1. ZOROASTRIANISM

2. Zoroastrianism is the oldest of the revealed world-religions, and it has probably had more influence on mankind, directly and indirectly, than any other single faith." Mary Boyce.
Mary Boyce is one of the most renowned scholars on Zoroastrianism. This is the picture of the hall of 100 columns at the ruins of Darius’ Palace in Persepolis, seat of the Persian Empire. Foreground right is Gateway of All Lands, guarding the entrance to Persepolis. This hall is where 10,000 royal subjects of Emperor Darius and Xerxes would gather for ceremonial occasions. Only 13 columns now remain. I have used several pictures of the ruins of Persepolis in this presentation.

3. ZARATHUSHTRA
Born somewhere between 2000 B.C. to 600 B.C. During Bronze Age.
Born in North-East Ancient Iran (today Kazakhstan or Tajikistan)
Family of Priests. He too was a priest
Married with 6 children
When 30 yrs. old received vision
Was 42 when came before the court of King Vishtaspa of Bactria accepted the religion and it spread far and wide
Died in his late 70’s
When he lived debated. Based on archaeological finds and linguistic comparisons point to between 1500B.C to 1200 B.C. This made him a contemporary of Moses. When 30 recd vision of Vohu Manah. In time with meditation other 6 Amesha Spentas revealed. Vision transformed his view on religion. Tried to teach his view. Priests were opposed to him. Felt their own faiths, power & rituals were threatened by him. He undermined their power. Attempts on his life. King V accepted his ideas and made them official religion.

4. SPREAD OF ZOROASTRIANISM Faith flourished through the rise and fall of many civilizations. It was the dominant religion for 1000 years (558 B.C. – 652 A.D.) in Persia during the Achaemenian, Parthian & Sassanian Empires. Suffered set-back with Alexander of Macedonia invasion – 330 B.C Further marginalized by the advent of Islam and Arab invasion in 652 A.D. Some practiced faith in seclusion in Islamic Persia, others fled to India.
Zoroastrianism reached its peak during the time of the Achaemenians – Cyrus the Great and Darius and Xerxes being the most famous kings. Those Zoroastrians who were given asylum in India came to be known as Parsees.

5. ZOROASTRIANISM AT ITS PEAK The Zoroastrian Achaemenian Empire at its greatest extent was the largest empire in recorded history at 3.0 million sq. miles (480 BC). Under Cyrus' rule it extended approximately from Macedonia (now Greece) in the West to the Indus River (India) in the East, from the Caucuses Mountains (Russia) in the North to Egypt in the South.

6. PRINCIPAL DOCTRINES
Earliest Monotheistic religion of One Supreme God – Ahura Mazda(Wise Lord)
Conflict between Spenta Mainyu (Good) & Angra Mainyu (Evil) involves entire universe including humanity who play an active role in promoting Good and vanquishing Evil
Not a prescriptive ethic- but ethic of personal responsibility
Quintessence of his teachings are:
HUMATA – Good Thoughts
HUKHTA – Good Words
HUVERESHTA – Good Deeds
Spenta Mainyu and A.mainyu are uncreated. All mortal beings are created and play a critical role in the struggle between asha (good) and druj (evil). Deeds and action are emphasised. Asceticism frowned upon. Central to Zism is emphasis on moral choice – choose responsibility & duty for which we are in the mortal world. Morality summed up in the 3 H’s, it is thru this that druj(evil) is kept in check and asha(good) prevails.

7. Man should emulate the Amesha Spentas or attributes of Ahura Mazda:
VOHU MANAH – The Good Mind
ASHA – Divine Law
KSHATHRA – Ahura Mazda’s Divine majesty and power
ARMAITY –Benevolent Spirit
HAURVATAT – (Perfection) & AMERATAT (Immortality) are twin rewards of a righteous life.
SACRED TEXT
THE AVESTA written in the Avestan language
The Divine Hymns, The GATHAS contained within are the words of Prophet Zarathushtra himself.
VM:Z declares that man must think for himself b4 he believes. Given freedom to choose between good & evil & responsible for consequences.
Asha embodies Righteousness,Truth Wisdom, Justice & Progress. Every Z should strive to follow the path of A
K: As a soldier of God, man must actively fight evil and promote good.
ARM: is Amazda’s purity and devotion
H & Amer: are the twin rewards of a righteous life.

8. ZOROASTRIAN VIEW OF THE WORLD
Conflict between forces of Good (Spenta Mainyu) & Evil (Angra Mainyu)
Man given freedom to choose between these two
Man given responsibility to actively promote Good, vanquish Evil and thus move not only himself but the world towards Frashokereti (the final resurrection) when all will be in a state of perfection & everlasting bliss
Zarathushtra preached respect for nature and the environment. Zoroastrians venerate the elements – water, earth, fire and the sun and believe in living in harmony with the environment.
Charity as a way of life is central to the Zoroastrian ethos. Generation of wealth is to be used for improving the world, in order to strive for greater harmony in both the physical & spiritual worlds.
Z are urged to lead active, industrious and honest lives. One must generate wealth so one can share it. The Parsees of India though numbering less than 1% of the population have greatly influenced the country. The Parsees have been pioneers in ship building, aviation, nuclear research and industry . Their philanthrophy has resulted in schools, hospitals, subsidised housing and many insitiutions being built for the benefit of all.

