association method. Associative methods - a person in the world of creativity. Three principles of mnemonics

To understand any religion, it is necessary to consider the conditions of its emergence and formation.

Originating in southwestern Iran and on the western coast of India, based on the worship of the forces of nature, Zoroastrianism appeared much earlier than it is known from historical sources, and therefore the antiquity of this religion can only be judged by analyzing its rites, methods of worship, etc. But this is precisely what makes it mysterious, leaves many unresolved questions in this religion, and, despite the fact that it still exists, today's Zoroastrianism differs from the religion of the ancient Indo-Iranian tribes. The mere fact that the text of the uttered prayers is incomprehensible to most believers, and the ritual side has been worked out to the smallest detail, can speak of its deep roots and strong continuity from generation to generation.

One can only wonder how the beliefs established by one man have passed through the ages and remained virtually intact in their essence. Perhaps the purity of religion was preserved due to the borrowing of its features by other religious movements.

However, when writing this work, the use of only Russian publications on Zoroastrianism played an important role. Much more works are written in other, mainly European, languages. That is why the material is taken as far as it was possible to draw from Russian editions and translations.

Some researchers insist that it is necessary to divide this religion into different periods: before Zoroaster, there was supposedly a religion of Mazdaism, during Zoroaster and a little after it, Zoroastrianism existed, and, having survived to this day, there is Parsism. In any case, we will not go into details that are so insignificant for us, since religion was actually one people, only in different time. For us, their changes are insignificant. However, I will explain the reason for this separation in the section " Avesta", where I will talk about the formation of the main sacred document and its interpretation.

Other researchers speak of Zoroaster exclusively as a prophet, forgetting his religious purpose as a reformer. In this work, I will not approve or refute this opinion, since the purpose of the work is to highlight, as far as possible, the personality of Zarathushtra himself and his teachings. I will also try to do without comparisons and assumptions, only casually mentioning some possible versions.

The main goal of this work is to introduce and study Zoroastrianism as a religion that has become the basis for other religions of the world. As I studied the materials, I was struck by the constancy of religion, that is, its relevance regardless of time. In this work, I decided to figure out how this religion affects people? What is special about her worldview, foundations, rituals that makes people believe in her. One could talk about the Parsis, the followers of this religion, but is it possible to understand a religion without knowing its origins? After all, all Christians, studying the Bible, teach, first of all, the life of Christ, and only then his teachings.

In chapter " Avesta"I approached this religion from a scientific point of view in order to understand the sources, their authorship and the veracity of what was written. For, as a historian-researcher of this issue, I could not rely in my work on the literal Avestan idea, for example, about the emergence of the world.

Zoroaster

The origin of the great prophet Zarathustra is still unknown. The date and place of his birth is also unknown. Myths and legends overgrown his life and work. Speaking of Zaroaster, it is necessary to clarify that other forms of his name are often found, such as Zarathustra, Zarathustra, Zoroaster. Such discrepancies in the interpretation of the name are associated with different spellings in different peoples. Babylonian, Greek and Iranian sources spell this name differently.

But the very origin of the name is interesting: "The name Zarathushtra represents an ordinary Iranian name, the second part of which - ushtra - means" camel "(Taj. Shutur), but there are different opinions about the first one ("yellow", "old", "driving"). Therefore, Zarathushtra roughly means "possessing an old camel", i.e. a simple peasant name, which would hardly be given to a mythical deified person. On the other hand, presumably such unsound names were given to protect children from evil spirits. In addition, many Iranian names of that time had the name of animals in their root. For example, aspa is a horse (names Vishtaspa, Porushaspa and others). Other interpretations can be assumed, such as, for example, "aster" - a star. In this context, everything changes dramatically. "According to Anquetil Duperron, "yellow" is translated as "golden", and the second root is not "ushtra", but "Tishtriya". That is how the Aryans called the star Sirius. And only this name is considered worthy of the prophet - Golden Sirius".

Zarathustra was originally known from the Gathas, hymns composed by himself. There are seventeen of them in total - inspired sayings, dedicated and addressed to God. Due to the ancient poetic form, the deciphering of the Gathas remains unclear to the end. The ambiguities of the Gathas are more or less revealed in the Avesta, already written in Pahlavi under the Sisanids.

Zoroaster himself appears in the Gathas as a preacher of the new faith, a professional priest, a struggling and suffering person. In the later parts of the Avesta it is said that he came from a poor family of Spitama, his father's name was Pourushaspa, and his mother was Dugdova. Zoroaster was married and had two daughters. He was not rich. The Gathas mention the promise of a certain person to give him one camel and ten horses. According to another version, it is said that the Spitama clan was very rich.

Zoroaster simultaneously became both a clergyman and a prophet. His followers took teachings from him. Zoroaster had a wife, and therefore Zoroastrian priests are still allowed to live a family life.

The life time of Zarathustra is also defined very vaguely - the end of the 7th - the beginning of the 6th century. BC. Pythagoras, in particular, writes about him, who claims that he repeatedly met and talked with Zarathushtra himself. Hence, the approximate time of his birth is believed, which, in principle, is very doubtful. For example, Mary Boyce clearly proves that there is no way to date his birth to this particular period, but always relies on a different date in her editions of her works. In the latest edition, the birth date of Zarathustra fluctuates between the 15th and 12th centuries BC.

His homeland is not known and is a field of dispute for many scientists. However, a certain region of Aryan Vej, which is still unknown, is mentioned as a place of residence. P. Globa claims that Russia is the birthplace of Zarathushtra, since it is here in the steppe between Chelyabinsk, Orenburg regions, Bashkiria and Kazakhstan, archaeological excavations have found ancient city, temple and observatory Arkaim. Here is what P. Globa himself claims about this: “I believe that the kingdom of Vishtaspa occupied the space from the Volga to the Urals. These are the Zhiguli hills, the Volga Upland. A large territory comparable in area to France. The capital was somewhere in the center of the kingdom, at the bend of the rivers in the region of Samara, Zhiguli. The climate then was different, less continental. After the death of King Vishtaspa and his children, the Karapans again came there and expelled the Zoroastrians. But this kingdom had already been initiated by Zarathushtra, many of his disciples remained there."

The Iranian poet Firdousi, in his epic poem "Shahnameh", describes the plot of the adoption of Zaradushtra by Prince Vishtaspa. Therefore, the question of the homeland of Zarathushtra cannot be considered closed and nothing concrete can be affirmed.

Zarathustra was born the third of five children in the family and at the age of 15 he acquired the priesthood. Even then he was considered wise man. At the age of 20, he left home and for 10 years wandered around his homeland, seeking the truth and being interested in the faith of people. This continued until, at the age of thirty, he met Ahura Mazda himself and his henchmen, and then a revelation came to him. He withstood three terrible inhuman trials and then the truth became clear to him. After that he went to his native village and began to preach there. Zoroastrianism. The local priests were surprised and angry and were about to execute him, when the local prince Vishtaspa stood up for him and patronized him, freeing him from execution. However, the teachings of Zarathustra were never accepted by anyone, except for his own brother, who became his follower. Even the prince, under pressure from his relatives, refused to believe in what he internally believed. And this, according to Zoroastrian customs, is one of the most serious sins.

