Truth and the Dichotomy of Good and Evil in Zoroastrianism
Kelley Kalomiris
PHIL 1D World Religions
November 20th, 2014
Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest religions that is believed to date back before the second millennium B.C.E. Zarathustra is believed to have originated the original theological struggle against good and evil with his Gathas, which were 17 of his personal hymns dedicated to the one and only Zoroastrian deity Ahura Mazda. There is a link between the original struggle of good and evil and the concept of truth and righteousness, or Asha Vahista, in this tradition. This research essay aims to decompose, evaluate, and interpret truth and how it corresponds with the dichotomy of good and evil in Zoroastrianism and will be organized into four sections to do so. The first section will examine a few relevant passages from the Gathas and evaluate what those passages say about truth and a subsequent discussion about what the Gathas say about truth in the tradition itself. The second section will do the same evaluation in terms of good and evil and how that dichotomy is presented in the Gathas. The third and final discussion will evaluate the different ways in which truth works with good and evil followed by a concluding discussion of the above.
Introduction
In Zoroastrianism, truth is a manifestation of a righteous body, or separate spirit called Asha, which is synonymous in this tradition with Justice and good moral order. Asha is but a small aspect in a greater system of righteous spirits, or holy attributes of Ahura Mazda, and they are called the Amesha Spentas. These attributes are Vohu Mana, the Good Mind, Asha, the spirit of Truth and Righteousness, Khshathra Vairya, the spirit of Holy Sovereignty, Spenta Armaity, the spirit of Love and Benevolence, Haurvatat, the spirit of Perfection and Well-being, and Ameretat, which is the spirit of Immortality.1 It is these spirits that surround and validate the Good-Mindedness of Ahura Mazda and Spenta Mainyu (the Holy Spirit of Ahura Mazda) which in turn
PHIL 1D World Religions
November 20th, 2014
Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest religions that is believed to date back before the second millennium B.C.E. Zarathustra is believed to have originated the original theological struggle against good and evil with his Gathas, which were 17 of his personal hymns dedicated to the one and only Zoroastrian deity Ahura Mazda. There is a link between the original struggle of good and evil and the concept of truth and righteousness, or Asha Vahista, in this tradition. This research essay aims to decompose, evaluate, and interpret truth and how it corresponds with the dichotomy of good and evil in Zoroastrianism and will be organized into four sections to do so. The first section will examine a few relevant passages from the Gathas and evaluate what those passages say about truth and a subsequent discussion about what the Gathas say about truth in the tradition itself. The second section will do the same evaluation in terms of good and evil and how that dichotomy is presented in the Gathas. The third and final discussion will evaluate the different ways in which truth works with good and evil followed by a concluding discussion of the above.
Introduction
In Zoroastrianism, truth is a manifestation of a righteous body, or separate spirit called Asha, which is synonymous in this tradition with Justice and good moral order. Asha is but a small aspect in a greater system of righteous spirits, or holy attributes of Ahura Mazda, and they are called the Amesha Spentas. These attributes are Vohu Mana, the Good Mind, Asha, the spirit of Truth and Righteousness, Khshathra Vairya, the spirit of Holy Sovereignty, Spenta Armaity, the spirit of Love and Benevolence, Haurvatat, the spirit of Perfection and Well-being, and Ameretat, which is the spirit of Immortality.1 It is these spirits that surround and validate the Good-Mindedness of Ahura Mazda and Spenta Mainyu (the Holy Spirit of Ahura Mazda) which in turn