Persian religion of fire and light. Fire and light

Zoroastrianism (the name comes from the ancient Greek version of the name Zarathushtra - “Zoroaster”), Mazdaism or Mazdaism (from the Avestan māzdayasna - “worship of Mazda”), vahvi daena (from the Avestan vahvī-daēnā - “good faith”, “good consciousness”, “ good worldview") is one of the most ancient religions of Iran, which began with the revelations of the great prophet and reformer Spitama Zarathushtra.

The fundamental principle of his teaching, received, according to legend, from the great God Ahura Mazda, is the freedom of moral choice of the individual - according to the prophet, everyone should give preference to good deeds, words, thoughts. The sacred book of Zoroastrianism is the Avesta (its most revered part, the Gathas, consists of 17 hymns addressed to Ahura Mazda; the authorship of these poetic works is attributed to Zarathushtra), the symbol is a vessel with a burning fire. Nowadays, Zoroastrians identify 9 foundations of their faith. Followers of this religion believe in:

Ahura Mazda (Ormuzd) - the all-good and united creator of the spiritual and physical worlds. He is opposed by Angra Mainya (Ariman, Ahriman) - the destroyer of worlds and people’s consciousness;

Zarathushtra, who is positioned as the only prophet of Ahura-Mazda. It was he who brought good faith into the world;

Minu (“spiritual world”), as well as the two opposing spirits of Good and Evil. A person must make a choice - which of these spirits to join. His future fate in the physical and spiritual world will depend on this;

Artu (Ashu) - truth, the law of universal harmony and righteousness, its antipode - Druj (lie, destruction);

Daenu (“conscience”), hratu (“reason”), which are the basis of human essence, and enable each individual to distinguish between good and evil;

7 Amesha-Spents, hypostases of Ahura-Mazda, also personifying the 7 stages of the evolution of the human personality;

Dadoahesh and Ashudad (“mutual assistance and support”);

Natural elements (fire, water, wind, earth, plants, animals);

Frashkard (Frasho-kereti - “Making the world perfect”) - the victory of good over evil, the transformation of the world.

The birthplace of Zoroastrianism and Zoroaster is Bactria. Neither the ancients (already in the 5th-4th centuries BC) nor modern authors have a unanimous opinion about the birthplace of Zarathushtra. Some claim that he was born in the vicinity of Balkh (Bactria, now Afghanistan), others call the birthplace of the prophet Rades (a suburb of modern Tigeran) or Arinam-Vaj (Khorezm). Medieval Muslim historians (Qazvini, Al-Biruni, etc.) believed that Zarathushtra was born in an area called Atropatena (the territory of the Iranian province of Azerbaijan).

Some modern researchers (for example, Mary Boyce, an Iranian scholar from Britain, and Lokamanya Bal Gandgahar Tilak, an Indian who conducted a historical and philological study of the Rig Veda) believe that the birthplace of Zoroaster is the ancient settlement of Sintashta (Russia, Chelyabinsk region). And finally, in the Gathas one can read that Zarathushtra, born on the territory of the Turans (nomadic peoples inhabiting Eastern Iran), was not understood and accepted by his compatriots, and fled to Iran, where he met his future patron - Prince Kavi-Vishtaspa.

There is also still debate as to where Zoroastrianism originated. At first, researchers believed that the birthplace of Zoroastrianism was Bactria, and the Avestan language was just one of the Bactrian dialects. However, modern linguists have proven that the Avestan and Ancient Bactrian languages, although they originate from Common Iranian, have different paths of development. And Bactria itself (Bakhdi) is not mentioned very often in the Avesta, although it is positioned as the residence of the patron of Zarathushtra, Prince Kavi-Vishtaspa (Gushtaspa).

In some legends, Media is called the center of the birth of Zoroastrianism ( ancient state, located in the western part of Iran), where, according to historians, a large Zoroastrian center was actually founded, rivaling the Bactrian one in importance. There was also an influential champion of Zoroastrianism in Media - King Vishtaspa, but his identification with Kavi-Vishtaspa, the patron of Zarathushtra, is, according to researchers, unfounded.

The name Zarathushtra translates as "Golden Star". The ancient Greeks actually associated the name of the founder of Zoroastrianism with the word “aster” (Greek asteros - “star”), pronouncing it as “Zoroaster”. But this is only one of the options for interpreting the meaning of the name of the great preacher-reformer. For example, according to the famous orientalist of the 18th century. Abraham Hyacinth Anquetil-Duperron, the name Zarathushtra means "Golden Sirius (Tishtr)".

Modern researchers believe that the name “Zarathushtra” is Iranian. Moreover, there is no doubt only about the meaning of the second part of the name (-ushtra, from Taj. Shutur - “camel”). Regarding the interpretation of the first part, opinions differ: the options offered are “old”, “yellow”, “possessing”, “driver”. Most often the name Zarathushtra is translated as “owner of the old camel” and is positioned as a name-amulet against evil forces.

Zarathushtra was born 258 years before conquest Alexander the Great. There is indeed a mention of this in Zoroastrianism, but the saying “the year of Zoroaster came 258 years before Zulkarnain Iskandar (Alexander the Great)” can be interpreted in different ways. Firstly, it remains unclear whether we are talking about the birth, an outstanding act (for example, the “year of faith” - the first conversation with Ahura Mazda) or the death of the great preacher. Secondly, the term “year of Alexander” can mean various dates: the birth of the great commander (356 BC); the time of the death of Darius III and the conquest of Iran by the Macedonians (accordingly, the “year of Zoroaster” is shifted in time - 330 BC). Some Zoroastrian authors define the period of Zarathushtra's life as follows: 660 - 583. BC. The ancient Greeks held different views, arguing that the “year of Zoroaster” began 6,000 years before Plato’s death (that is, approximately 6,347 BC).

Among modern researchers there are also no consensus about this question. Some believe that, according to the results of linguistic analysis of the Gathas (one of the parts of the Avesta), the time of Zarathushtra’s life and activity is the 12th-10th centuries. BC e. Others, on the contrary, claim that the preacher lived in the 300s. BC. (during the reign of Darius III). Still others attribute the life of Zarathushtra to the period preceding the emergence of the Achaemenid Empire (the dynasty of ancient Persian kings who ruled from 558 to 330 BC). Today, Zoroastrians believe that the "Zoroastrian Religious Era" began in 1738 BC. - in the “year of faith” of Zarathushtra (according to the calculations of Zabi Behrouz, an astronomer and linguist from Iran).

From childhood, Zarathushtra had a great influence on the minds of the people around him, and had many followers. Legends and traditions abound with information of this kind, of which a great many have been compiled about the life and work of the great prophet and reformer. According to one of them, at birth he laughed and did not cry, and his laughter killed 2000 demons. In other legends one can find references to many miracles that occurred while Zarathushtra was a child (only in this way could divine forces protect the future preacher from constant attacks by demons).

But neither in childhood nor in his youth did Zarathushtra, the son of Spitam, who belonged to a poor priestly family, have much influence on the people around him, and his first sermons were not in any way noted by society. And the followers who were imbued with new ideas were very few at first. The turning point was the acquaintance with Prince Kavi-Vishtaspa, who accepted the teachings of Zarathushtra, and with all his might contributed to the spread of new ideas in society.

Initially, Zarathushtra's sermons had a deep philosophical meaning. No, the initially mentioned religious reform of Zarathushtra had a pronounced social content. His sermons met the needs of the society of those times: ensuring the peaceful life of a settled people engaged in cattle breeding and agriculture. This could be achieved by gaining unity under the leadership of a strong and authoritative government (Hishatra), which would make it possible to successfully repel the attacks of hostile tribes, “followers of Lies” (drujvants) and hope for the reign of Peace (Armaiti) and Truth (Asha). And only a little later, Zarathushtra’s sermons were filled with deep philosophical meaning, calling for monotheism (veneration of Ahura Mazda) and presenting the constant struggle with hostile tribes as a reflection of the eternal struggle between Good and Evil, Truth and Lies.

Since ancient times, only asuras were revered in the religion of Iranian tribes. This is wrong. Researchers argue that the era of Zoroastrianism was preceded by polytheistic religious views, transformed from the worship of the elements and forces of nature, and originating in the period of the Indo-European community. There was a distinction between asuras (Avest. Ahuras) and devas (daivas), but there was no consensus as to which of the above-mentioned creatures exhibited a good disposition and which was very evil.

In one group of tribes, the asuras were considered benefactors, while their neighbors might idolize the devas, and vice versa. And sometimes people treated both of them with equal respect (as reflected, for example, in the early Vedas). In more late period Indo-Iranian community, when the territorial delimitation of the tribes of Indians and Iranians had not yet been completed, some changes appeared in this matter. Obviously, irreconcilable hostility between neighboring tribes fighting for habitat also manifested itself in religious views.

As a result, in the later parts of the Vedas, devas are treated with respect, while asuras became objects of hatred and were equated with demons. While in Zoroastrianism the reverse process can be traced - the deification of the asuras with the subsequent merging into the monotheistic cult of Ahura-Mazda, and the “demonization” of the devas (although, as already mentioned, in some Iranian tribes the devas were worshiped as forces of light).