But, in the end, Prince Vishtaspa was converted to Zoroastrianism and the spread of a new faith began from him, accompanied by local religious strife.

So Zarathushtra at the age of 42 became the royal adviser. Vishtaspa ordered that his words be written on cowhides in gold letters and collected a whole treasury of 12,000 skins. According to legend, it was a complete record of the Avesta. But, unfortunately, Alexander the Great destroyed this library along with the verses of Zarathustra, which, according to legend, were also two million.

Zarathustra was married twice, once to a widow, the other to a virgin. From his first marriage he had two children and from his second four, of which only one was a boy.

Zarathustra lived 77 years and 40 days. He knew in advance that he would die a violent death, and therefore spent the last 40 days in continuous prayer. According to legend, he was killed by a priest of an ancient religion that Zoroaster rejected. However, such data are very conditional and return us more to mythology than to real events.

Given the legendary personality of Zarathushtra, it is worth noting that the data of his biography are overgrown with rumors and legends. The biography of Zoroaster described here should be considered a literal understanding of that of the ancient texts by some researchers.

In addition to other researchers, one of the first serious works in the study of Zoroastrianism was made by Anquetil Duperron. In 1755 he went to India and lived among the Parsis for 13 years. There he collected the books that made up the Avesta and, returning to Paris, researched and translated it into French. This was the first European translation of the Avesta, and caused much controversy. Moreover, it was initially assumed that the Avesta consisted of 22 books, liturgical, historical, legislative and medical. However, over the millennia, many non-liturgical books have been lost.

The first thing that was claimed was the authenticity of the Avesta. Then the disputes went around the Zend language, in which it is written. Research into the Avesta was very thorough and by the end of the 18th century the authenticity of the Avesta was no longer in doubt.

Further study of the Avesta went in the direction of its interpretation. Two methods of interpretation were taken as a basis: "one, based in its interpretation of the Avesta on the tradition of the Parsis, and the other, which based the study of the Avesta on a comparison with Sanskrit with the mythology of the Vedas."

So there were two views on the interpretation of the Avesta. It must be said that both opposition camps produced their own translations of the Avesta. Translations sometimes turned out to be so different "that they seem to be talking about completely different subjects."

In any case, no matter which method is taken, as Makovelsky A.O. points out, it is necessary to take into account the fact that the Avesta has been formed over the centuries, and therefore should have different layers, like any other similar book. In addition, the Avesta was written geographically in different places, and therefore "in the same way, the Avesta and Zoroastrianism, along with changing epochs, could not but be affected by the local features of those countries where it was distributed. We believe that it is necessary to distinguish between eastern (Central Asian) and western (Median) Zoroastrianism".

This important conclusion leads us not only to the interpretation of the Avesta, but also to the understanding of a certain difference between individual, already modified in modern world branches of Zoroastrianism. It is no coincidence that researchers distinguish different forms of Zoroastrianism depending on the time of its existence. In particular, they find differences even in ritual form. So, for example, Herzfeld noticed on gold plates found in Central Asia differences in the posture of prayer. This can be judged based on the twice-occurring posture in Yasna:

"The Soul of Creation and I, with uplifted hands and being full of respect, praise Ahura Mazda and ask Him to avert troubles from the righteous and good people and their heads, save them from the attack of the wicked and enemies!"

"O Mazda Ahura, with hymns that come from the very depths of my heart, and with uplifted hands, I pray to You, O Mazda, and I wish to approach You, as a devoted and humble friend, thanks to the truth and purity and the miraculous wisdom of Vohu Mana!"

Thus, it can be argued that the Avesta that has come down to us today, like Zoroastrianism in general, is no longer the same creed that can be read in the early layers of the Avesta. Although here it is necessary to take into account the destruction of the texts of the Avesta by Alexander the Great, it is not known how reliably the Avesta was reproduced after that. But it is also impossible to argue about its unreliability, since, like the Bible among Christians, the Avesta among modern Zoroastrians is the main source of religion. In addition, the Avesta sometimes contains historical information, overgrown with legends and myths, the reliability of which we can judge only after repeated verification, which is not always possible.

The texts of the Avesta, Gat and Yasht (songs of praise to the gods), which are read by heart by the priests during worship, are difficult to understand and are written in the ancient Pahlavi language. But this gives a certain mysticism and mystery to the rites, makes them sacred and exalted. It is understood that the first 17 Gathas belong to the writing of Zarathushtra personally, the rest appeared during the reign of the Sissanids. The Zoroastrians treat the Sissanids well, as their faith flourished during their reign. They are less friendly to Alexander the Great, who burned the entire library of the Avesta.

The dispute about the correct understanding of what is written in the Avesta and other religious sources still remains unresolved, we can definitely only talk about individual lines of these works that have changed over the centuries. Moreover, they were recorded much later than they appeared. This indicates their importance in worship, the transmission of texts between priests orally. So Zoroastrianism survived to the time when it was first written down.

However, in this issue and philologists have been unable to assist in the precise dating of the origin of this religion. And therefore, most likely, we can talk about isolating Zoroastrianism, like other religions, from pagan beliefs, and therefore, without a definite beginning.

The main ideas (dogmas) of the religion and Zoroastrianism

Religious reform

By origin, this religion is of a very ancient ideology, and in form it is one of the few codified religions in the history of mankind. It was not a world polyethnic religion such as Buddhism, Christianity or Islam, but, nevertheless, is considered on a par with them for reasons of typological similarity, as well as the long and deep influence it had on these creeds.

Whatever ancient pagan religion we take, before Zoroastrianism it was natural idolatry with a whole pantheon of gods. Initially, Zoroastrianism was also a polytheism. According to one version, seven main deities were worshiped in early Zoroastrianism, and the number seven itself was of divine origin. In particular, worship went to seven deities: "Ahura Mazda - the Lord of Wisdom, Vohu-Mana" Good Thought ", Asha-Vahishta" Best Truth", Khshatra-Varya "Chosen, Preferred Power", Spenta-Armaiti "Holy, beneficent World", Harvatat "Integrity, i.e. well-being", Amertat "Immortality".

According to another version, these seven deities were made by the one and all-powerful god himself. Ahura Mazda. He was the first to create his own kind: "Spenta Mainyu, who absorbed the creative power and goodness of Ahura Mazda" . Therefore, it is clear that Zoroastrianism as a religion was modified precisely from polytheism, precisely from the worship of the forces of nature. All this speaks of the integrity of the established religion, of the degree of satisfaction with it of the society into which it was introduced.

"Truly, there are two primary spirits, twins, famous for their opposites. In thought, in word and in action - they are both, good and evil ... When these two spirits clashed for the first time, they created being and non-being, and what awaits in the end, those who follow the path of falsehood (friend) are the worst, and those who follow the path of good (asha) are in for the best. And out of these two spirits, one, following the lie, chose evil, and the other- the most holy spirit, dressed in the strongest stone (that is, the firmament), chose righteousness, and let (everyone knows this) who will constantly please Ahura Mazda with righteous deeds.

Hence the essence of the reform is visible, which, according to V.I. Abaev, consisted in the rejection of the primitive deification of the elements and the transition to the word, to faith in abstract and spiritual forces. Evidence for this reform is, unfortunately, almost impossible to confirm archaeologically. The only proof this - written sources - the Gathas.

