The Wisdom of Zoroaster E-Book

S.a. Kapadia

• Herausgeber: S.a. Kapadia
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

"I WILL now tell you who are assembled here the wise sayings of Mazda, the praises of Ahura, and the hymns of the Good Spirit, the sublime truth which I see rising out of these flames. You shall therefore hearken to the Soul of Nature. Contemplate the beams of fire with a most pious mind! Every one, both men and women, ought today to choose his Dread. Ye offspring of renowned ancestors, awake to agree with us."

So preached Zoroaster, the prophet of the Parsis, in one of his earliest sermons nearly 3,500 years ago.
Imbued from his infancy with deep philosophical and religious thoughts for the welfare and well-being of mankind, this ancient prophet of Bactria derived his holy inspiration after thirty years of divine meditation on a secluded and inaccessible mountain-top of "Ushidarena." Thus fortified in communion with Ahura-Mazda, "Spitama Zarathustra" proceeded to the city of Balkh, at the time the capital of the King of Iran, Kava Vishtaçpa.
Clothed in pure white flowing vestments, bearing with him the sacred fire, "Adar Burzin Mehr," and a staff or sceptre made of a cypress tree, this sage of antiquity appeared before the court of Kava Vishtaçpa. By persuasion and argument he unfolded his religious mission; and proclaimed the mandate of Ahura, in order to elevate the ancient faith of the Aryas to its lofty and intellectual purity of monotheism.

Leseprobe

S.A. Kapadia

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Table of contents

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

PURITY

PRAYER OF ASHEM-VOHU †

THE LAW OF AHURA-MAZDA *

COMMANDMENTS FOR THE BODY AND THE SOUL †

THE SOUL'S DESTINATION *

THE SOUL'S RENDERING OF ACCOUNT *

GATHA HYMN *

CONFESSION OF FAITH

THE CREED *

PRAYER OF KEM NÂ MAZDA *

PRAYER OF KE VERETHREM GA †

PRAYER OF ORMUZD YAST ‡

GOD AS THE KING, THE LIFE, THE REWARDER *

THE CREATION OF THE WORLD BY AHURA-MAZDA AND CORRESPONDING EVILS BY ANGRO MAINYUS *

GOD'S WARNING TO YIMA OF WINTER AND DELUGE *

BLESSINGS OF CULTIVATING THE SOIL *

HAPPINESS OF THE EARTH *

GRIEF OF THE EARTH †

CULTIVATION OF LAND WHERE A CORPSE IS FOUND *

PURIFICATION OF WATER DEFILED BY A CORPSE †

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION †

REWARD FOR THE PIOUS *

FORGIVENESS OF SIN ‡

THE TEMPTATION *

BANISHMENT OF ANGRO MAINYUS *

ON LOAN *

ON WASTE †

TEMPERANCE

SOULS’ VISIT TO THE EARTH †

THE MAZDAYASNIAN CONFESSION *

PATET ERANI *

MARRIAGE SERVICE †

THE VISION OF ARDÂ-VIRÂF †

SANCTITY *

PRAYER FOR SAFETY *

Footnotes

NOTES

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

ZOROASTRIANISM is a religion much commented upon by a few enthusiastic oriental scholars, and less understood by the general public. Out of the millions of believers of this faith in the bygone ages, there now remains a handful of devout followers, known as the Parsis. I have, therefore, ventured to put before my readers a brief sketch of the teachings of this divine prophet. I hope, that the strangers to the faith may find in it food for philosophic enlightenment, and the Zoroastrians themselves a subject for deeper and wider researches in the untold wealth of sublime theology and philosophy, now looked up in the monumental tomes of the ancient Avesta writings.

For extracts in this volume, I am greatly indebted, amongst others, to the works of the following eminent oriental scholars: Dr. Martin Haug, Dr. E. W. West, Dr. L. H. Mills, Professors Max Müller, Spiegel, Bleeck, Westergaard, Z. A. Ragozin, J. Darmesteter, Mr. K. R. Cama, Ervard Kavasji Edalji Kanga, Mr. N. M. N. Kanga, Mr. J. A. Pope, and Dr. J. Adams. I have also to thank the India Office authorities for their kindness in placing at my disposal their splendid library of the Persian and Zend literature, and my old friend Sir C. Purdon Clarke, the Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington, for his valuable suggestions regarding the ancient print of Zoroaster, which appears on the cover of this book, and my friend Mr. A. Kapadia, of Lincoln's Inn, for his kind assistance. S. A. KAPADIA.

INTRODUCTION