the Good Mind, To be graced with realization of both the
selves, the physical (lower) self and the mental (higher) self Which comes from following your
Divine Law, through which you lead all devotees
Into the abode of light (Heaven).
Y28,1-2
SECOND HYMN OF ZOROASTER
GOD WANTS US ALL TO BE HAPPY
Whoever brings untold bliss to others Will be given that bliss by Mazda
Ahura,Who rules at will, So it be truth I crave from you, Desire for perfection
and immortality.
For the upholding of righteousness (Divine Law) Grant this unto me, 0 Divine Wisdom,
The blessings of perfect illumination - The life of the good mind.
Now bestow on me the noblest of all things ‑
The realization of self. 0 most gloriously radiant spirit, Mazda, grant me enlightenment For you
have given to all
Through your Law of Righteousness The full measure of the Good
Mind That each may enjoy unlimited bliss All the days of his long life.
That man shall himself progress from good To greater good who instructs us
Concerning the straight path of salvation, In this life of the body and the mind,
Leading up to the worlds of reality In which the living God himself abides,
And so your devotee wise and pious, 0 Mazda.
Shall become one with you.
Y43,1-3
MODERN ZOROASTRIANISM
About 60,000 Zoroastrians live in Iran as a group specifically
protected by Mohammed in the
About 100,000 moved to Bombay, India after the Moslem
invasion. About 20,000 have immigrated throughout the world, including the United States and
Canada. There is a thriving community of about 450 in
Houston.
Magi in the Christian birth story:
We already hear the music of the season everywhere there is the slightest chance we might shop,
and some of that music will be heard and sung later in the month right here. These Magi may have
been real. They certainly existed in Persia and were well known by Matthew and Luke when they
wrote their Gospels.
In the
which is not part of the cannon, starts with this long sentence:
I hope everyone noticed the phrase : "as Zoroaster had predicted"
Many interesting things can be learned by looking at early Christian art and how it changed over time.
In the very earliest Christian art the visitors are clothed as Persian priests and some times there were
two or four or several. Eventually they
became dressed as Kings. It was the 3rd century theologian that the number was settled as three,
probably to match the three gifts. The earliest art had the visitors dressed in the costume of Persian
priests (Magi), after the Islam swept the region they were clothed as wealthy Moslems, during the
Middle ages, the Magi were dressed in period costumes. The Germans were fond of placing the Magi
on horseback, The art from the later tradition began to show the three magi representing the three
races of man. The names of the three kings were supplied by a 6th century work, the
Our Christmas Carols are an eclectic lot.
ZOROASTER: PROBABLY THE FIRST UNIVERSALIST
The earliest existing expression of the Universalist idea of an afterlife where God saves
people can be found in the revelation of Zoroaster, prophet of the Magi. Truly, its universalism is
one of many profound influences that Zoroaster's new religion had on the subsequent development
of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Known as Zoroaster by the Greeks and Zardust by the Arabs, he is properly called Zarathustra
by followers of the religion that he founded. I am going to use, the Greek, Zoroaster today. It is
interesting that the Greek, Jesus, is also preferred over the Hebrew, Yeshua. Based on the Holy
Book of the Magi, Zoroaster was born in Eastern Iran and lived from about 660 B.C.E. to 583 B.C.E.
Like Moses, there is virtually no collaborative evidence for his life outside the religious writings. Most
scholars place Zoroaster's life earlier, perhaps 1200 to 1800 B.C.E., mainly due to the ancient
Eastern Persian language he used to write hymns.
A comparison of some ethical doctrines of the Magi and of the Christians is
informative.