On the other hand, due to the paucity of evidence, it is impossible to say with certainty that this was precisely the reform. However, some researchers come down to just such an assumption, arguing that it was difficult for the Indo-Iranian people to move from natural to abstract religion. Apparently, the ancient Greek authors also spoke in favor of the reform, showing Zoroaster as a reformer, moreover, in the Gathas themselves, Zoroaster falls upon the ancient clergy:

"The evil-minded teacher distorts Holy Bible and leads humanity away from its true life purpose with the help of his false teaching! He is taking us away from our most precious heritage of truth, righteousness, and purity of mind! With this manifestation of my inner spirit, I turn to you, O Lord of Wisdom and Asha, for protection!…

...They (false teachers) consider the deceitful great because of their position and worldly splendor, O Lord of Wisdom! They keep respectable men and women from achieving their desires and enjoying the gifts of God! They confuse the minds of the righteous and truthful and destroy their lives!"

Here you can see the struggle of Zoroaster with the ancient priesthood. Remembering his social position and dynastic roots, one can confidently assert that the religious reform was still not alien to him and the most probable. On the other hand, it would be surprising and hardly plausible to say that Zoroaster did not have a certain amount of power to ensure the spread of his religion.

Worldview. Zoroastrianism as a religion

The hallmark of Zoroastrianism as a religion at that time was dualism. The constant struggle of opposites as a universal world process. The position of man in this religion is interesting.

Unlike, for example, Christianity, where a person is a servant of God, Zoroastrianism assumes that each person is to help Ahura Mazda in the fight against evil spirits. With their good deeds man helps in the constant struggle for good. And with his evil deeds, he increases the power of evil on Earth. Every person professing Zoroastrianism should strive to follow the truth - Asha - and try to observe the virtues, defined by the phrase "good thoughts, good speech, good deeds." Asha in the understanding of Zarathustra is not only the truth, but also the law for every person. This is stated in the Avesta, in one of the Yasnas the meaning of human life is clearly formulated:

"The one who fights with impious thoughts, words, deeds and with his hands destroys their evil plan, leading them to the path of truth, he, undoubtedly, fulfills the Will of the Lord out of love for Mazda Ahura!"

The most important dogma of Zoroastrianism is the phrase " good thoughts, good words, good deeds ". Perhaps, this phrase alone contains the whole motive of this religion. After all, all living things are involved in the struggle, and therefore each person will contribute to the outcome of the battle. This phrase appears explicitly or indirectly in different parts of the Avesta:

"Thanks to good deeds and words and deep reflection, O Mazda, may people achieve eternal life, righteousness, spiritual strength and perfection - I will dedicate all this to You, O Ahura, as a gift!"

"Hear the words of those, O Ahura, who with a good deed, a true word and a pure thought desire to join You!…"

And also the idea of ​​these fundamental principles of the human soul is visible in literary works. For example, in "Judgments of the Spirit of Reason" this is how a girl meets a sinner:

"I'm not a girl, but your deeds, O monster with evil thoughts, evil speeches, evil deeds and evil faith!"

Even in repentance, these three components are present. In order to carry out repentance, it is necessary to use all three methods and repent in thoughts, words and deeds. Thus man lightens the burden of his mind and puts an end to his sin.

Thus, the aspirations of each believer are determined, it all comes down to the fact that the covenant hour will come when Good will triumph and finally defeat evil. Modern religions are now guided by this conclusion, but it should be noted that in Zoroastrianism this manifested itself the earliest, even before the time when the Indo-Iranians were divided into Iranians and Indo-Aryans, and even more so before Christianity appeared, which took this slogan about the salvation of mankind for itself. V main idea. At its core, we see the impact Zoroastrianism has had on modern religious teachings.

Hence the goal that "humanity has a common purpose with good deities - to gradually defeat evil and restore the world to its original, perfect form". Therefore, we can say that feature, unlike other religions, "almost the main idea of ​​the ethical doctrine of Zoroastrianism was the thesis that truth and goodness, as well as suffering and evil, depend on the people themselves, who can and should be active creators of their own destiny."

A person must perform virtues during his life, which in Zoroastrianism are divided into active, passive, personal and universal. Especially praised is active virtue, during which a person influences other people, turning them to the path of active resistance to evil. If he is simply honest, just and truthful, remaining satisfied in his virtuous life, then he follows passive virtue.

Personal virtue refers to actions that make a person happy. These include thrift, marriage, simplicity, contentment. If a person benefits a large number of people, then these are universal virtues. This is courage, courage, the struggle for a just cause, for justice.

It is surprising that, for example, Christianity, adopting the features of the Zoroastrian religion, did not take this simple dogma of the destiny of mankind as a basis. The answer may lie in the service of religion in general to secular and political goals as a means of influencing the masses of people through moral enslavement. Given that Zoroastrianism, to my knowledge, was spread without coercion, it can be assumed that this religion had no economic or political motives. And the moral purity of religion attracts more believers to its side, especially from the privileged classes.

"Happiness is the one who gives happiness to others" - says the Avesta. And in the "Judgment of the Spirit of Reason" it is added: "The one who acquired wealth by righteous labor should be considered happy, and the one who acquired it through sin - unfortunate." Act in accordance with the will of Ahura Mazda, do not abuse the bounty of nature and live in harmony with it. Consider this world a battlefield between good and evil, and consider yourself among the warriors of this war. Here are the right morals for any Zoroastrian, in addition to which he must rise up against any injustice and instruct the wicked on the true path.

Every person has innate and acquired wisdom. The first is given from birth, and the second develops on the basis of the first, if a person takes care of it, acquiring the necessary knowledge and learning. Whole inner world a person consists of life, conscience, mind, soul and spirit - the guardian. The soul of a person, or Urvan, is potentially divine and a person can illuminate it in order to get closer to Ahura Mazda. She has three abilities: reasoning, which promotes insight, consciousness, which protects, and wisdom, which allows decision.

The idea of ​​the salvation of mankind as such in Christianity or other religions is absent in Zoroastrianism itself, but the meaning of a universal judgment day has a place to be. Since in Zoroastrianism the world is divided into three eras: "Creations", "Mixing" and "Separation", it speaks of three saviors who will come, due to the fact that certain maidens at different times bathe in the same lake into which they dropped their seed Zoroaster himself, and saviors will be conceived from him. Last third the savior will be called to save the world finally, then there will be a day of judgment and the dead will rise from their graves and be judged again. Thus, if they are condemned to death, they will experience it a second time and disappear. And goodness - asha - will triumph. And then the kingdom of good will come. On the other hand, such a scholar as Mary Boyce argues that the doctrine of three eras "makes history in a certain sense cyclical, since the material world is restored during the third era in the same perfection that it had during the first."

The main thing is that Zoroastrianism, unlike other religions, exalts the role of man in the world, makes him not a servant of God, but an associate of Ahura Mazda, his assistant. Each person is responsible not only for himself, but also lives in order to help Ahura Mazda cope with evil spirits - devas. And if initially Zoroastrianism assumed assistance to pastoralists and farmers, then with the change of the era, the values ​​change, but the ideals remain.