Devas in Zoroastrianism are hostile spirits. This is not entirely true. The legion of devas was formed for quite a long time, and personifications of vices, misfortunes and disasters were added to the host of hostile spirits (who, according to legend, initially lived in human bodies, but were driven out by Zarathushtra into the mountains, into caves and underground). For example, Azi - “greed”, Araska - “envy”, Apaosha - “drought”, Aishma (Eshm) - “unbridledness”, which at first personified the raids of hostile tribes, etc.

In addition, some people were equated with devas, for example, chadu (yatu) - evil sorcerers, karapans and kavias - representatives of the nobility and priestly class who showed hostility towards the Zoroastrians; sataras - evil rulers, ashemaugs - teaching evil, drudzhvant - non-believers. The group of evil forces also included harmful representatives of the animal kingdom (snakes, toads, insects, etc.), calling them hrafstra.

Zoroastrians worship many deities. In Zarathushtra's sermons, only one God was mentioned - Ahura Mazda, who was opposed by devas (daivas), who patronized the enemies and themselves showed hostility towards people and the great creative deity. In addition, 6 Amesha-Spanta (Vohu-Mana - “Brahman, Good Thought", Asha-Vahishta - "The Best Truth", Khshatra-Vairya - "Chosen Power", Spenta-Armaiti - "Holy Piety", Haurvatat - "Well-Being, Integrity", Ameretat ("Immortality")). However, they were not separate entities-deities, but manifestations-hypostases of the same Ahura-Mazda, forming one whole with him.

But in the process of spreading, the religious views of the great prophet-reformer assimilated with the worldview of the Iranian tribes and underwent some changes. The six Amesh-Spanta from abstract hypostases of the Supreme Deity were transformed into completely independent divine entities, and each acquired its own role (and in some areas - new names). For example, Vohu-Mana (in Middle Persian - Bahman) became the patron of cattle, Asha-Vahishta (Artvakhshit) commanded fire, Khshatra-Varya (Shahrevar) ruled metals, and Spenta-Armaiti (Spandarmat) ruled the earth. Kharvat (Khurdad) protects water, Amerat (Amerdad) takes plants under his protection.

They also worship Rashna - the god of justice, Atara - the god of fire, etc. The pantheon was also replenished by deities rejected at one time by Zarathushtra. Even the devas (for example, the patron of treaties Mithra or Mihr, who was later associated with the sun, Indra, etc.), renamed yazata (“those who should be revered”), become the object of worship. Changes are also taking place in the camp of evil forces - Ahriman (Ahriman, Anhra-Manyu - “Evil Spirit”), the personification of evil, the original enemy of Ahura-Mazda, stands out.

Zoroastrianism is a fire-worshipping religion. This is not entirely true. In Zoroastrian temples it is true that mandatory there is Varahram (“Victorious”) burning on the atashdan (altar) - a sacrificial fire, which, in some cases, is maintained for hundreds or even thousands of years. However, worship is given not only to the fire of the fire, called Spaništ ("Holies"), or the altar.

Zoroastrians position any light as a visible manifestation of God in the world of forms. Therefore, turning to Ahura Mazda, believers try to turn their face to the source of light, which can be not only a ritual fire, but also the light of the sun. In addition, according to Zoroastrians, fire can take the most various shapes. For example, in front of Ahura Mazda the heavenly fire of Berezasavang (“Highly Saving”) burns. Vohufriyan (“Beneficent Fire”) is hidden in the bodies of people and animals, Urvazisht (“Most Pleasant”) is hidden in plants, Vazish (“Most Effective”) is hidden in lightning.

Zoroastrians offered bloody human sacrifices to the gods. A completely wrong opinion. In pre-Zoroastrian times, on the territory of Persia, priests of pagan gods (for example, Moloch, whose cult was spread by the Assyrian conquerors) actually sacrificed not only animals and adults, but also children. According to legend, this custom was introduced by Zahhak, the king of dragons. Due to the fault of the evil spirit, Zahhak, having ascended the throne, acquired two snakes that settled on his shoulders and took away everything that the ruler touched. And only by feeding it to insatiable creatures human brain, Zahhak got a break for a while.

Zarathushtra, in his sermons, had a negative attitude towards pagan rituals, in particular, towards bloody human sacrifices and the use of soma (haoma) - a drug used by priests to enter a state of religious ecstasy. As a sacrifice, Zoroastrians used an unleavened flatbread called draunah (“share”), as well as maizda - different kinds food (in ancient times - meat food, nowadays - fruits).

However, over time, ritual libations are resumed, and Zarathushtra himself begins to be credited with the ability to converse with Haoma (a deified drink).

In some countries that fell under Persian rule, pagan customs of sacrifice are preserved, which have acquired a different meaning under the influence of the new religion. For example, in Babylon, the ancient custom of the ritual execution of a “replacement” king (when, at a certain period of time, a criminal sentenced to death was placed in the place of the ruler, who received all royal rights and at the end of the reign was deprived of life with honors; instead of him, a “resurrected” ruler again ascended the throne ) has acquired a new meaning. Now this ritual was seen as a symbol of the cycle of life, renewal and resurrection, as well as the victory of Good over Evil.

Zoroastrianism instructs believers to eat only strictly certain types food and practice cleansing fasting. This is wrong. Meat of any ungulates, fish and other animal products are not prohibited. There are no prohibitions on drinking wine, although believers are urged to observe moderation in food and consumption of intoxicating drinks. But long-term fasting and fasting are prohibited in this religion. There are only 4 days a year when Zoroastrians are required to abstain from eating meat.

The burial rites of Zoroastrians are very unique. The content of the funeral rites of the Zoroastrians is explained by their religious worldview. According to followers of the teachings of Zoroaster, the contact of earth, water and fire with a dead body (matter full of filth, a symbol of Ahriman’s short-term victory) can defile them for a long time. For example, a plot of land on which a person or animal died is not sown or irrigated for a year, and a fire cannot be lit in the house of the deceased for several days (9 in winter, 30 in summer).

The bodies of the dead were “displayed”, i.e. They were placed on rocky, high places or on dakhma - specially built “towers of silence.” They also tied it (so that animals and birds could not accidentally desecrate water or plants by dragging pieces of flesh and bones from the “burial place”). Subsequently, the bones were collected and placed in an ossuary - asta-dana, or in a certain place in the dakhma intended for these purposes.

Contact with a corpse also desecrated living people, and for life. The porters (at least two, in extreme cases - a man and a dog; it was strictly forbidden to move the corpse alone), who carried corpses to burial places, were called risto-porridge, and throughout their lives they had to stay 30 steps from fire and water, and 3 steps from other people.

Zoroastrianism (Avest. Mazda Yasna, lit. “veneration of wisdom”) was formed on the basis of the revelation of the prophet Spitama Zarathushtra (Greek form of the name - Zoroaster), which he received from the god Ahura Mazda.

Modern Zoroastrians calculate their chronology from the year in which King Vishtaspa adopted Zoroastrianism from Zarathushtra himself. Zoroastrians believe that this event occurred in 1737 BC. e. “First faith” is the traditional epithet of Mazda Yasna.

Zoroastrianism arose among the Aryan tribes, apparently before their conquest of the Iranian plateau. Most probable place The origin of Zoroastrianism is North-Eastern Iran and part of Afghanistan.

The prophet's sermon was of a pronounced ethical nature, condemned unjust violence, praised peace between people, honesty and creative work. The contemporary values ​​and practices of the Kawis, the traditional leaders of the Aryan tribes who combined priestly and political functions, were criticized. Zarathushtra spoke about the fundamental, ontological opposition of good and evil, for this reason Zoroastrianism is called the first dualistic religion, which served as the basis for the development of later dualistic teachings and dualistic elements of other religions. All phenomena of the world are represented in Zoroastrianism in the form of a struggle between two primordial forces - good and evil, the god Ahura Mazda (Ohrmazd) and the evil demon Angra Mainyu (Ahriman). Ohrmazd Mazda defeats Ahriman at the End of Times.

Zoroaster(Zarathushtra) - founder of Zoroastrianism. Spitama's real name.The date and place of life of the prophet Zarathushtra are not precisely established. Various researchers date the life of Zoroaster from the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC. e. until the 6th century BC e.

Avesta(“knowledge”) is the holy book of the Zoroastrians. It consists of five books containing liturgical hymns, descriptions of religious rituals, and a narrative about the creation of the world and the end of the world. The Avesta is written in the Avestan language, close to Sanskrit. Zarathushtra himself compiled its oldest part, known as the Gathas. In the 3rd century AD e. Commentaries (Zend) were added, and in its entirety the canonical collection is called the Zend-Avesta.

Zoroastrians see the meaning of their existence not so much in personal salvation, but in the victory of the forces of good over the forces of evil. Life in the material world, in the eyes of Zoroastrians, is not a test, but a battle with the forces of evil, which human souls voluntarily chose before incarnation. Unlike the dualism of the Gnostics and Manichaeans, Zoroastrian dualism does not identify evil with matter and does not oppose spirit to it. If the former strive to free their souls (“particles of light”) from the embrace of matter, then Zoroastrians consider the earthly world to be the better of the two worlds, which was originally created by the saint. For these reasons, in Zoroastrianism there are no ascetic practices aimed at oppressing the body, dietary restrictions in the form of fasting, vows of abstinence and celibacy, hermitage, or monasteries.

