Zoroastrianism Flashcards
When was Zoroastrianism founded?
roughly 3,000 years ago
Where was Zoroastrianism founded?
ancient Persia (modern Iran)
Who is the prophet of Zoroastrianism?
Zarathustra (Zoroaster)
How many followers did Zoroastrianism have at its peak?
40 million
What are Persian Zoroastrians called?
Parsis
Zoroastrianism was the religion of what major empires?
Persian and Sassanid
What are examples of parallels between Zoroastrianism and Judaism/Christianity/Islam?
monotheism, creation stories, prophets, the messianic figure of Saoshyant, world ages/eons, the Armageddon-like final battle, angels/demons, bodily resurrection, final judgement, and heaven and hell
What is the first main stage of Zoroastrianism?
the religion prior to the arrival of the Prophet Zoroaster; this is the Indo-European/Aryan culture that he reformed
What is the second main stage of Zoroastrianism?
the early faith, promulgated by Zoroaster himself
What is the third main stage of Zoroastrianism?
the Zoroastrianism of the Persian Empire espoused by the monarchs form Cyrus and Darius onward, which introduced elements into the religion mostly via a priestly group called the Magi, considerably tempering its monotheistic character
What does the term Aryan mean?
“noble ones”; applied to a group of migrants who moved into the Indus valley in the second millennium BCE from what is now Iran
Which Aryans becmae the founders of Zoroastrianism?
the Aryans that did not migrate into India
What is a similarity between Indian religion and Zoroastrianism?
Indian Vedic literature and the Gathas of Zoroastrianism
Who are Saoshyants?
prophets, reformers, those that benefit the community, restores truth and purity/part of Aryan culture
Where was Zoroaster born?
northeast Iran or southwest Afghanistan
When was Zoroaster born?
between 1200-900 BCE or 600-400 BCE
What warrior clan was Zoroaster born into?
Spitama
Who was Zoroaster’s father?
“Possessor of Horses”
Who was Zoroaster’s mother?
“One who has milked”
Briefly describe the major events of Zoroaster’s life.
- at age 15 receives Kusti/Sudreh (white vest and holy thread)
- at 20 leaves home
- at 30 has a pivotal religious experience
- at 40, after ten years of unsuccessful preaching, he is imprisoned and eventually converts King Vishtaspa
- in his 70s he is killed while tending the sacred fire during a battle
What did Zoroaster teach about monotheism?
Ahura Mazda is worshipped as the one supreme God
What does Ahura Mazda mean?
Wise Lord
Who is Spenta Mainyu?
an aspect of Ahura Mazda who promotes the modes of good action
Who is Angra Mainyu?
the primary evil spirit that embodies and spreads evil
In Zoroastrianism, what is the universe?
a battleground between opposing good and evil forces; this cosmological dualism accounts for the presence of good and evil everywhere
How can Zoroastrianism be both monotheistic and dualistic?
Spenta Mainyu and Agnra Mainyu are not gods; rather, they are forces
Who are Amesha Spentas?
several divine manifestations created by Ahura Mazda who are to be venerated; often referred to as emanations
What does Amesha Spenta mean?
Beneficent Immortal?
What do Amesha Spentas have guardianship over?
each Amesha Spenta has guardianship over a human virtue and a sector of creation
How do Amesha Spentas relate to prayer?
they are comparable to archangels but Zoroastrians don’t pray TO these immortals; they pray THROUGH them to communicate with God
What did Zoroaster teach about the soul?
the soul is the scene of the struggle; ethical dualism
What did Zoroaster teach about eschatology (the end of the world)?
in the final battle between forces of good and evil, Ahura Mazda will prevail and the world will be renovated
According to Zoroaster, how are human souls judged int eh afterlife?
judged based on their good or evil thoughts, words, and deeds
What is eschatology?
the expectation of a transfiguration of life and existence at the end of time
What are ethics?
tell you how to act
“Henceforth let me stand firm for good thoughts, good words, and good deeds, which must be well thought, must be well spoken, and must be well done.” What is this an example of?
Zoroastrian ethics
What are the four sacred elements?
earth, fire, water, and air
How are Zoroastrians instructed to avoid defilement of the sacred elements?
strict laws on personal hygiene (also served a practical purpose by avoiding disease); body seen as polluting after death
What is the Avesta?
ancient scriptures of Zoroastrianism
What does Avesta translate as?
injunction, command; wisdom, knowledge; authoritative utterance; scripture
What word does Avesta derive from?
Middle Persian word avastaq which means “law”
Briefly discuss the cohesion of the Avesta.
lol jk it’s not cohesive; it is a group of separate, various, miscellaneous writings collected into one volume that scholars refer to as “miscellany without cohesion” because the sources are not very clear or authentic due to the fact that it dates from many different periods and was handed down orally for many centuries
What does Yasna mean?