A very interesting worldview in Zoroastrianism on the death of a person. By definition, death is the separation of consciousness and the physical body. After that, the soul remains on earth for three days. Moreover, for the righteous, she is guarded by the angel Srosh, and for the wicked, she toils without patronage. And on the morning of the fourth day, Srosha, if a person is pious, or the deva Vizarsh of the impious, leads his soul through the Chinvat bridge - the bridge of choice to a better existence. This bridge will be wide for the righteous, but very narrow for the unrighteous. At the end of the bridge, two dogs will meet, who will joyfully bark at the pious one, cheering his way, and will remain silent to the one going to hell. At the end of the bridge, the soul meets its own behavior - Daena - in the form of a most beautiful maiden with the most fragrant breath of the wind, or, if a person is impious, in the form of a decrepit old woman or a terrible girl. She is the embodiment of his actions. One of the most significant Zoroastrian texts, "The Judgment of the Spirit of Reason," details how the soul of a person is sent to the heaven of the righteous and the unrighteous. When meeting a beautiful (or terrible for an impious) girl, deeds are listed by which a person’s behavior is condemned and actions are compared. Here are the deeds that befit a righteous person:

"And when you saw that someone oppressed, robbed, offended and insulted a good person and seized his wealth in a criminal way, then you kept him from oppressing and robbing people. And you thought about good man, gave him shelter and received him, and gave alms to those who came from close places or even from afar. And you gained wealth in an honest way. And when you saw that it was necessary to pass a false sentence, give a bribe and bring false testimony, then you stepped back from this and your speech was truthful and sincere.

But in general, if we talk about such a literary work as "Judgments of the Spirit of Reason", referring to the "Avesta", then from there you can draw the whole worldview of Zoroastrianism. It lists all the sins from the heaviest - Sodomy - to the thirtieth: one who regrets the good that he did for someone. It also lists all the good deeds in order to get to heaven. Of the thirty-three good deeds, the first is nobility, and the thirty-third is about hospitality to the sick, the helpless, and travelers.

The concepts of heaven and hell are represented in Zoroastrianism by the words Behest and Dozah, respectively. Each area has four levels. In Behest, these are "the station of the stars", "the station of the moon", "the station of the sun" and "endless light" go "the house of songs". Approximately the same gradation exists in hell, reaching "endless darkness".

But if a person has done good and bad deeds equally, then for him there is a place Hamistagan, like a Christian purgatory, where there are neither sorrows nor joys. There he will be until the day of judgment.

ritualism

Ritualism plays a very important role in any religion, and even more so in the progenitor of religions - Zoroastrianism. Myself Zoroaster was the first priest.

Before starting to serve, the priests go through a strict system of training and after it they pass the appropriate exams for knowledge of all Zoroastrian rites. Only after that the priest is allowed to the rites.

All rituals were performed with the help of fire. Fire as sacred, in fact, could not be touched by anyone, very valuable wood species were burned for this, only the main priest-servant could change the fire. Hence, the Zoroastrians are called fire-worshippers by many who do not know. But I don't quite agree with this. Mary Boyce, who studied Zoroastrianism in Iran from the priests, in her work does not at all emphasize the fact that the Zoroastrians have a cult of fire. In addition, the veneration of fire belongs to many peoples even before the advent of Zoroastrianism. And therefore, it is also impossible to attribute this cult as primordially Zoroastrian. Of course, there is a cult of fire, but it is revered in the same way as other elements, only instead of air they revered the wind.

Previously, juice from the haoma plant was present in many rituals. They mixed this plant with milk and the drink becomes the owner of intoxicating properties.

But the main thing was the correct performance of rituals. The very concept that every person is unclean and must constantly monitor his external and internal purity was obligatory for the believer, as it is now. Moreover, the priests who taught this were themselves subjected to purification rites more and more often than other believers, as if serving as a model.

Since water is considered sacred, after the ceremony the dishes were never washed with water, but first they wiped them with sand, washed them with cow urine, which contains an ammonia solution, and only after that they rinsed them with water. This feature is characteristic due to the antiquity of religion, this ritualism lies at its origins.

The clothes of believers are also special, wearing them is obligatory and serves hallmark a true believer who has undergone initiation. During the rite of initiation, a braided cord is put on the men as a sign of acceptance into the religious faith. "This old Indo-Iranian custom was adapted by Zoroaster to give his followers a distinctive sign. All Zoroastrian men and women wear a cord as a belt, wrapping it three times around the waist and tying it in a knot in front and behind." This kusti belt is made of 72 threads. 72 is not a sacred number in Zoroastrianism, just the number of threads corresponds to the chapters in the Avesta. "The symbolic meaning of this belt has been developed over the centuries, but, apparently, from the very beginning, its three turns meant the three private ethics of Zoroastrianism. They were supposed to focus the wearer's thoughts on the foundations of faith. Kusti is tied over the bottom white shirt - sudra - in the collar which a small purse is sewn in. It should remind the believer that a person must fill him with good thoughts, words and deeds all his life in order to gain treasure in heaven.

The believer was required to pray five times a day. The rite of prayer, as far as is known, has remained little touched to this day. During the pronunciation of the prayer, he stands, untying his belt and taking it in his hands, his eyes look at the fire. Constant repetition of prayer is necessary to strengthen faith and promote the tolerance of the righteous. This rite is similar to Islam in many ways. Hence the conclusion that Zoroastrianism influenced this religion as well.

There were seven annual holidays in Zoroastrianism, and each lasted five days. They were dedicated to Amesha-Spenta, which, in general, did not prevent them from being timed to coincide with the holidays of cattle breeders.

The most revered in Zoroastrianism are fire, earth and water. The dog is a sacred animal, it is fed first, giving it the fattest pieces. She runs behind the funeral procession, so that the spirit of decay does not follow the corpse, the very touch of which is detrimental to a person. Moreover, the dog must be white, yellow-eared and four-eyed (with two spots on the forehead). Here is what is written about this in Videvdat:

"And if anyone, O Spitama-Zarathushtra, kills Vankhapara, a wild sharp-faced dog, which slandering people call the name of Dujak, then he will damage his soul for nine generations, for whom the Chinvad bridge will become impassable if he does not expiate [this sin] during his lifetime ] in front of Sraosha".

It is considered a sin even to offend a dog, especially to kill it. The dog is not the only sacred animal among the Zoroastrians. In the following Videvdat, it is clear that any animal that eats or, if in Zoroastrian, fights with animals belonging to the creatures of the Evil Spirit, belongs to dogs:

"And Ahura Mazda said:" Vankhapara-hedgehog - a wild, sharp-faced dog, which slandering people call the name of Duzhak - this is the creation of the Holy Spirit from those creatures that are created by the Holy Spirit, every morning [from midnight] until the sun rises comes out to slay the creatures of the Evil Spirit by the thousands."

Evil creatures include snakes, amphibians, insects, rodents. All animals that destroy them are considered sacred. These include, in addition to dogs, hedgehog, porcupine, fox, weasel. A tricolor cat is considered to bring good luck. Also, Zoroastrians do not eat beef, since the cow is also a sacred animal. But starvation is forbidden for them, so that they have the strength to do good deeds and produce offspring. Even about the otter can be found in Videvdat:

"And Ahura Mazda said: "Until the one who killed the otter here is killed by a blow, until a sacrifice is made to the consecrated * soul of this otter, during three days and for three nights a fire will not be kindled, a barman will not be stretched out, haoma will not be offered.