Victory over the forces of evil is achieved through performing good deeds and observing a number of moral rules. Three basic virtues: good thoughts, good words and good deeds (humata, hukhta, hvartsha). Every person is able to determine what is good and what is evil with the help of Conscience (Pure). Everyone must participate in the fight against Angra Mainyu and all his minions. (On this basis, the Zoroastrians destroyed all hrafstra - “disgusting” animals - predators, toads, scorpions, etc., allegedly created by Angra Mainyu). Only the one whose virtues (thought, said and done) exceed his evil deeds (evil deeds, words and thoughts - duzhmata, duzhukhta, duzhvartshta) is saved.

An important condition for the life of any Zoroastrian is the observance of ritual purity, which can be violated by contact with defiling objects or people, illness, evil thoughts, words or deeds. The corpses of people and good creatures have the greatest desecrating power. It is forbidden to touch them and it is not recommended to look at them. People who have been desecrated must undergo complex purification rites.

According to Zoroastrians, at dawn on the third day after the death of a person, his soul is separated from the body and goes to the Chinvad Bridge, the Bridge of Separation (Bridge of Decision), leading to heaven (to the House of Songs). At the bridge, a posthumous trial takes place over the soul, in which the forces of good represent the Yazatas: Sraosha, Mithra and Rashnu. The trial takes place in the form of a competition between the forces of good and evil. The forces of evil give a list of a person’s evil deeds, proving their right to take him to hell. The forces of good give a list of good deeds performed by a person to save his soul. If a person’s good deeds outweigh his bad ones by even a hair, the soul ends up in the House of Songs. If evil deeds outweigh the soul, the soul is dragged to hell by the deva Vizaresha. If a person’s good deeds are not enough to save him, then the Yazat allocate a portion of good deeds from each duty performed by the Bedhins. At the Chinwad Bridge, the souls of the dead meet Daena - their faith. To the righteous she appears as a beautiful girl helping to cross the bridge; to the scoundrels she appears as a terrible witch pushing them off the Bridge. Those who fall from the bridge are thrown into hell.

Zoroastrians believe that 3 saoshyants (saviors) should come into the world. The first two saoshyants will have to restore the teaching given by Zarathushtra. At the end of time, before the last battle, the last Saoshyant will come. As a result of the battle, Ahriman and all the forces of evil will be defeated, hell will be destroyed, all the dead - righteous and sinners - will be resurrected for the final judgment in the form of a trial by fire (a fiery ordeal). The resurrected will pass through a stream of molten metal, in which the remnants of evil and imperfection will burn. The test will seem righteous by bathing in fresh milk, but the wicked will be burned. After the final judgment, the world will forever return to its original perfection.

Pantheon

All representatives of the Zoroastrian pantheon are called the word yazata (literally “worthy of veneration”). These include:

Ahura Mazda (literally “lord of wisdom”) - God, Creator, Supreme All-Good Personality;

Amesha Spanta (lit. "immortal saint") - the seven first creations created by Ahura Mazda. According to another version, Amesha Spenta is a hypostasis of Ahura Mazda;

Yazat (in the narrow sense) are the spiritual creations of Ahura Mazda of a lower order, patronizing various phenomena and qualities in earthly world. The most revered yazats: Sraosha, Mithra, Rashnu, Verethragna;

Fravashi of the righteous are the spirits of righteous individuals, including the prophet Zarathustra.

The confrontation between the forces of good and evil in the pantheon of Zoroastrianism

Ritual practice

Zoroastrians place great importance on rituals and ceremonies. The main feature of Zoroastrian rituals is the fight against all impurity, material and spiritual. Dogs and birds may participate in some cleansing rituals. It is believed that these animals are not subject to desecration when coming into contact with a corpse and have the ability to drive out evil spirits with their presence and gaze.

The sacred fire plays exclusively important role in Zoroastrianism, for this reason Zoroastrians were often called “fire worshipers,” although Zoroastrians themselves consider this name offensive. They claim that fire is only the image of God on earth.

General requirements for the ritual:

the ritual must be performed by a person who has the necessary qualities and qualifications. No rite can be performed by a woman;

the ritual participant must be in a state of ritual purity, he must be wearing a sedre, kushti, and a headdress. if a woman has long, untied hair, it should be covered with a scarf;

everyone present in the room where the sacred fire is located must face it and not turn their backs;

in the presence of a sacred fire or an unconsecrated fire replacing it, everyone in the room must stand;

the presence of an unbeliever or a representative of another religion in front of the fire during a ritual leads to desecration of the ritual and its invalidity.

The texts of the prayer are read in the original language (Avestan, Pahlavi).

Gakhi - daily five-fold reading of prayers, named after the periods in the day - gakhs:

Havan-gah - from dawn to noon;

Rapitvin-gah - from noon to 3 o'clock in the afternoon;

Uzerin-gah - from 3 hours in the afternoon until sunset;

Aivisrutrim-gah - from sunset to midnight;

Ushahin-gah. - from midnight to dawn.

Funeral rite - traditional way burial among Zoroastrians is an exhibition. The corpse is left in an open, specially prepared place or in a special structure - “dakhma” - for disposal by birds and dogs. This custom is explained by the fact that Zoroastrians do not have any respect for a corpse. According to the Zoroastrians, a corpse is not a person, but a polluting matter, a symbol of Ahriman’s temporary victory in the earthly world. After cleaning the skeleton from soft tissues and drying the bones, they are placed in urns. However, in Iran, the traditional funeral rite was abandoned in the early 1970s. and Zoroastrians bury bodies in concrete graves and crypts, in order to avoid desecration of the earth and water by contact with the corpse. Traditional burial is usually carried out by special people - “nasusalars”, allocated to a separate class. Burial or transportation of a corpse must be carried out by at least 2 people; burial and transportation of a corpse alone is great sin. If there is no second person, a dog can replace him.

Zoroaster taught that the surest protection from the devas is given to a person by purity of thoughts, words and deeds; He set the duties of a person as a hard-working life, abstinence from vices, especially lies, spiritual piety, and virtue. He said about sins that they must be atoned for by repentance. Zoroastrian priests interpreted the concept of purity in the sense of external purity, and came up with many commandments to preserve it, many rituals to restore it if it was violated in some way. These extremely precise and detailed rules of purification, and the same detailed rules regarding sacrifices, prayers, and liturgical rites, turned the religion of serving the light into a servile execution of petty regulations, into overwhelming formalism, and distorted the moral teaching of Zoroaster. He wanted to encourage people to diligently cultivate the land, to take care of strengthening moral strength, to energetic work and to the development of spiritual nobility. The Zoroastrian priests replaced this with a casuistic system of rules about what works of repentance and what rites are used to cleanse various sins, consisting mainly of touching unclean objects. Especially everything dead was unclean, because Ormuzd created the living, not the dead. The Avesta gives detailed rules for precautions and cleansing from defilement when someone dies in the house and when a corpse is buried. Followers of Zoroastrianism did not bury corpses in the ground or burn them. They were taken to special places, prepared for this purpose, and left there to be eaten by dogs and birds. The Iranians were carefully careful not to approach these places.

If a Zoroastrian has become defiled, then he can restore his purity only by repentance and suffering punishment according to the statute of the good law. “The good law,” says the Vendidad, “takes away all the sins committed by man: deception, murder, burying the dead, unforgivable deeds, many highly piled sins; he will take everything away bad thoughts, the words and deeds of a pure person, like a strong, fast wind from the right side clears the sky; the good law completely cuts off all punishment.” Repentance and purification among the adherents of Zoroastrianism consist mainly in prayers and incantations pronounced at certain times of the day with strict observance of the rituals prescribed for this, and in ablutions with the urine of a cow or bull and water. The most powerful purification that removes all impurities from a Zoroastrian, “ nine night cleanse“, is an extremely complex rite that can only be performed by a pure person who knows the law well and is valid only if this purifier of the sinner receives the reward that he himself wants. These and other similar commandments and customs imposed chains on the life of the Zoroastrians, depriving him of all freedom of movement, filling his heart with a sad fear of defilement. For every time of the day, for every task, every step, for every everyday occasion, prayers and rituals, rules of consecration were established. All life was brought under the yoke of serving the painful Zoroastrian formalism.

Sacrifice in Zoroastrianism

Herodotus tells the following details about sacrifices among the Zoroastrians (I, 131). “The Persians do not have the custom of building temples and altars; they even consider those who do this stupid because they do not think, like the Hellenes, that the gods have human species. When they want to make a sacrifice, they do not erect an altar, do not light a fire, and do not pour out wine; For their sacrifices they have neither pipes, nor wreaths, nor roasted barley. When a Persian wants to make a sacrifice, he leads the sacrificial animal to a clean place, prays to God, and usually entwines the tiara with myrtle branches. The person making the sacrifice cannot ask God for mercy for himself alone; he must also pray for all the Persians and for the king. Having cut the sacrificial animal into pieces and boiled the meat, he covers the ground with the most tender grass, usually clover, and places all the meat on this bedding. When he has done this, the magician comes up and begins to sing a hymn about the birth of the gods - that’s what they call the spell. Without a magician, the Persians cannot perform sacrifices. After that, the one who offered the sacrifice takes the meat and does with it as he wants.”