Magi
Christian
God (Ahura Mazda)
God (YHWH, Jehovah, Elohim
The Demon of Lies
Satan: The Father of Lies
"Whatsoever He in His
"Thy will be done" Wisdom thinketh
ought to be"
"The same at every now"
"The same from everlasting to everlasting"
"Spirit Bountiful, Giver of all Things"
"Giver of all good things"
"One shall not do unto
another whatever is not
good for its own self"
"Do unto others as you would
have them do unto you"
"The holy law standeth
"Even as thou hast done it
ever at thy door in the
unto the least of these, my
persons of thy
brethren, thou hast done it
brethren"
also unto me"
"May I obtain...abiding
serenity of soul"
"Consider none without
hope of Heaven"
"The dead shall rise, life
shall return to their bodies
and they shall breath again"
"The peace that passeth
Understanding"
"Judge not that ye shall not
Be judged"
Resurrection of the dead"
Zoroaster's parents were likely middle class. His father was probably a trader of horses or camels, as
well as a priest. He was married and had children. His major revelations happened at about 30, after
he, like Jesus, went into the wilderness to seek God. After this experience he said ; "God declared to
me that silent meditation is the best for attaining spiritual enlightenment"
(Y43,17)
While in the wilderness Satan tempted him with a promise of a 1000 year rule. He preached for 10
years with little success. Then he converted his cousin, the rest of his family, and the King, Vishtaspa.
Convincing the King was a very big deal.
Once Zoroastrianism was adopted by the kings of Persia, the religion spread throughout the Persian
Empire. This process was aided by the Magi, who were priests of the older pagan religion in Western
Iran. They accepted and preached the new religion of Zoroaster, Many scholars believe that
Zoroaster was a Magus (the singular form of Magi) of the old religion prior to his divine revelations.
His hymns to God (Gathas) were first recited orally and eventually written into the holy book of the
magi (Avesta). We know that he was assassinated by a rival priest at the age of 77. (So all was not
smooth during his later life.)
Zoroaster claimed no divinity for himself, later tradition created miraculous stories that were regularly
attached to persons held in high esteem in the ancient world. One of the fun traditions holds that at
birth Zoroaster laughed instead of crying.
In this religion humanity has free will to chose between good and evil, and people were required to be
active participants with God in the eventual defeat of evil. The core beliefs can be summarized as:
"Good thoughts, Good words, and Good deeds" Zoroaster's word for God is "Ahura Mazda"
whichmeans "Lord of Life and Wisdom" or "Wise Lord". For Zoroaster, God is wholly good; God
unconditionally loves all his Creation and all humanity - always. God is not angry, jealous, or
vengeful; God would never tempt humans into doing evil. We are made of the essence of God and
are cherished by God, Fasting, Celibacy, and the Austere life have no place in the religion of the Magi.
People are simply directed to
-Do Good and oppose Evil. God is opposed by an evil
force called "The Demon of the Lie" which Zoroaster named as "that which is not and never was" almost as if the devil was a vacuum. Satan is responsible for all death, destruction, decay, and
darkness.
Satan has no physical presence on earth but does have the ability to corrupt God's creation.
However Satan is dim-witted and disorganized and can be defeated by the Good!
Like Christianity, the religion of the Magi has a concept of the Holy Spirit as being a part of
God that is present with us on the Earth. God is both immanent (present) and transcendent (other).
It is the Holy Spirit or Mentality of God (Spenta Mainyu) In the words of Zoroaster: Through his Holy
Spirit And his Sovereign mind, Ahura Mazda will grant Self-realization and immortality To him whose
words and deeds Are inspired by righteousness, Moral courage and Divine Wisdom. (Y47,1)
Both the ancient Magi and the modern followers of Zoroaster see God as light, the oldest
non-anthropomorphic conception of God. God is the light above us, around us, and within us. For
Zoroaster, the contrast between light and darkness is always a metaphor for the conflict between
Good and Evil. Sometimes observers of this religion from ancient to modern times have mistaken
the Magi for fire worshipers because of the "eternal flame" present in all their temples. However
the fire has never been worshiped; the flame of the fire represents LIGHT, their symbol for God.
Concepts of the afterlife in the religion of the Magi are almost identical to those of Christianity.