P. Globa claims that the Zoroastrians have four posts. In one of them, a five-day fast, you can only drink water and juices. The data on these posts was first published by P.Globa and, given that researchers do not mention them anywhere else, I consider them doubtful.

Another important aspect of ritualism, researchers consider the burials of the dead. The fact is that the spirit of death, as it is believed, begins to infect the deceased and things around him, as well as people close to the corpse. That is why the dead were always buried naked, believing that clothes were also subject to the spirit of decay. The living embodiment of the spirit of decay is a cadaverous fly that infects the clothes, the bed, and the dwelling of the deceased. Hence, it was considered a desecration not only to touch the corpse, but even more so to carry it:

“Let no one alone carry the dead. And if one carries the dead, the corpse will mix with him through the nose, through the eyes, through the mouth,<...>through the reproductive organ, through the anus. Drukhsh-ya-Nasu * pounces on him to the tips of his nails. He will not be cleansed after this forever and ever."

Some researchers believe that this custom, to consider a dead person as struck by a death deva and dangerous to life around those standing, dates back to the time of the plague or other dangerous diseases. I think this is quite possible, given the possibility of mass epidemics and the fact that in Africa, in a hot climate, any infections find more fertile ground for spreading.

Believers idolized the elements so much that they did not burn their dead, but left them in special elevated places ("Towers of Silence"), so as not to desecrate the earth, so that the corpses could gnaw wild animals and birds. Moreover, the corpse was tied so that the animals could not pull the bones to the ground or plants. If a person died on the ground, then it could not be irrigated and cultivated for a certain time. Relatives and friends walked dressed in white no closer than 30 steps from the funeral procession. If the body had to be carried far, it could be placed on a donkey or a cow, but the priests still had to go. You can mourn the deceased for no more than three days and only in absentia. In these three days, it is necessary to perform all ritual ceremonies with the mention of the name of the deceased. If the deceased is a people's benefactor, then on the third day "the head of the community proclaims before the community the name of the deceased - the people's benefactor, which should be honored and commemorated in public religious ceremonies." Zoroastrians commemorate all the dead who have benefited the Mazdayas community since ancient times. But it is necessary to bury the body only during the day, it is strictly forbidden to bury it at night.

Until now, archaeologists are looking for the "Tower of Silence" in the hope that, having found the most ancient one, they will find out the exact homeland of Zoroastrianism.

Modern Zoroastrianism (Parsism)

Zoroastrianism, which has a huge and still unexplored history, in 1976 counted approximately 129 thousand believers scattered around the world. Most Zoroastrians are in India and Pakistan. In India, they are divided into two large sects - shahanshahs and kadmis, the formal difference of which is the shift of the calendar era by one month.

Yes, and the religion is no longer called Zoroastrianism, but Parsism. It must be said here that Zoroastrianism in its original form could not reach us intact, but was constantly changing in accordance with time, society, and laws. Zoroastrianism in itself, a rather strict and principled faith, but due to the fact that to maintain it it was necessary to "recruit" new believers, and initially it spread poorly, they made concessions to society, presenting it as a merciful religion. But on the other hand, Zoroastrianism is much more tolerant than, for example, Christianity. After all, the main condition is to follow the truth and fulfill the ritual side of faith. But despite this, the Parsees are very much experiencing their changes caused by religious reforms.

In ritual terms, Zoroastrianism has not changed much, despite the fact that it has undergone many changes in different eras. Today, like many years ago, believers pray five times a day, observe the tenets of the teachings of Zoroaster. The doctrine remains, the main motives are still untouched, and as long as the idea persists, religion can be considered untouched. Up to this point in this work, I have noted Zoroastrianism as an ancient religion without affecting the name parsism. And now I would like to talk about the changes that are already taking place in our time, when modern Parsis are subject to Europeanization. Researcher Mary Boyce in her work studies and talks about the development of Zoroastrianism from the time of its foundation to the present day. In my work, I will not be able to trace the path of the formation of this religion, and the task is completely different than that of Mary Boyce.

In the 20th century, this religion is experiencing such a phenomenon as fundamentalism. Parsees complain about the inexorable penetration of the Christian religion and the Europeanization of Parsism in general. Even some translations of the Avesta have a clearly European connotation. This resulted in the international congresses of Zoroastrians in 1960 in Iran and in Bombay in 1964 and 1978. Today such congresses meet every few years in different countries. They mainly discuss the ritual side of religion. So, for example, in Tehran (Iran), the reformists adopted burial as a modern way of burying corpses. In order not to desecrate the land, the bodies are buried in coffins in a cemented pit. Some reformists are already advocating cremation, which offends traditionalists. But, according to the reason for making such a decision, Mary Boyce: "The Tehran reformists, under pressure from the Shah, expressed their readiness to abolish the ancient custom of exposing corpses as inappropriate modern look life ". This reduced the number of "towers of silence". The same reformist innovations include the permission to refuse to wear the sudra shirt and kusti belt.

With the advent of electricity, it became more and more difficult to maintain family places of worship. Moreover, Zoroastrianism refers more to a communal religion, in which there is no dominant role of the church and its hierarchy. And in the modern world, the majority of Parsees are already city dwellers and, subject to social influence, it becomes more and more difficult for them to maintain Zoroastrian beliefs and customs.

Sacredness was also lost in the reading of prayers by priests in the ancient Pahlavi language. "In 1888, Yasna and Vispered with ritual instructions were printed in full, as well as a huge volume of Vendidad capital letters so that the priests could easily read it under artificial lighting during night services. "Thus, the reading of prayer services was no longer a sacrament, the professional reception of the priests, who passed prayers from mouth to mouth, was declassified.

And in the 19th century, many Zoroastrians converted to another faith - Bahaism. This Iranian religion, which arose against Islam, was persecuted and persecuted. The Zoroastrians "were forced to mourn their relatives and friends, who, adopting a new religion, doomed themselves to persecution even more cruel than those experienced by the Zoroastrians themselves in the worst times of oppression" . "Subsequently, Bahaism began to claim the role of a world religion, offering the Iranian Zoroastrians, as well as the theosophy of the Parsis, participation in a larger community, in which they would also occupy an honorable place" . But most of all, Zoroastrians are worried about the atheism that is advancing in the modern world, which hits religion more than the persecution of it.

To date, Muslims have proclaimed religious tolerance towards Zoroastrians. However, despite this, the Parsis suffer a lot of harassment, in particular, in social freedoms, the election of Parsis to elected positions, and others.

Conclusion

Today, Zoroastrianism can be called a dying religion, despite the fact that its followers live in different countries and communicate with each other, trying to create a strong group. But it should be noted that today everything does not depend on the mass dissemination of religion, no matter how powerful a religious idea is, it is already a thing of the past. Fewer people are waiting for the end of the world and the triumph of good over evil, explaining the essence of being in a biological or cosmic context. For comparison, earlier the church stood on the same level with the ruler and was directly involved not only in church affairs, thinking not only about the salvation of the soul, but also about completely worldly, often foreign policy, economic ones. This position of the church has always been disputed, and today's religion, even with a huge number of intermediaries, has a continuation only as a reasonable system of moral teachings for man.