In Strabo we find the following details about Zoroastrian sacrifices: “The Persians have wonderful buildings called pyrethiums; in the middle of the pyrethium there is an altar on which there is a lot of ashes, and the magicians maintain an eternal fire on it. During the day they enter this building and pray for an hour, holding a bunch of sticks in front of the fire; on their heads there are felt tiaras that go down both cheeks and cover the lips and chin. “They make sacrifices in a clean place, after praying and placing a wreath on the animal being sacrificed. The magician, having made a sacrifice, distributes the meat; everyone takes his piece and leaves, leaving nothing for the gods, because God only needs the soul of the victim; but according to some, they throw a piece of omental membrane into the fire. When they offer a sacrifice to water, they go to a pond, river or stream, dig a hole and cut the sacrifice over it, taking precautions so that the blood does not fall into the water and defile it. Then they place pieces of meat on myrtle or laurel branches, light a fire with thin sticks and chant incantations, pouring oil mixed with milk and honey, but not into the fire or into the water, but onto the ground. They chant long spells, and at the same time they hold a bunch of dry myrtle sticks in their hands.”

History of the sacred books of Zoroastrianism

The following legends have reached us about the fate of the sacred books of Zoroastrianism. Denkard, a Zoroastrian work believed by Parsis to have been written during Sassanids, says that King Vistashpa ordered the collection of all the books written in the language of the magicians, so that the faith of the worshipers of Ahuramazda would have firm support. The book Arda-Viraf Name, which is also considered to have been written during the Sasanian times, says that the religion received from God by the pious Zoroaster was preserved in purity for three hundred years. But after that Ahriman aroused Iskander Rumi (Alexander the Great), and he conquered and devastated Iran and killed the Iranian king. He burned the Avesta, which was written on cow skins in gold letters and kept in Persepolis, killed many Zoroastrian priests and judges, who were the pillars of the faith, and brought discord, enmity and confusion into the Iranian people. The Iranians now had neither a king, nor a mentor and a high priest who knew religion. They became filled with doubts... and they developed different religions. And they had different faiths, until the time when Saint Aderbat Magrefant was born, on whose chest molten metal was poured.

Denkard's book says that the surviving fragments of the Avesta were collected under the Parthians Arsacids. Then the Sasanian king Artakshatra ( Ardashir) called Herbad Tosar to his capital, bringing the sacred books of Zoroastrianism, which had previously been scattered. The king commanded that they be the law of faith. His son Shapur I(238 - 269 A.D.) ordered the collection and re-attachment to the Avesta of medical, astronomical and other books that were scattered throughout Hindustan, Rum (Asia Minor) and other countries. Finally, when Shapure II(308 – 380) Aderbat Magrefant cleared the sayings of Zoroaster from additions and renumbered them ours(chapters) of sacred books.

Zoroastrian gods Ahuramazda (right) and Mithra (left) present signs of royal power to the Sasanian Shah Shapur II. Relief of the 4th century AD in Taq-e-Bostan

From these legends it is clear that:

1) Zoroaster gave the sacred law under King Gustasp (Vistashpa). At one time it was believed that this Gustasp was Hystasp, the father Darius I, and therefore they thought that Zoroaster lived in the middle of the 6th century BC; this seemed to be confirmed by other evidence; and if so, then Zoroaster was a contemporary of Buddha. Some even believed that Buddhism contained the teachings of Zoroaster. But researchers of the 19th century (Spiegel and others) came to the conclusion that Vistashpa of the Avesta is not Hystasp, the father of Darius, but the Bactrian king who lived much earlier, that Gustasp, who ends the first cycle of Iranian legends retold in the first sections of the Shahnameh of Ferdowsi, and therefore Zoroaster , like this Gustasp or Vistashpe, must be attributed to prehistoric times. But this does not mean at all that the books attributed to him belong to a very ancient time. They are collections compiled little by little by the Zoroastrian priests, some earlier, others later.

2) Traditions say that Zoroastrian books were burned by Alexander, that he killed believers and suppressed religion. According to other stories, he ordered books about astronomy and medicine to be translated into Greek, and all others to be burned, and then these burned books were restored from memory (like Chinese books). These stories are implausible; firstly, they completely contradict the policy of Alexander, who tried to gain the favor of the Asians, and not offend them; secondly, the news of Greek and Roman writers clearly shows that the sacred books of the Persians continued to exist under the Seleucids and Parthians. But the military storms that broke out over Persia after the death of Alexander, and for many centuries destroyed everything in Iran, were, in all likelihood, very harmful to Zoroastrianism and its sacred books. Even more disastrous for these beliefs and books was the influence of Greek education, which was spread throughout Iran by the Greek cities founded in all its regions. The religion of Zoroaster was probably superseded by the higher Greek culture and some of its sacred books were lost at this time. They could have perished all the more easily because the language in which they were written was already incomprehensible to the people. This probably gave rise to the legend that the Zoroastrian sacred books were burned by Alexander.

3) Traditions say that the Zoroastrian religion was restored and again made dominant in Iran under the Sasanian kings Ardashir and Shapur. This news is confirmed by history. The foundation of the power of the dynasty that overthrew the Parthians in the 3rd century AD Sassanids there was a restoration of old Persian institutions and, in particular, the national religion. In their struggle with the Greco-Roman world, which threatened to completely engulf Iran, the Sassanids relied on the fact that they were the restorers of old Persian laws, customs and beliefs. They called themselves after the names of Old Persian kings and deities; They restored the ancient structure of the army, convened a large council of Zoroastrian magicians, ordered to look for sacred books that had survived somewhere, and established the rank of great magician to manage the clergy, who received a hierarchical structure.

The main Zoroastrian god Ahuramazda presents signs of royal power to the founder of the Sassanid dynasty, Ardashir I. Relief of the 3rd century AD in Nakhsh-e-Rustam

The ancient “Zendian” language was no longer intelligible to the people. Most of the priests did not know him either; therefore the Sassanids ordered the translation of the holy books into the then vernacular western Iran, Pahlavi or Guzvareshsky, is the language in which the inscriptions of the first times of the Sasanian dynasty were made. This Pahlavi translation of Zoroastrian books soon acquired canonical significance. It divides the text into chapters and verses. Many theological and philological commentaries have been written on it. It is very possible that the experts on the sacred Zoroastrian scripture, glorified in Parsi legends, Arda Viraf and Aderbat Magrefant, participated in this translation. But the meaning of the text of the holy books, apparently, underwent many changes in the Pahlavi translation, partly, probably, because some parts of the original were not understood by the translators, partly because the ancient law no longer covered all the social relations of modern life, and it was necessary to supplement its alterations and insertions. From the theological studies of that time came a treatise outlining the results of scientific research on cosmogony and other tenets of the religion of Zoroaster - Bundehesh. It is written in the Pahlavi language and is highly respected by the Parsis.

The kings and people adhered very strictly to the restored Zoroastrian religion, the flourishing period of which was the time of the first Sassanids. Christians who did not want to accept the creed of Zoroaster were subjected to bloody persecution; and the Jews, although they enjoyed greater tolerance, were much constrained in fulfilling the rules of their faith. The Prophet Mani, who made an attempt to combine Christian teachings with the teachings of Zoroaster in his Manichaeism, was put to a painful death. The wars of the Byzantines with the Sassanids worsened the situation of Christians in Persia, because the Persians expected in their Christians sympathy for their coreligionists; subsequently, for political reasons they patronized Nestorians and other heretics excommunicated from the Orthodox Byzantine Church.

The Sassanid kingdom fell to death in the fight against the Arabs of the last Shah of the dynasty, Yazdegerda, and spread throughout Persia Islam. But five centuries passed before the worship of fire completely disappeared in it. Zoroastrianism fought so stubbornly against Muhammadan rule that even in the 10th century there were uprisings with the aim of restoring the throne of the Sassanids and again making the creed of Zoroaster the state religion. When the ancient doctrine of Zoroastrianism was completely defeated, the Persian priests and scientists became teachers of their conquerors in all sciences; Persian concepts acquired a strong influence on the development of Muhammadan education. A small Parsi community held out for some time in the mountains. When persecution reached her refuge, she moved to India and, having experienced many hardships there, finally found a lasting shelter on the Gujarat Peninsula. There she has survived to this day, and remains faithful to the ancient teachings of Zoroaster, the commandments and rituals of the Avesta. Vendidad and some other parts of the Pahlavi translation of the Avesta, brought to India by these settlers, were here translated from Pahlavi into Sanskrit and into the vernacular in the 14th century AD.

Each religion began its existence in a certain age-old period. There are those that appeared before our era. There are those that began to exist not so long ago. Thinking about it, the question arises: “Which religion is the oldest?”

Zoroastrianism is the oldest religion in the world. If you believe the statements of scientists, then it is more than 7 thousand years old. It originated in Iran, and was revealed to the world by the prophet Zoroaster. It is he who is considered the founder of this ancient religion. A book was written about this religion a long time ago - Avesta. The language of presentation is Avestan, it is not used anywhere else, one might even say that it is dead.

