Zoroastrianism: A Guide for the PerplexedThe significance of the Zoroastrian religion in the development of the history of thought is often only mentioned in passing, or is completely overlooked. Zoroastrianism has developed over a span of at least three thousand years, with roots in a common Indo-Iranian culture and mythology, then becoming part of imperial Iranian ideology within an Ancient Near Eastern setting, and emerging in variant forms in western and central Asia in late antiquity. The religion continues as a living faith for an estimated 130 - 150,000 adherents in the world. Most Zoroastrians if asked, 'In a nutshell, what do Zoroastrians believe?' would begin their answer with the moral maxim: 'Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds.' Zoroastrianism: A Guide for the Perplexed takes this foundational trifold ethic as the framework for its three main chapters. The book presents a comprehensive study of the religion through its focus on the questions that perplexed seekers might ask of a Zoroastrian concerning ideology and ethics; current discussions of 'text' and 'author'; and the putting-into-practice of the religion. |
Contents
| 1 | |
CHAPTER 1 THOUGHTS OR WHAT ZOROASTRIANS BELIEVE | 20 |
CHAPTER 2 WORDS OR WHAT ZOROASTRIANS SAY AND WHO HAS THE VOICE | 68 |
CHAPTER 3 DEEDS OR HOW ZOROASTRIANS PUT RELIGION INTO ACTION | 122 |
ENDLESS LIGHTS AND LIMITLESS TIME | 180 |
GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND NAMES | 183 |
A HISTORICAL TIMELINE | 186 |
NOTES | 189 |
| 195 | |
| 198 | |
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Common terms and phrases
Achaemenid Ahuna Vairya Ahura Mazda amesha spentas Ancient Persians Angra Mainyu anjuman asha ashavan beneficent Bundahishn calendar celebrated century BCE ceremony Christian concept consecrated creation Dadgah daevas dakhma Darius Dastur dead matter deeds Denkard early Ervad ethical evil existence Farvardigan festival FEZANA fire temple fravashis gahanbar Gathas Gathic Greek Herodotus humans initiation inscriptions Iranian Zoroastrians jashan Kerdir king kusti liturgy magi manthra Mazda worshippers Middle Persian Middle Persian texts Mithra mobeds mobedyar Mumbai Nav Ruz non-Zoroastrians Old Avestan Old Persian oral Parsi Parthian perform Persian Rivayats person pollution practice praxes praxis prayers priestly questions recited referred relating religious ritual sacred saoshyant Sasanian Shah Nameh soul Sraosha sudreh teaching thought tion Tirgan tradition traditionalist translated trian Videvdad women words worship yashts Yasna Yasna Haptanghaiti yazatas Yazd Zarathushtra Zartoshti Zoroas Zoroaster Zoroastrian Associations Zoroastrian community Zoroastrian priests Zoroastrian texts