However, some argue that Zoroastrianism will sooner or later be revived: "according to the prediction of Zarathustra, his " teaching will return to where it came from And therefore they are waiting for the return of the old faith, and in doing so, they reasonably rely on Russia.

Zoroastrianism, as the basis of religions and a collection of changing creeds of the Iranian Highlands, is interesting in its historical sense, because any religion determines the mentality and upbringing, generally accepted norms, of society. Therefore, Zoroastrianism is still subject to a long study, based on a combination of archaeological, philological, historical and ethmological data ...

In addition, today Zoroastrianism, as well as many years ago in general, teaches a person order, cleanliness, honesty in fulfilling obligations, gratitude to parents, and help to fellow believers. There are no strict spiritual canons in this religion; it involves a person choosing his place in life. Religion does not oblige to behave correctly, but only warns. Fatalism is inherent only in the inevitability of death, but it depends on the behavior of a person where his soul will go after it - to heaven or hell.

References

1. Avesta: Selected hymns: From Videvdat / Per. from Avest. I. M. Steblin-Kamensky. M., 1993.
2. Boyce Mary. Zoroastrians. Beliefs and customs, 3rd edition, St. Petersburg, 1994
3. Makovelsky A. O. Avesta. Baku, 1960
4. E.A. Doroshenko Zoroastrians in Iran, M., "Science", 1982
5. Dubrovina T.A., Laskareva E.N., Zarathustra, M., "Olympus", 1999
6. MITRA, Zoroastrian magazine, No. 7 (11), St. Petersburg, 2004
7. Avesta. Videvdat. Fragard the thirteenth / Introduction, trans. from Avest. and comm. V. Yu. Kryukova // Vostok. 1994
8. Avesta in Russian translations (1861-1996) / Comp., total. ed., note., ref. Sec. I.V. Cancer. - St. Petersburg, 1997
9. L.S. Vasiliev, History of the Religions of the East. Tutorial for universities. - 4th ed. - M., 1999
10. Meitarchyan M.B. The funeral rite of the Zoroastrians. - M., Institute of Oriental Studies RAS, 1999.
11. Zoroastrian texts. Judgments of the Spirit of Reason (Dadestan-i menog-i khrad). Creation of the basis (Bundahishn) and other texts. The publication was prepared by O.M. Chunakova. - M .: Publishing company " Eastern literature" RAN, 1997. (Monuments of the written language of the East. CXIV).

Links

I can also recommend a site about Zoroastrianism to those who are interested.

Zoroastrianism- a term of European science, derived from the Greek pronunciation of the name of the founder of religion. Another European name Mazdaism, which comes from the name of God in Zoroastrianism, is now generally perceived as obsolete, although it is closer to the main self-name of the Zoroastrian religion - Avesta. māzdayasna- “Honoring Mazda”, pakhl. 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 - "believer", "behdin".

Fundamentals of Doctrine

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 period of Islamic conquest. At the same time, there was no strict dogmatic system in Zoroastrianism. This is due to 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 foundations:

Ahura Mazda

Zarathustra - according to the teachings of the Zoroastrians, the only prophet of Ahura Mazda, who brought good faith to people and laid the foundations of moral development. The sources describe him as an ideal priest, warrior and cattle breeder, fighter, exemplary head 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 a single god (Ahura). The 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

The sacred book of the Zoroastrians is called the Avesta. In fact, this is a collection of multi-temporal texts compiled in the Zoroastrian community in the archaic period in the ancient Iranian language, now called "Avestan". Even after the appearance of writing in Iran, for millennia the main way of transmitting texts was oral, the keepers of the text were priests. A well-known recording tradition appeared only under the late Sassanids, when in the 5th-6th centuries. to record the book, a special phonetic Avestan alphabet was invented. But even after that, Avestan prayers and liturgical texts were memorized.

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

Symbols of Zoroastrianism

The main wearable symbol of an adherent of the teachings of Zarathustra is the lower white shirt sedre, sewn from a single piece of cotton fabric and always having exactly 9 seams, and koshti(kushti, kusti) - a thin belt woven from 72 threads of white sheep's wool and hollow inside. Koshti is worn around the waist wrapped three times and tied in 4 knots. Starting a prayer, before any important matter, making a decision, after defilement, the Zoroastrian performs ablution and bandages his belt (rite Padyab-Koshti). Sedra symbolizes the protection of the soul from evil and temptations, its pocket is a piggy bank of good deeds. Koshti personifies the connection (umbilical cord) with Ahura Mazda and all his creation. It is believed that a person who regularly ties a belt, being connected by it with all the Zoroastrians of the world, receives his share from their good deeds.

Wearing the sacred garment is the duty of the Zoroastrian. Religion prescribes to be without sedra and koshti as little time as possible. The sedra and koshti must be constantly kept clean. A replacement set is allowed, in case the first one is washed. With the constant wearing of 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. On such altars, the sacred fires of Zoroastrianism are maintained. This symbolism was especially widespread in the art of the Sasanian Empire.

It has also become a popular symbol. faravahar, a human image in a winged circle from the Achaemenid rock carvings. Zoroastrians traditionally do not recognize him as an image of Ahura Mazda, but consider him an image fravashi.

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

Story

Iranian beliefs before Zarathustra

Very little is known about Iranian beliefs prior to Zoroastrianism. Scientists believe that this ancient mythology was similar to the ancient Indian mythology. Researchers believe that the legacy of ancient Iranian mythology was the veneration already under Zoroastrianism of Veretragna, Mitra and Anahita. 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 have adopted the chronology of the “Zoroastrian religious era”, based on the calculations of the Iranian astronomer Z. Behruz, according to which Zarathustra “gained faith” took place in 738 BC. e. [ ]

Localization of Zarathustra's sermon

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

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

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): the accession of the Achaemenid dynasty, the creation of the Persian empire, the first written monuments of Zoroastrianism;
3. The period of Hellenism and the Parthian state(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 pressed Zoroastrianism in the Kushan 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, the persecution of followers of Zoroastrianism, the emergence of the Parsi community of India from emigrants from Iran, literary activity 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 a connection 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 Khosrov I. This branch seems to go back to the variant of Zoroastrianism adopted by the Median Magi. 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 Arabic sources. In particular, from Mazdaism, which existed before the Arab conquest in Sogd, which was even less “written” tradition than Sassanid Zoroastrianism, only a fragment in the Sogdian language has survived, which tells about the receipt of revelation by Zarathustra, 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, it is Zurvanism, based on great attention to the concept Zurvana, the primordial universal time, whose “twin children” were recognized by Ahura Mazda and Ahriman. Judging by circumstantial evidence, the doctrine of Zurvanism was widespread in Sasanian Iran, but although traces of it can be found 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, hardly in any way affecting the ritual part of religion.

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

Zoroastrian orthodoxies considered Manichaeism to be 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 the Zoroastrianism of Iran and the Parsi Zoroastrianism of India. However, the differences between them are generally regional in nature and relate mainly to ritual terminology, thanks to the origin from the same tradition and the ongoing 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, "calendar sects" are known, adhering to one of the three versions of the calendar (Kadimi, Shahinshahi and Fasli). There are no clear boundaries between these groups, and there is no dogmatic difference between them either. In India, various currents also arose with a bias in mysticism, which were influenced by Hinduism. The most famous of them is the Ilm-i-Khshnum current.