History of origin

Zarathushtra (Zoroaster) was born a very kind and bright child. While his peers were doing dirty tricks, fighting, mocking someone weaker than them, Zoroaster was thinking about the meaning of life. Due to constant bullying, Zarathushtra set off on a journey. He walked wherever his eyes led him. He could not come to terms with this wrong world, where everything is not according to the laws, where killing and humiliating is the order of things.

Ahura Mazda, who was revered by all as the Lord of Wisdom, came to the aid of Zarathushtra and pushed him in the right direction. Zoroaster became a prophet who opened people's eyes and tried to lead them in the right direction. And so this very ancient religion, which few people remember, and most do not even know about its existence.

Holy book

Avesta - this book was written in gold ink. 12 thousand ox skins were used. So says the Pahlavi source. The book has three parts:

1. Yasna - all hymns and prayers are collected;
2. Yashna - requests and prayers to all deities;
3. Videvdat is an explanation of all rituals and religious beliefs.

Zoroastrianism basic ideas

Like any religion, this one has its own principles, so to speak. They are as follows:

• Fighting evil and saving lives is the main thing;
• You can eat whatever you want, there are no prohibitions;
• As soon as the child turned 7-10 years old, a ritual was carried out that prepared him for work;
• Haoma was a drink that had to be drunk near the sacrificial fire before the sacrifice and said a prayer;
• Temples were built that served to preserve fire. In these temples the fire was constantly burning and people approached it 5 times a day, trimmed the “wood” and said prayers.

Holidays

Religious holidays are also inherent in this religion. For example - vayu. It is celebrated on June 22, when the Sun enters 1 degree Cancer. This holiday of elemental spirits. This should be celebrated in nature, but the name itself comes from the deity of the light wind.

Another festival is Gahanbar Mitra. It is celebrated on October 16th. It is celebrated throughout the night, right up to sunrise. There is a tradition according to which 5 lights must be lit on this day.

Zoroastrianism- a term of European science, derived from Greek pronunciation named after the founder of the religion. Its other European name Mazdaism, coming from the name of God in Zoroastrianism, is now generally perceived as outdated, although it is closer to the main self-name of the Zoroastrian religion - Avestan. māzdayasna- “Reverence of Mazda”, pehl. māzdēsn. Another self-name of Zoroastrianism is vahvī-daēnā- “Good Faith”, more precisely “Good Vision”, “Good Worldview”, “Good Consciousness”. Hence the main self-name of the followers of Zoroastrianism Persian. بهدین - behdin ‎ - “blessed”, “behdin”.

Basics of Faith

Zoroastrianism is a dogmatic religion with a developed theology, developed during the last codification of the Avesta in the Sasanian period and partly during the Islamic conquest. At the same time, a strict dogmatic system did not develop in Zoroastrianism. This is explained by the peculiarities of the doctrine, which is based on a rational approach, and the history of institutional development, interrupted by the Muslim conquest of Persia. Modern Zoroastrians usually structure their creed in the form of 9 principles:

Ahura Mazda

Zarathushtra - according to the teachings of the Zoroastrians, the only prophet of Ahura Mazda, who brought good faith to people and laid the foundations for moral development. The sources describe him as an ideal priest, warrior and herder, fighter, exemplary leader and patron of people all over the world. The prophet's sermon was of a pronounced ethical nature, condemned violence, praised peace between people, honesty and creative work, and also affirmed faith in one god (Ahura). The contemporary prophetic values ​​and practices of the Kawis, the traditional leaders of the Aryan tribes who combined priestly and political functions, and the Karapans, the Aryan sorcerers, were criticized, namely violence, predatory raids, bloody rituals and an immoral religion that encourages all this.

Confession of Faith

Avesta

A page from the Avesta manuscript. Yasna 28:1

The sacred book of the Zoroastrians is called the Avesta. In essence, this is a collection of texts from different times, compiled in the Zoroastrian community during the archaic period in the ancient Iranian language, now called “Avestan”. Even after the advent of writing in Iran, millennia, the main method of transmitting texts was oral, and priests were the custodians of the text. A well-known recording tradition appeared only during the late Sassanids, when in the 5th-6th centuries. To record the book, a special phonetic Avestan alphabet was invented. But even after this, Avestan prayers and liturgical texts were learned by heart.

The main part of the Avesta is traditionally considered to be the Gathas - Zarathustra's hymns dedicated to Ahura Mazda, which set out the foundations of his doctrine, his philosophical and social message, and describes the reward for the righteous and the defeat of the wicked. Some reformist movements in Zoroastrianism declare only the Gathas to be a sacred text, and the rest of the Avesta as having historical meaning. However, the most orthodox Zoroastrians consider the entire Avesta to be the word of Zarathustra. Since a significant part of the extra-Gatic Avesta consists of prayers, even the reformists for the most part do not reject this part.

Symbols of Zoroastrianism

Vessel with fire - a symbol of Zoroastrianism

The main body symbol of a follower of the teachings of Zarathustra is a white undershirt sedre, sewn from one piece of cotton fabric and always having exactly 9 seams, and koshti(kushti, kusti) - a thin belt woven from 72 threads of white sheep wool and hollow inside. The koshti is worn around the waist, wrapped three times and tied with 4 knots. Starting a prayer before anyone important matter, by making a decision, after desecration, the Zoroastrian performs ablution and ties his belt (rite Padyab Koshti). The sedre symbolizes the protection of the soul from evil and temptation, its pocket is a piggy bank of good deeds. Koshti represents the connection (umbilical cord) with Ahura Mazda and all his creation. It is believed that a person who regularly ties the belt, being associated with all the Zoroastrians of the world, receives his share of their benefits.

Wearing sacred clothing is the duty of a Zarathustrian. Religion prescribes being without sedre and koshti for as little time as possible. Sedra and koshti must be kept clean at all times. It is allowed to have a replacement set in case the first one is washed. When constantly wearing sedre and koshti, it is customary to change them twice a year - on Novruz and the Mehrgan holiday.

Another symbol of Zoroastrianism is fire and atashdan- fiery portable (in the form of a vessel) or stationary (in the form of a platform) altar. Such altars support the sacred fires of Zoroastrianism. This symbolism became particularly widespread in the art of the Sasanian Empire.

Also became a popular symbol faravahar, a human figure in a winged circle from Achaemenid rock reliefs. Zoroastrians traditionally do not recognize him as an image of Ahura Mazda, but consider him to be an image fravashi.

Has important symbolic meaning for Zoroastrians. White color- the color of purity and goodness, and in many rituals also the color green- a symbol of prosperity and rebirth.

Story

Iranian beliefs before Zarathustra

Very little is known about Iranian beliefs before Zoroastrianism. Scientists believe that this ancient mythology was similar to ancient Indian mythology. Researchers believe that the legacy of ancient Iranian mythology was the veneration of Verethragna, Mithra and Anahita already under Zoroastrianism. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that before Zoroastrianism, the Iranians had Sabeism, adopted by Tahmures from Bozasp (see, for example, "Nauruz-name").

Time of Zarathustra

Modern Zoroastrians accepted the chronology of the “Zoroastrian religious era”, based on the calculations of the Iranian astronomer Z. Behrouz, according to which Zarathustra’s “discovery of faith” took place in 738 BC. e. [ ]

Localization of Zarathustra's sermon

The place of Zarathustra's life and activity is much easier to determine: the place names mentioned in the Avesta refer to northeastern Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan. Tradition associates Raghu, Sistan and Balkh with the name of Zarathustra.

After receiving the revelation, Zarathustra's preaching remained unsuccessful for a long time, different countries he was driven out and humiliated. In 10 years he managed to convert only his cousin Maidyomanghu. Zarathustra then appeared at the court of the legendary Keyanid Kavi Vishtaspa (Goshtasba). The prophet's preaching impressed the king and, after some hesitation, he accepted faith in Ahura Mazda and began to promote its spread not only in his kingdom, but also to send preachers to neighboring countries. His closest associates, the viziers of Vishtaspa, and the brothers from the Khvogva clan - Jamaspa and Frashaoshtra - became especially close to Zarathustra.

Periodization of Zoroastrianism

1. Archaic period(before 558 BC): the time of the life of the prophet Zarathustra and the existence of Zoroastrianism in the form of an oral tradition;
2. Achaemenid period(558-330 BC): accession of the Achaemenid dynasty, creation of the Persian empire, the first written monuments of Zoroastrianism;
3. Hellenistic and Parthian period(330 BC - 226 AD): the fall of the Achaemenid Empire as a result of the campaign of Alexander the Great, the creation of the Parthian kingdom, Buddhism significantly displaced Zoroastrianism in the Kushana Empire;
4. Sasanian period(226-652 AD): revival of Zoroastrianism, codification of the Avesta under the leadership of Adurbad Mahraspandan, development of a centralized Zoroastrian church, fight against heresies;
5. Islamic conquest(652 AD - mid-20th century): the decline of Zoroastrianism in Persia, persecution of followers of Zoroastrianism, the emergence of the Parsi community of India from emigrants from Iran, the literary activity of apologists and keepers of tradition under Muslim rule.
6. Modern period(from the middle of the 20th century to the present): the migration of Iranian and Indian Zoroastrians to the USA, Europe, Australia, the establishment of connections between the diaspora and the centers of Zoroastrianism in Iran and India.