“sacrifice”
What is the Yasna?
sacred liturgy hymns for worship; the first and foremost division of the Avesta
What are the Gathas?
part of the Yasna; a collection of seventeen hymns which Zoroastrians hold to be the words of Zoroaster
What does the Khorda Avesta translate to mean?
“little Avesta”
What is the Khorda Avesta?
Book of Common Prayer; contains Zoroastrian prayers
What does Visperad mean?
“All the Divine Lords”
What is the Visperad?
a twenty-chapter collection of hymns in the Avesta
What does Vendidad mean?
“The Law Against Demons”
What is the Vendidad?
a division of the Avesta containing myths and codes of religious law
Which part of the Avesta is considered to be the words of Zoroaster?
the Gathas
How are the Gathas distinguished from the other Yasna hymns?
they are distinguished by their emphasis on ethics and their lack of attention to ritual concerns
What does Gathas mean?
“hymns”
What are all scriptural works based upon?
the Gathas
What is hoama?
hoama = soma = hallucinogenic drug
What is the Hom Yast?
a ritual where the juices of the hoama plant are ground out and mixed with milk and herbs; during the sacrifice of hoama in fire priests daily recite all 72 chapters of the Yasna from memory; this sacrifice is called the Yasna, from which the corresponding of the Avesta gets its name
What is the Twain Gatha?
instructs the believer in the basic teachings of Zoroaster on good and evil; it speakers of the ancient character of good and evil, their role in the creation of the world, their present struggle for domination, and their destiny at the end of history; the believer must constantly choose the good and thereby build up its power in the universe; most scholars believe that these ideas had a profound influence on Judaism and then Christianity and Islam
Briefly give an overview of the third stage of Zoroastrianism.
the later Zoroastrian tradition is so radically different than its predecessor, that it is not clear whether Zoroaster’s initial influence made its own way from Easter Iran to the main Mesopotamian basin or whether another parallel reform took place in the basin and Zoroaster’s influence was later assimilated
Who are the Magi?
a priestly group who made a very important contribution to the historical development of Zoroastrianism
How did the Magi contribute to the historical development of Zoroastrianism?
through their efforts, the faith was extended throughout the world that was under the influence of Iranian thought; they permitted older Zoroastrianism to be mixed with both Iranian and foreign religious concepts and practices; they emphasized dualism in both cosmic principles and in the conflicts of each human life
How many times a day is a Zoroastrian supposed to pray?
five
When are Zoroastrians supposed to pray?
at sunrise, noon, sunset, midnight, and dusk, in the presence of fire, the symbol of righteousness
How are Zoroastrians supposed to pray?
in the presence of fire, standing while uttering the appointed prayers (which include verses from teh Gathas) and unties and reties the Kusti
What is the Kusti?
the sacred cord, which should be worn constantly; it goes three times round the waist and is knotted over the sacred shirt (Sudreh)
What must Zoroastrians do before praying?
perform ritual ablutions, for the faith makes cleanliness a part of godliness since uncleanliness is seen as evil
Where did the concept of the sacred fire originate from?
the ancient veneration of fire among the Iranian peoples evidently centered on the ever-burning hearth fire
How does the sacred fire factor into worship?
Zoroastrians do not worship fire itself; it is considered sacred, cleaning, and a symbol for Ahura Mazda
What is No Ruz?
the New Day (New Years Day); signifies the victory of Ahura Mazda over Angra Mainyu
What is Gahambars?
Festivals of Obligation; giving respect to the Seven Creations aka Amesha Spentas (sky/heavens, earth, water, plants, animals, humans, fire)
What is Fravardigan (Mukhtad)?
All Souls Day; Ten Days of the Dead; consideration of death
What is Khordad Sal?
commemorates the birth of Zoroaster
Do Zoroastrians believe in reincarnation?
no
What happens to humans after they die?
several days after death, humans must ross the Chinvat Bridge; the soul is judged on a scale - for the souls of merit, it is a path to heaven, while for the souls of demerit, it is a narrow knife-edge from which they fall to Hell
What is the final consummation?
Ahura Mazda destroys Angra Mainyu and his evil work, frees and purifies all the souls in Hell, resurrects the pure souls form heaven, and they all dwell in a restored world of righteousness
What happens to the body after death?
it is given to professions, who live to some extent segregated lives on account of the uncleanliness, and is wrapped in a cotton shroud, carried on an iron bier, and after due prayers by priests, is taken to a stone tower and left to decompose and be consumed by vultures
What is dakhma?
Tower of Silence; where dead bodies are taken