The “reformist wing” is gaining some popularity among the Zoroastrians, advocating the abolition of most rituals and ancient rules, for recognizing only the Ghats 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 opposed themselves to the infidels, considering those "admirers of the devas." Nevertheless, due to 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.

Hierarchy

Priesthood

The general name of the Zoroastrian clergy, who stood out in a separate class, is Avest. aθravan- (Pahl. asrōn) - "keeper of the fire". In the post-Vestian era, priests were called primarily mobeds(from other Iranian magupati "head of the magicians"), which is associated with the spread of Zoroastrianism in western 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 the Zoroastrian clergy. Mobedan-mobed is elected from among the dasturs and leads the community of mobeds. Mobedan-mobed can make decisions binding on Zoroastrians on religious (gatik) and secular (datik) issues. Decisions on religious matters must be approved by the general assembly of mobeds or the assembly of dasturs.
2. « Sar-mobed"(pers. letters. "head of the mobeds", phl. "bozorg dastur") - the highest Zoroastrian religious rank. The main dastur in a territory with several dasturs. Sar-mobed has the right to make decisions on closing fire temples, on moving the sacred fire from place to place, on expelling a person from the Zoroastrian community.

Only a “mobed zade” can occupy these spiritual positions - a person who comes from a family of Zoroastrian priests, whose succession is inherited from the father. Become mobed-zade no, they can only be born.

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

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

Mobedyar is a Behdin educated in religious matters, not from the Mobed family. Mobedyar is below the khirbad.

sacred fires

In the Zoroastrian temples, called in Persian "atashkade" (lit. house of fire), an unquenchable fire burns, temple servants watch around the clock so that it does not go out. There are temples in which fire has been burning for many centuries and even millennia. The family of mobeds, who own the sacred fire, fully bears all the expenses for the maintenance of the fire and its protection and is not financially dependent on the help of the behdins. The decision to establish a new fire is taken only if the necessary funds are available. Holy fires are divided into 3 ranks:

1. Shah Atash Varahram(Bahram) - "King Victorious Fire", Fire of the highest rank. Fires of the highest rank are established in honor of monarchical dynasties, great victories, as the highest fire of a country or people. To establish a fire, it is necessary to collect and purify 16 fires of different types, which are combined into one during the ritual of consecration. Only high priests, dasturs, can serve at 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 families of Zoroastrians live. To establish a fire, it is necessary to collect and purify 4 fires from the families of Zoroastrians of different classes: a priest, a warrior, a peasant, an artisan. Various rituals can be performed at the fires of Aduran: nozudi, gavakhgiran, sadre pushi, services in jashnas and gahanbars, etc. Only mobeds can serve at the fires of Aduran.
3. Atash Dadgah- “Legally established Fire”, a third rank fire, which must be maintained in local communities (villages, large families) that have a separate room, which is a religious court. In Persian, this room is called dar ba mehr (literally, Mitra's courtyard). Mitra 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 khirbad can serve the fire. The dadgah fire is open to public access, the room where the fire is located serves as a meeting place for the community.

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

In Sasanian Iran, there were three greatest Atash-Varahrams, correlated with three "estates":

• Adur-Gushnasp (in Azerbaijan in Shiz, fire of priests)
• Adur-Frobag (Farnbag, the fire of Pars, the fire of the military aristocracy and the 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 transferred it in the 13th century. after the collapse of the Zoroastrian communities in Pars.

Holy places

Temple fires are sacred to Zoroastrians, 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, striving to resurrect the former greatness of their faith and turning to their heritage, did the Zoroastrians begin to visit the ruins of ancient temples located in areas where all the inhabitants had long since converted to Islam, and hold festive services in them.

Nevertheless, in the vicinity of Yazd and Kerman, where Zoroastrians have lived permanently for thousands of years, the practice of seasonal pilgrimages made to certain holy places has developed. Each of these places of pilgrimage (“feast”, lit. “old”) has its own legend, usually telling about the miraculous rescue of a Sassanid princess from Arab invaders. 5 feasts around Yazd gained particular fame:

• network-peer
• Pir-e Sabz (source Chak-chak)
• 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.) - spiritual (lit. "mental", the world of ideas) and earthly (bodily, physical), as well as recognition of their interconnection and interdependence. Both worlds were created by Ahura Mazda and are good, the material complements the spiritual, makes it complete and perfect, material goods are considered the same gifts of Ahura Mazda as spiritual ones, and one without the other is inconceivable. Zoroastrianism is alien to both crude materialism and hedonism, as well as spiritualism and asceticism. In Zoroastrianism there are no practices of mortification, celibacy and monasteries.

The complementary dichotomy of the mental and the bodily permeates the entire system of morality of Zoroastrianism. The main meaning of the life of a Zoroastrian is the "accumulation" of good deeds (Pers. kerfe), primarily associated with the conscientious fulfillment of one's duty as a believer, family man, worker, citizen, and the avoidance of sin (Pers. 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 of the people. Each righteous person acts as a representative of Ahura Mazda and, on the one hand, actually embodies his deeds on earth, and on the other, dedicates all his blessings to Ahura Mazda.

Virtues are described through the ethical triad: good thoughts, good words and good deeds (humata, khukhta, hvarshta), that is, they affect the mental, verbal and physical levels. In general, mysticism is alien to the Zoroastrian worldview, it is believed that each 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 acquired from others of people).

Moral purity and personal development concerns not only the soul, but also the body: it is considered a virtue to maintain the purity of the body and eliminate pollution, diseases, healthy lifestyle life. 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 defiling power. It is forbidden to touch them and it is not recommended to look at them. For people who have been defiled, purification rites are provided.

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 public religion, hermitism is not characteristic of it. The community of Zoroastrians is called Anjoman(Avest. hanjamana- “gathering”, “meeting”). The usual unit is the anjoman. locality- a Zoroastrian village or city block. Going to community meetings, discussing its affairs together and participating in community holidays is a direct duty of a Zoroastrian.

The Avesta names four estates into which society is divided:

• atravanas (priests)
• rataeshtars (military aristocracy)
• Vastrio-fschuyants (lit. "shepherds-cattle breeders", hereinafter the peasantry in general)
• khuiti ("craftsmen", artisans)

Until the end of the Sassanid time, the barriers between the estates were serious, but in principle the transition from one to another was possible. After the conquest of Iran by the Arabs, when the aristocracy converted to Islam, and the Zoroastrians, as dhimmis, were forbidden to carry weapons, in reality there were two estates: priestly mobeds and lay Behdins, belonging to which was inherited strictly through the male line (although women could marry outside their estate ). This division is still preserved: it is virtually impossible to become a mobed. Nevertheless, the class structure of society is severely deformed, since most of the mobeds, along with the performance of 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 institute of mobedyars is developing - laymen by origin, who take on the duties of a mobedya.

Among other features of the Zoroastrian society, one can single out the traditional relatively high place there are women in it and a much greater approximation of her status to an equal in rights with a man compared to the society of the surrounding Muslims.