Currents in Zoroastrianism

The main currents of Zoroastrianism have always been regional variants. The surviving branch of Zoroastrianism is associated with the official religion of the Sassanid state, primarily in the version that developed under the last of these kings, when the last canonization and recording of the Avesta was made under Khosrow I. This branch apparently goes back to the version of Zoroastrianism that was adopted by the Median magicians. Undoubtedly, in other areas of the Iranian world there were other variants of Zoroastrianism (Mazdeism), which we can judge only from fragmentary evidence, primarily from Arab sources. In particular, from Mazdaism, which existed before the Arab conquest in Sogd, which was an even less “written” tradition than Sasanian Zoroastrianism, only a passage in the Sogdian language has been preserved, telling about Zarathustra’s receipt of the revelation, and data from Biruni.

Nevertheless, within the framework of Zoroastrianism, religious and philosophical movements arose, defined from the point of view of today's orthodoxy as “heresies”. First of all, this is Zurvanism, based on great attention to the concept Zurvana, the primordial universal time, whose “twin children” were Ahura Mazda and Ahriman. Judging by circumstantial evidence, the doctrine of Zurvanism was widespread in Sasanian Iran, but although its traces are detectable in the tradition that survived the Islamic conquest, in general Zoroastrian “orthodoxy” directly condemns this doctrine. Obviously, there were no direct conflicts between the “Zurvanites” and the “Orthodox”; Zurvanism was rather a philosophical movement that hardly affected the ritual part of the religion in any way.

The veneration of Mithras (Mithraism), which spread in the Roman Empire under Aurelian, is also often attributed to the Zoroastrian heresies, although Mithraism rather represented a syncretic teaching not only with an Iranian, but also a Syrian substrate.

Zoroastrian orthodoxies considered Manichaeism an absolute heresy, which, however, was based on Christian Gnosticism.

Another heresy is the revolutionary teaching of Mazdak (Mazdakism).

The main variants of modern Zoroastrianism are Zoroastrianism of Iran and Parsi Zoroastrianism of India. However, the differences between them are generally regional in nature and relate mainly to ritual terminology; due to their origins in the same tradition and the maintained communication between the two communities, no serious dogmatic differences have developed between them. Only a superficial influence is noticeable: in Iran - Islam, in India - Hinduism.

Among the Parsis there are known “calendar sects” that adhere to one of three options calendar (Kadimi, Shahinshahi and Fasli). There are no clear boundaries between these groups, nor are there any dogmatic differences between them. In India, various movements with an emphasis on mysticism also arose, influenced by Hinduism. The most famous of them is the Ilm-i-Khshnum current.

The “reformist wing” is gaining some popularity among Zoroastrians, advocating the abolition of most rituals and ancient rules, for recognizing only the Gathas as sacred, etc.

Proselytism

Initially, the teachings of Zarathustra were an active proselytizing religion, passionately preached by the prophet and his disciples and followers. The followers of the “good faith” very clearly contrasted themselves with those of other faiths, considering them “worshippers of the devas.” However, for a number of reasons, Zoroastrianism never became a truly world religion; its preaching was limited mainly to the Iranian-speaking ecumene, and the spread of Zoroastrianism to new lands occurred in parallel with the Iranianization of their population.

Zoroastrianism remained proselytically active until the very end of the Sasanian period. The followers of Zarathustra passionately preached the need to fight the forces of evil, which, in their opinion, were worshiped by the followers of all other religions. The conversion of a non-Believer to the “good faith” was considered a good and correct act, and therefore almost anyone could become a Zoroastrian in ancient Iran, regardless of class, ethnicity or language. Thanks to rituals developed to the smallest detail, developed cosmological and, most importantly, ethical teachings, Zoroastrianism became the first state religion in history. However, the teachings of Zarathustra never became a truly world religion.

The reasons for this were the following factors:

• The socio-economic content of Zarathustra's religious teachings, which initially met the needs of the struggle of settled cattle breeders and landowners with nomads, is irrevocably a thing of the past. Due to its conservatism, Mazdaism did not develop new social content, remaining largely blind and deaf to the changes and social demands of the turn of Antiquity and the approaching Middle Ages.
• the proximity of the Mazdaist priesthood to government agencies Sasanian Iran, their mutual complementarity and codependency grew into the political engagement of Zoroastrianism, obvious to external audiences. This caused rejection among the rulers of states neighboring Iran, who feared Zoroastrian proselytism as a cover for the aggressive plans of the Iranian shahs. Attempts by the Iranians to establish their faith among their neighbors by force of arms during all four centuries of Sassanid rule were not crowned with long-term success;
• Mazdaism, despite the universality of its ethical doctrine, never went very far beyond the Iranian-speaking world. In the Hellenistic period, being widespread in many lands of the Greco-Macedonian empire of Alexander the Great and the kingdoms of his followers, it cared mainly for their Iranian-speaking subjects and remained alien to the local Greek population. On the one hand, the Iranians themselves, conquered by the Greeks, considered the Greeks an alien element and spoke very harshly about Alexander the Great himself, considering him a barbarian who destroyed their power and damaged the faith and culture of Iran. On the other hand, for the Hellenes, who traditionally revered their ancestors and were very respectful of the dead, the Persians’ traditional aversion to corpses as a source of defilement was in itself a blasphemy: the Greeks even executed commanders who did not properly bury the bodies of their dead compatriots. Finally, the philosophical concepts of the ossified official Mazdaism lay entirely in the mystical mainstream of Eastern teachings, which attached exceptional importance to ritual and were largely alien to Hellenic rationalism. The achievements of Hellenic and Indian philosophical thought, as a rule, did not arouse interest among the Iranian priesthood and did not influence Zoroastrian doctrine;
• Under the monotheistic appearance of Zarathustrian Mazdaism, the dialectically dual essence of the ancient Iranian religion was constantly visible, which recognized the presence in the universe of two equal forces: good and evil. This circumstance, coupled with the traditional geopolitical rivalry between Rome and Parthia (and later Byzantium and Iran) in the Near and Middle East, made it difficult to spread the teachings of Zarathustra among the broad masses of the non-Iranian population of the region. Thus, in the pagan period, Zarathustra’s unequivocal demand to honor only one side of the world struggle - Good - was difficult for a polytheist to understand, accustomed to making sacrifices to all gods regardless of their “moral qualities.” But even with the spread of Christian monotheism in the Greco-Roman world, the Zoroastrians remained strangers to Christians as before: for Christians who sincerely believed that “God is light, and there is no darkness in him,” the “benevolence” of Mazdaism was no longer sufficient. The ideas that spread in late Zoroastrianism about the primordial unity of good and evil principles as products of the divine Time - Zurvana gave rise to the zealots of Christianity (and later Islam) to accuse the Zoroastrians of “worshipping the brother of the devil”;
• A significant obstacle to the widespread spread of Mazdaism was the monopoly position of the Persians-Atravans, sanctified by doctrine and tradition, from which personnel were recruited for the hereditary class (essentially a closed caste) of Zarathustrian priests-Mobeds. No matter how righteous a follower of the teachings of Zarathustra a particular non-Iranian convert was, it was still impossible for him to make a career along the spiritual path.
• The success of Mazdaist proselytism among neighbors was also not facilitated by the lack of a developed multi-level subordinate priestly hierarchy among Zoroastrians, capable of transforming scattered communities into a stable centralized organization. This circumstance, in certain circumstances aggravated by an aversion to death (and, consequently, the absence of a cult of martyrdom), did not allow the Iranian faith to withstand the onslaught of a hostile religious environment without constant support from the state apparatus and troops. This factor apparently became decisive, causing the relatively rapid decline of Mazdaism in Iran and Central Asia following the conquest of these lands by the Arabs in the 8th-9th centuries.

Soon after the Arab conquest, Zoroastrianism finally ceased to be a proselytizing religion. The return of Muslim converts in Iran to the religion of their ancestors was punishable by death under Sharia law, while in India, Parsi Zoroastrians quickly found themselves involved in the Indian caste system as one of the closed endogamous religious groups. The realization of the proselytism potential inherent in the foundations of this religion became possible again only in modern times - under the influence of modernization tendencies from the West thanks to the widespread interest in the world in the heritage of Ancient Iran.

Until now, no consensus has been developed regarding neo-proselytism among the Mazdaist priesthood. Conservative Parsi dasturs in India do not accept the possibility of converting to Zoroastrianism for anyone whose parents are not Zoroastrian. The Mobeds of Iran, on the contrary, generally maintain that Zoroastrianism is a universal proselytizing religion, and although Zoroastrians do not carry out missionary activities, people who came to Zoroastrianism on their own cannot, subject to certain conditions, be denied acceptance.

However, converts to Zoroastrianism face numerous challenges. In Iran, renunciation of Islam is still considered a grave crime and is punishable by death - both for the neophyte and for the mobed who converted him. Due to pressure from the Islamic regime, it is essentially impossible to fully integrate into the Iranian Zoroastrian community, even after formally accepting the faith. Communities of proselytes unite with native Zoroastrians mainly in emigration.