9. SYMBOL OF ZOROASTRIANISM FAROHAR Represents “Fravashi” or presence of Ahura Mazda in every being Soul’s freedom of choice Fravashi does not interfere with our soul’s choice Soul has to seek Fravashi’s advice Soul should choose to follow It's advice. The soul may seek its advice but can choose not to follow it. Sin is a result of the Soul neglecting to seek/follow Fravashi’s advice
It is the “Divinity in Humanity”. Since God has given us humans a free will, the Fravashi will not interfere with the choice of our Soul.
Thus in spite of having the part of God within us we can go wrong, if we do not invoke the help of Fravashi or we choose not to follow its advice.

10. THE ETERNAL FLAME & FIRE TEMPLE
Our rituals & prayers are performed before a sacred fire. It is kept burning in a silver urn in all Z F Temples. Fire is a symbol of the inner light, inner flame that exists within each of us. It’s a physical representation of the illumined Mind & truth. It is a symbol of light which is a symbol of God and Goodness. Zoroastrians are sometimes mistakenly referred to as Fire worshipers that is incorrect. For us it is only a symbol of the inner flame, we do not worship it. Fire is tended with frankinsense and myrrh – the same offering brought by the Magi to Jesus.

11. CEREMONIES Navjote WEDDING
Initiation ceremony for every child
Invested with sacred Sudreh and Kusti
WEDDING
Performed by priest/s who recite passages from the Avesta and bless the couple, showering them with rice.
Sudreh is an undershirt of pure white muslin with a small symbolic pocket to remind the wearer to fill it with good deeds. Kusti a woven woolen cord signifies that the wearer has tied themselves to practicing the faith.

12. FUNERAL CEREMONY Soul of the dead more important than physical remains
Once the soul has left the body – body considered impure and cannot pollute God’s “good” creation (fire or earth)
Body placed in “Tower of Silence” open to the sky and given free access to birds of prey.
On 4th day after death soul is reunited with its Fravashi, the good that the soul has done here on earth is weighed against the bad and judgement passed on whether the soul moves to Heaven or to hell.
Extensive prayer ceremonies are performed for the departed soul to help it progress toward immortality and Perfection.

13. RELIGIOUS CELEBRATIONS
Religious festivals play an important role in the life of a Zoroastrian.
Navroz (NoRoz): New Day. The most important day of the year. Celebrated at the Spring equinox. Primal origin of the festival is in the universal rhythms of Earth and nature. Spring equinox signals the beginning of warmer weather and the start of the growing season. It also marks the moment when, in the 24 hour round of the day, daylight begins to be longer than night. This lengthening of the days is thus a symbolic victory of the forces of Light over darkness. Zoroastrians celebrate with cleaning their homes, setting symbolic items on a Navroz table, wearing new clothes, offering prayers and celebrating with family.
The 6 seasonal Gahambars are celebrated in honor of the Skies, Waters, Earth, Plants, Livestock, Man. Festivities include much food and merriment accompanied by prayers and rituals.
Muktad – Festival of All Souls: Believed that during this 10 day period the Fravishis of the departed visit their near and dear ones. Priests perform special prayers during this period.
Religious festivals play an important role in the lives of Zoroastrians.

14. INTERACTIONS WITH JUDAISM & CHRISTIANITY
Zoroastrian ideas have played a vital role in the development of western religious thought. Some theological concepts shared by Zoroastrianism with Judaism & Christianity:
Belief in one supreme God
Concept of Heaven & Hell and individual Judgment
Ultimate triumph of good over evil.
Strict moral and ethical code
Concepts of resurrection, final judgment and life everlasting
The words “Satan”, “paradise”, and “amen” are of Zoroastrian origin
The 3 Wise Men (Magi) that heralded the infant Christ were
Zoroastrians.
The inter-change of Z thought with Judeao-Christian ideology first took place when Cyrus the great defeated the Assyrians and released the Jews from Babylon. They heralded Cyrus as their Messaiah. The Old Testament is replete with references to the Persian emperors Darius, Cyrus & Xerxes.

15. DIASPORA
Today the total number of Zoroastrians in the world is under 200,000
Of these approximately 80,000 live in India
Approximately 25,000 are in Iran
12,000 now live in the U.S.A and 7,000 in Canada
The remaining live in Europe, Pakistan, Africa, Asia and Australia.
The Zoroastrians living in India are called the parsees. The reason that our numbers are declining so rapidly is that – we were granted asylum in india over 1000 years ago on condition that we would not attempt to convert the local population, we would keep our traditions and customs to ourselves. Hence girls who marry outside the faith are no longer considered Z, their children cannot be raised in the faith. This is slowly changing in the USA and countries outside India. But for a large percentage of conservative Parsees in India this is still the norm.

16. Ashem Vohu, Vahistem Asti
Ushta Asti, Ushta Ahmai
Hyat Ashai
Vahistai Ashem.
To think a good thought, to speak a good word, to do a good deed, is the best. Everlasting happiness to those who follow the Path of Asha

17. Compiled and Created by Aban Grant Art work by Shanaya Grant
ZOROASTRIANISM
Compiled and Created by Aban Grant
Art work by Shanaya Grant
Resources
The Zarathushti Religion: A Basic Text - Adapted and Collated by Mobed Farlborz S Shahzadi
Zoroastrians –Followers of an Ancient Faith in a Modern World – Rohinton M. Rivetna
The Legacy of Zarathushtra - Roshan Rivetna, FEZANA, 2002
www. wikipedia.org/Zoroastrianism