According to Zoroaster's vision, each human soul is required to face judgment on the "Bridge of
Judgment". If there is a preponderance of good deeds, the soul is allowed to pass over a wide bridge
to Heaven on which the good deeds meet him or her in the form of a beautiful 15-year-old girl. The
soul of the saved asks, "Who art thou? I have never seen a young girl on Earth more beautiful than
thee?" In answer the young girl replies, "I am no girl, but thy own good deeds." If the human soul
contains a preponderance of evil deeds, a young girl "who has ne semblance of a young girl" comes
to meet it, and the soul of the damned says, "Who art thou? I have never seen a wench on Earth
more ill-favored and hideous than thee." In reply, the ill-favored wench says, "I am no wench, but I am
thy deeds - hideous deeds - evil thoughts, evil words, evil deeds, and evil religion." The bridge
becomes razor narrow and the soul falls into Hell. This same razor sharp bridge imagery lives on in
Shiite Islam.
Unlike Dante, whose Limbo is for the righteous who are not Christian, Limbo in the religion of
the Magi is for those whose good deeds and bad deeds are in equal balance. The Hell of the Magi is
not eternal but only a temporary detour while you "shape up" and the evil in you is purified.
Zoroastrians, like other Universalists, believe God is too good to sentence humans to Eternal Hell.
For example "If you understand these laws of happiness and pain which Mazda has ordained, 0
mortal men, (there is) a long period of punishment for the wicked and reward for the pious. But
thereafter eternal joy shall reign forever." (Y30,11)
Some modern minimalist scholars dispute the idea that Zoroaster was a Universalist and say
that universal salvation came into Zoroastrianism late. However all agree that the religion was
Universalist many generations before Christianity. For example, the 4th century B.C.E. Greek,
Theopompus stated that, "Zoroaster prophesies that some day there will be a resurrection of all the
dead. In the end Hades shall perish and men (people) shall be happy"
Both a spiritual afterlife of the soul and a physical resurrection at the end of time are concepts
of Zoroaster. Humanity can fall prey to evil, but, after "purification" in Hell, All are saved at the end of
time. When the victory over evil is complete, the end of time will come where nothing ever dies or
decays, and there is no darkness - only LIGHT.
In the spirit of Universalism, Zoroaster tells of future Saviors possibly coming from
different nations:
"Indeed such shall be the Saviors Of the countries who follow The call of Duty by good thoughts
Because of their deeds Inspired by righteousness In accord with your command 0 Mazda, they
certainly have been marked out As Smiters of wrath." (Y48,12)
The God of the Magi is Universal, and Zoroaster was the first to proclaim this truth. God is
supreme. "When I held you in my very eyes Then I realizes you in my mind, 0 Mazda, As the first
and also the last for all Eternity, As the Father of Good thoughts, As the Creator of Righteousness
And Lord over the actions of Life. (Y31,8)
Even though the Persian Empire fell to Alexander the Great (331BCE), the Magi continued to
be very influential throughout the Middle East and the Western World, and the religion of the Magi
continued as a primary religion in the middle east until the Moslem conquest (642 CE) The Magi were
prized as teachers of great wisdom and power, and Zoroaster remained a highly respected figure.
Of course, Zoroastrian ideas have been enormously Important to subsequent religious
thought. Many scholars argue that Zoroaster's cursing of the Hindu gods caused the break
between the religious approaches of the East (Hindu, Buddhism) and those of the West (Judaism,
Christianity, Islam)
In the Dead Sea Scrolls of the Essenes the imagery of the "Sons of Light" and "Sons of
Darkness" is a direct borrowing from the religion of the Magi. 600 years after the Moslem conquest,
the Sufi Mystic, Attar of Nishopur, wrote, "we are the Eternal Magi, we are not Moslems".
The Minister of Wine in the
of Omar Khayyam is a Magi. Omar Khayyam once said
he wore the belt of a Magi because he was ashamed of his Islam.
Giving Zoroaster the last word. "To All Good Thoughts, Good Words, and Good Deeds
Belongs Paradise, So it is Manifest To the Pure."