Zoroastrianism welcomes proselytizing, but active proselytism is hampered by the small number of believers and the dominance of Islam in its traditional territory (Iran). Unlike many other religions, children born into Zoroastrian families must consciously accept the faith upon reaching conscious age (15 years). People from other backgrounds must be 21 years of age or older. The final decision on a person’s readiness to accept Zoroastrianism is made by the mobed, who conducts the initiation ceremony, which presupposes a mandatory personal conversation and knowledge by the convert of the basics of the cult and prayer of Fravaran in Persian. The ritual is called “sedre pushi”, which is translated from Persian as “putting on the sacred shirt”.

Hierarchy

Priesthood

Chinese clay figurine from the 8th century (Tang Dynasty), attributed to a "Persian horseman". Supposedly, may depict a Sogdian Zoroastrian priest performing a ritual in a fire temple; similar face veils were used to avoid contamination of the sacred fire by breath or saliva; Museum of Oriental Art (Turin), Italy.

The general name of the Zoroastrian clergy, who were identified as a separate class, is Avest. aθravan- (Pehl. asrōn) - “guardian of fire.” In the post-Vestan era, priests were primarily called mobs(from other Iranian magupati “head of the magicians”), which is associated with the spread of Zoroastrianism in the west of Iran, primarily by the Median magicians

The modern priestly hierarchy in Iran is as follows:

1. « Mobedan-mobed" - "Mobed Mobedov", the highest rank in the hierarchy of Zoroastrian clergy. The mobedan-mobed is elected from among the dasturs and heads the mobed community. The mobedan-mobed can make decisions binding on Zoroastrians on religious (“gatik”) and secular (“datik”) issues. Decisions on religious issues must be approved by a general meeting of mobeds or a meeting of dasturs.
2. « Sar-mobed"(Persian lit. "head of the Mobeds", Pehl. "Bozorg Dastur") - the highest Zoroastrian religious rank. The main dastur in an area with several dasturs. Sarmobed has the right to make decisions on closing fire temples, moving the sacred fire from place to place, and expelling a person from the Zoroastrian community.

Only a “mobed zade” can occupy these spiritual positions - a person descended from a family of Zoroastrian priests, whose succession is inherited through the father. Become mobed-zade It’s impossible, they can only be born.

In addition to regular ranks in the hierarchy, there are the titles “ Ratu" And " Mobedyar».

Ratu is the defender of the Zoroastrian faith. Ratu is one step above the mobedan mobeda and is infallible in matters of faith. The last ratu was Adurbad Mahraspand under King Shapur II.

Mobedyar is a Bekhdin educated in religious matters, not from the Mobed family. Mobedyar stands below Khirbad.

Sacred lights

Atash-Varahram in Yazd

In Zoroastrian temples, called “atashkade” in Persian (literally, house of fire), an unquenchable fire burns, and temple servants watch around the clock to ensure that it does not go out. There are temples in which fire burns for many centuries and even millennia. The family of mobeds, who own the sacred fire, bears all the costs of maintaining the fire and its protection, and is not financially dependent on the help of the behdins. The decision to establish a new fire is made only if the necessary funds are available. Sacred fires are divided into 3 ranks:

1. Shah Atash Varahram(Bahram) - “King Victorious Fire”, Fire of the highest rank. Lights of the highest rank are established in honor of monarchical dynasties, great victories, as the highest fire of a country or people. To start a fire, you need to collect and clean 16 lights different types, which are combined into one during the consecration ritual. Only the highest priests, dasturs, can serve by the fire of the highest rank;
2. Atash Aduran(Adaran) - “Fire of Lights”, Fire of the second rank, established in settlements with a population of at least 1000 people, in which at least 10 Zoroastrian families live. To establish a fire, it is necessary to collect and purify 4 fires from Zarathustrian families of different classes: priest, warrior, peasant, artisan. Various rituals can be performed near the Aduran fires: nozudi, gavakhgiran, sedre pushhi, services in jashnas and gahanbars, etc. Only mobeds can conduct services near the Aduran fires.
3. Atash Dadgah- “Legally established Fire”, Fire of the third rank, which must be maintained in local communities (villages, large families) that have a separate premises, which is a religious court. In Persian this room is called dar ba mehr (lit. courtyard of Mithras). Mithra is the embodiment of justice. The Zoroastrian cleric, facing the fire of the dadgah, resolves local disputes and problems. If there is no mobed in the community, a hirbad can serve the fire. The fire dadgah is open to public access, and the room where the fire is located serves as a meeting place for the community.

Mobeds are guardians of sacred fires and are obliged to protect them by all available means, including with weapons in their hands. This probably explains the fact that Zoroastrianism quickly declined after the Islamic conquest. Many Mobeds were killed defending the fires.

In Sasanian Iran there were three greatest Atash-Varahrams, corresponding to three “estates”:

• Adur-Gushnasp (in Azerbaijan in Shiz, fire of priests)
• Adur-Frobag (Farnbag, the fire of the Pars, the fire of the military aristocracy and Sassanids)
• Adur-Burzen-Mihr (fire of Parthia, fire of peasants)

Of these, only Adur (Atash) Farnbag has survived, now burning in Yazd, where the Zoroastrians moved it in the 13th century. after the collapse of the Zoroastrian communities in Parsa.

Holy places

For Zoroastrians, it is the temple lights that are sacred, not the temple building itself. Lights can be transferred from building to building and even from one area to another following the Zoroastrians themselves, which happened during the entire period of persecution of religion. Only in our time, trying to resurrect the former greatness of their faith and turning to their heritage, Zoroastrians began to visit the ruins of ancient temples located in areas where all the inhabitants had long ago converted to Islam, and organize festive services in them.

However, in the vicinity of Yazd and Kerman, where Zoroastrians have lived continuously for thousands of years, the practice of seasonal pilgrimages to certain holy places has developed. Each of these pilgrimage sites (“pir”, lit. “old”) has its own legend, usually telling about the miraculous rescue of a Sassanid princess from Arab invaders. 5 feasts around Yazd have become especially famous:

• Network peer
• Pir-e Sabz (Chak-chak spring)
• Pir-e Narestan
• Pir-e Banu
• Pir-e Naraki

Worldview and morality

The main feature of the Zoroastrian worldview is the recognition of the existence of two worlds: mēnōg and gētīg (Pehl.) - the spiritual (literally “mental”, world of ideas) and the earthly (bodily, physical), as well as the recognition of their interconnection and interdependence. Both worlds were created by Ahura Mazda and are good, the material complements the spiritual, making it holistic and perfect, material goods are considered the same gifts of Ahura Mazda as spiritual ones, and one without the other is unthinkable. Zoroastrianism is alien to crude materialism, hedonism, spiritualism, and asceticism. There are no practices of mortification, celibacy, or monasteries in Zoroastrianism.

The complementary dichotomy of mental and physical permeates the entire moral system of Zoroastrianism. The main meaning of a Zoroastrian’s life is the “accumulation” of blessings (Persian kerfe), primarily related to the conscientious fulfillment of his duty as a believer, family man, worker, citizen and avoidance of sin (Persian gonāh). This is the path not only to personal salvation, but also to the prosperity of the world and victory over evil, which is directly related to the efforts of each person. Every righteous person acts as a representative of Ahura Mazda and, on the one hand, actually embodies his deeds on earth, and on the other hand, devotes all his good deeds to Ahura Mazda.

Virtues are described through an ethical triad: good thoughts, good words and good deeds (humata, hukhta, hvarshta), that is, they affect the mental, verbal and physical layer. In general, mysticism is alien to the Zoroastrian worldview; it is believed that every person is able to understand what is good, thanks to his conscience (daena, pure) and reason (divided into “innate” and “heard”, that is, the wisdom that a person has acquired from others of people).

Moral purity and personal development concerns not only the soul, but also the body: maintaining the purity of the body and eliminating defilement, disease, and a healthy lifestyle is considered a virtue. Ritual purity can be violated by contact with defiling objects or people, illness, evil thoughts, words or deeds. The corpses of people and good creatures have the greatest desecrating power. It is forbidden to touch them and it is not recommended to look at them. Purification rites are provided for people who have been desecrated.

The main moral rule

This is usually recognized as a phrase from the Gathas of Zarathustra:

uštā ahmāi yahmāi uštā kahmāicīţ

Happiness to those who wish happiness to others

Society

Zoroastrianism is a social religion; hermitism is not characteristic of it. The Zoroastrian community is called anjomaniac(Avest. hanjamana - “gathering”, “meeting”). The usual unit is the anjoman of a populated area - a Zoroastrian village or city block. Going to community meetings, discussing community affairs together and participating in community holidays is the direct responsibility of a Zoroastrian.

The Avesta names four classes into which society is divided:

• atravans (priests)
• Rataeshtars (military aristocracy)
• Vastrio-fshuyants (literally “shepherds-cattle breeders”, later on the peasantry in general)
• huiti (“craftsmen”, artisans)

Until the end of Sasanian times, barriers between classes were serious, but in principle a transition from one to another was possible. After the conquest of Iran by the Arabs, when the aristocracy converted to Islam, and Zoroastrians as dhimmis were forbidden to bear arms, in reality there remained two classes: the mobed priests and the behdin lay people, membership of which was inherited strictly through the male line (although women could marry outside their class ). This division continues to this day: it is virtually impossible to become a mobbed. Nevertheless, the class structure of society is greatly deformed, since most mobeds, along with fulfilling their religious duties, are engaged in various kinds of worldly activities (especially in big cities) and in this sense merge with the laity. On the other hand, the institution of mobedyars is developing - lay people by origin who take on the responsibilities of a mobed.

Among other features of Zoroastrian society, one can highlight the traditional, relatively high place there are women in it [ ] and a significantly greater approach of her status to equal rights with a man compared to the society of surrounding Muslims [ ] .

Food

There are no clearly defined food prohibitions in Zoroastrianism. The basic rule is that food should be beneficial. Vegetarianism is not traditionally characteristic of Zoroastrianism. You can eat the meat of all ungulates and fish. Although the cow is given great respect and references to it are often found in the Ghats, there is no practice of banning beef. There is also no ban on pork. Nevertheless, Zoroastrians are instructed to treat livestock with care, mistreatment and senseless killings are prohibited, and they are ordered to limit themselves in meat consumption within reasonable limits.

Fasting and conscious starvation are expressly prohibited in Zoroastrianism. There are only four days in a month on which it is prescribed to abstain from meat.

In Zoroastrianism there is no prohibition on wine, although edifying texts contain special instructions about its moderate consumption.

Dog

This animal is especially respected by Zoroastrians. This is largely due to the rational worldview of the Zoroastrians: the religion emphasizes the real benefits that a dog brings to a person. It is believed that the dog can see evil spirits (devas) and drive them away. Ritually, a dog can be equated to a person, dead dog The norms for the burial of human remains also apply. Several chapters in the Vendidad are devoted to dogs, highlighting several "breeds" of dogs:

• Pasush-haurva - guarding livestock, shepherd dog
• Vish-haurva - guarding housing
• Vohunazga - hunting (following the trail)
• Tauruna (Drahto-hunara) - hunting, trained

The “genus of dogs” also includes foxes, jackals, hedgehogs, otters, beavers, and porcupines. On the contrary, the wolf is considered a hostile animal, a product of the devas.

Ritual practice

Zoroastrians attach great importance to rituals and festive religious ceremonies. The sacred fire plays an extremely important role in ritual practice, for this reason Zoroastrians are often called “fire worshipers,” although Zoroastrians themselves consider this name offensive. They claim that fire is only the image of God on earth. In addition, it would not be entirely correct to call the Zoroastrian cult in Russian worship, since during prayer Zoroastrians do not perform bows, but maintain a straight body position.

General requirements for the ritual:

• the ritual must be performed by a person who has the necessary qualities and qualifications, women usually perform only home rituals, they can perform other rituals only in the company of other women (if there are no men);
• the ritual participant must be in a state of ritual purity, to achieve which a bath (small or large) is carried out before the ritual; he must wear a sedre, kushti, and a headdress; if a woman has long, untied hair, it should be covered with a scarf;
• everyone present in the room where the sacred fire is located must face it and not turn their backs;
• tying the belt is done while standing, those present at long rituals are allowed to sit;
• the presence of an unbeliever or a representative of another religion in front of the fire during a ritual leads to desecration of the ritual and its invalidity.
• the texts of the prayer are read in the original language (Avestan, Pahlavi).

Jasna

Jasna (Yazeshn-Khani, vaj-yasht) means "veneration" or "sacred act". This is the main Zoroastrian service, during which the Avestan book of the same name is read, performed both on individual orders of the laity, and (most often) on the occasion of one of the six gahanbars - the traditional great Zoroastrian holidays (then Yasna is supplemented by Vispered).

Yasna is always performed at dawn by at least two priests: the main zoot(Avest. zaotar) and his assistant crucifixion(Avest. raetvishkar). The service is held in a special room where a tablecloth is laid out on the floor, symbolizing the earth. Services involved in the process various items, having their own symbolic meaning, first of all, fire (atash-dadgah, usually lit from a stationary fire atash-adoryan or varahram), incense firewood for it, water, haoma (ephedra), milk, pomegranate sprigs, as well as flowers, fruits, twigs myrtle, etc. The priests sit facing each other on the tablecloth, and the believers are located around.

In the process of Yasna, the mobeds not only revere Ahura Mazda and his good creations, they essentially reproduce the first creation of the world by Ahura Mazda and symbolically fulfill his future “improvement” (Frasho-kereti). This is symbolized by the drink prepared during the reading of prayers. parahaoma(parachum) from a mixture of squeezed ephedra juice, water and milk, part of which is poured on the fire, and part at the end of the service is given for “communion” to the laity. This drink symbolizes the miraculous drink that Saoshyant will give to the resurrected people to drink in the future, after which they will become immortal forever and ever.

Jashn (Jashan)

Persian. Jashn Khani, among the Parsis Jashan(from other Persian yašna “reverence.” corresponding to Avest. yasna) - a festive ceremony. Celebrated on minor Zoroastrian holidays ( jashnas), the most important of which is Navruz - the New Year's celebration, and also as a continuation of the Gahanbar celebration.

Jashn-khani is a semblance of a small Yasna, on which one reads Afrinagans(afaringans) - “blessings”. In the process of performing the ritual, objects used in Yasna (except haoma), symbolizing good creations and Ameshaspents, are also involved.

Symbolism of Jashna:

Sedre-pushi or Navjot

Parsi navjot ceremony

Sedre-pushi (Persian lit. “putting on a shirt”) or Parsi Navjot (literally “new zaotar”, this was the original name of the ritual newfound, see below) - rite of passage of Zoroastrianism

The ritual is performed by a mobed. During the ritual, the person accepting the faith recites the Zoroastrian creed, the Fravarane prayer, puts on the sacred sedre shirt (sudre) and the mobed ties the sacred koshti belt to him. After this, the newly initiated person pronounces Peyman-e Din (oath of faith), in which he undertakes to always adhere to the religion of Ahura Mazda and the law of Zarathustra at all costs. The ceremony is usually carried out when the child reaches the age of majority (15 years), but can be carried out at more early age, but not before the child can pronounce the creed himself and tie a belt (from 7 years old).

Fivefold prayer

Gakhi- daily five-fold reading of prayers, named after the periods of the day - gakhs:

• Havan-gah - from dawn to noon;
• Rapitvin-gah - from noon to 3 pm;
• Uzerin-gah - from 3 pm to sunset;
• Aivisrutrim-gah - from sunset to midnight;
• Ushahin-gah - from midnight to dawn;

It can be both collective and individual. Prayer five times a day is recognized as one of the main duties of every Zoroastrian.

Gavakhgiri

Wedding ceremony in Zoroastrianism.

Nowzudi

Rite of initiation into the priesthood. It is held in front of a large gathering of mobs and lay people. The ritual process always involves the participation of the previous initiated mobed in the area. At the end of the ceremony, the newly initiated mobed conducts Yasna and is finally confirmed in the rank.

Funeral rites

In addition, in Zoroastrianism, as in Judaism and Christianity, there is no idea of ​​cyclicality - time goes in a straight line from the creation of the world to the final victory over evil, there are no repeating world periods.

The holiday of Navruz, adopted by some Muslim peoples from Zoroastrianism, has become a national holiday in Kazakhstan (Nauryz), Kyrgyzstan (Nooruz), Azerbaijan (Novruz), Tajikistan (Navruz), Uzbekistan (Navruz), Turkmenistan, and some republics of the Russian Federation.

Current situation

Currently, communities of Zoroastrians have been preserved in Iran (Gebras) and India (Parsis), and as a result of emigration from both countries, communities have emerged primarily in the USA and Western Europe. In the Russian Federation and the CIS countries there is a community of traditional Zoroastrians who call their religion in Russian with the word “blagoverie”, and the Zoroastrian community of St. Petersburg. According to official data as of 2012, the estimated number of adherents of Zoroastrianism in the world is less than 100 thousand people, about 70 thousand of whom are in India. 2003 was declared by UNESCO as the year of the 3000th anniversary of Zoroastrian culture.

Zoroastrians in Iran

From all the numerous Zoroastrian communities of Iran that existed in early Islamic times, already by the 14th century. only the communities in the cities of Yazd and Kerman remained. Zoroastrians in Iran suffered discrimination for more than a millennium, with massacres and forced conversion to Islam not uncommon. Only in modern times were they delivered from the jizya and received some freedom and equality. Taking advantage of this, the Zoroastrians of Iran began to move to other cities, and now the main anjoman is the Zoroastrian community of Tehran. Nevertheless, the city of Yazd, in the vicinity of which Zoroastrian villages are still preserved, is still recognized as the spiritual center of Zoroastrianism. Today the Zoroastrians of Iran are recognized state level a religious minority with one representative in the country's parliament (Majlis).

Zoroastrians in India

Zoroastrianism is one of the small but extremely important religions widespread in modern India, as well as in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Most people who profess Zoroastrianism call themselves