Food

In Zoroastrianism, there are no pronounced food prohibitions. The basic rule is that food should be beneficial. Vegetarianism is traditionally not characteristic of Zoroastrianism. You can eat the meat of all ungulates and fish. Although the cow is given great respect, references to it are often found in the Ghats, there is no practice of prohibiting beef. There is also no ban on pork. Nevertheless, Zoroastrians are required to treat livestock with care, it is forbidden to mistreat it and senseless killings, and it is prescribed to limit oneself in the consumption of meat within reasonable limits.

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

In Zoroastrianism, there is no prohibition on wine, although edifying texts contain special instructions for moderate consumption of it.

Dog

This animal enjoys special respect among the Zoroastrians. This is largely due to the rational worldview of the Zoroastrians: religion notes 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. Ritualistically, a dog can be equated with a person, and the norms for burying human remains also apply to a dead dog. There are several chapters devoted to dogs in the Vendidad, highlighting several "breeds" of dogs:

• Pasush-haurva - guarding cattle, shepherd dog
• Vish-haurva - guarding housing
• Vohunazga - hunting (following the trail)
• Tauruna (Drakhto-khunara) - hunting, trained

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

ritual practice

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

General requirements for the ritual:

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

Yasna

Yasna (yazeshn-hani, vaj-yasht) means "veneration" or "sacrifice". This is the main Zoroastrian worship, during which the Avestan book of the same name is read, performed both by individual order of the laity, and (most often) on the occasion of one of the six gahanbars - 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 paint(Avest. raetvishkar). The service is held in a special room, where a tablecloth, symbolizing the earth, is spread on the floor. In the process of service, various objects are involved, which have their own symbolic meaning, first of all, fire (atash-dadgah, usually lit from a stationary fire atash-adoryan or varahram), fragrant wood for it, water, haoma (ephedra), milk, pomegranate twigs, as well as flowers, fruits, myrtle twigs, etc. Priests sit facing each other on the tablecloth, and the faithful are located around.

In the process of Yasna, mobeds not only honor Ahura Mazda and his good creations, they essentially reproduce the first creation of the world by Ahura Mazda and symbolically fulfill its future “improvement” (Frasho-kereti). The symbol of this is the drink prepared in the process of reading prayers. parachaoma(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-hani, for the Parsis Jashan(from other Persian yašna "reverence", respectively Avest. yasna) - a festive ceremony. It is performed on small Zoroastrian holidays ( jashnas), the most important of which is Navruz - the meeting of the New Year, and also as a continuation of the celebration of gahanbar.

Jashn-khani is a kind of small Yasna, on which they read Afrinagans(afaringans) - "blessings". In the process of performing the rite, the objects used in Yasna (except haoma) are also involved, symbolizing good creations and Ashaspends.

Symbolism of Jashna:

Sedre-push or Navjot

Sedre-pushi (Persian lit. “putting on a shirt”) or Parsi Navjot (lit. “new zaotar”, the rite was originally called novzudi, see below) - the rite of acceptance of Zoroastrianism

The ceremony is performed by a mobed. During the ceremony, the person accepting the faith pronounces the Zoroastrian creed, the Fravarana prayer, puts on the sacred shirt sedre (sudre) and the mobed ties him the sacred koshti belt. After that, the newly initiated pronounces the Peiman-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 earlier than the child himself can pronounce the creed and tie a belt (from 7 years old).

Five Times Prayer

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

• Khavan-gah - from dawn to noon;
• Rapitvin-gah - from noon to 3 pm;
• Uzering-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. Fivefold prayer is recognized as one of the main duties of every Zoroastrian.

Gavakhgiri

Wedding ceremony in Zoroastrianism.

Novzudi

Rite of initiation into the priesthood. It is held with a large gathering of mobeds and laity. In the process of the rite, the previous initiated mobed in this area always participates. At the end of the ceremony, the newly ordained mobed conducts Yasna and is finally approved in the rank.

burial rites

In addition, in Zoroastrianism, as well 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.

Current position

At present, communities of Zoroastrians have survived in Iran (Hebrs) and India (Parsis), and as a result of emigration from both countries, communities have formed primarily in the United States and Western Europe. IN Russian Federation and the CIS countries, there is a community of traditional Zoroastrians who call their religion in Russian the word "faith", and the Zoroastrian community of St. Petersburg. According to official data as of 2012, the approximate number of adherents of Zoroastrianism in the world is less than 100 thousand people, about 70 thousand of which are in India. The year 2003 was declared by UNESCO as the year of the 3000th anniversary of the 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 communities remained

Zoroastrianism - the faith of fire worshipers

“You consider yourself wise, you proud Zarathustra! Solve the riddle, you hard-nut cracker, the riddle that I present! Say who am I! But when Zarathustra heard these words, what do you think happened to his soul? Compassion took possession of him, and suddenly he fell on his face, like an oak that had resisted many woodcutters for a long time, hard, suddenly, frightening even those who wanted to cut it down. But now he rose from the ground again, and his face became stern. “I recognize you very well,” he said in a voice that sounded like copper, “you are a killer of God! Let me go…” “Quite badly,” answered the wanderer and the shadow, “you are right; but what to do! The old God is still alive, O Zarathustra, no matter what you say... The old ugly man is to blame for everything: he resurrected him again... And although he says that he once killed him, the death of the gods is always only a prejudice.

Friedrich Nietzsche. "Thus Spoke Zarathustra"

Religion has played and continues to play a special role in the life of a number of Eastern peoples. Artashir, the founder of the Sassanid state, told his son Shapur: “Know that faith and kingship are brothers and cannot exist without each other. Faith is the foundation of the kingdom, and the kingdom protects the faith.” The phrase is quoted by the Arbian historian Masudi. The time of the Prophet Muhammad and his successors was coming. The world will witness the triumphal march of Islam, but not immediately.

The grace of God flows in everything,

She has permeated all worlds.

You recognize with thought and eye:

Grace is unsurpassed...

However, even the mercy of Allah is not eternal ... In Islam, there was a split into Sunnis and Shiites (661 AD). Shiites believed that only the special envoy of God, the imam, has the right to lead the ummah (society and state). Shiites have since distanced themselves from power. According to their version of history, usurpers of power rule the world, while the faithful followers of Ali (the last "righteous caliph", cousin and fourth successor of the Prophet Muhammad) are excluded from participation in the affairs of the ummah. But the day will come when justice will prevail in history. The unjustly rejected imam (mahdi) will appear. He will lead Iran.

Founder of Zoroastrianism

Long before the advent of Islam, the missionaries of a doctrine known as Zoroastrianism appeared in the life of the Iranian peoples. Who is Zoroaster? This is the founder of an ancient doctrine that arose in the middle or end of the 2nd millennium BC. e. (much earlier than the formation of monotheism in Judea), when the Indo-Aryans moved from the steppes through Central Asia to the south, crushing a number of developed civilizations. They were followed in the second wave by the Iranians, who occupied the Iranian plateau. Among the waves of Indo-Aryans were the ancestors of the Slavs. Dates of life and habitat of Zoroaster (Zarathustra) cannot be precisely established. Some call Azerbaijan the place of his birth, others - the regions of Central Asia (Ancient Bactria or Margion), others - "our" Russian Arkaim, a cult, industrial and defensive complex in the Southern Urals (a kind of "weapon path" from north to south). It is believed that he was a clergyman and lived between 1500 and 1200 BC. e. He himself called himself a "composer of mantras" (i.e., ecstatic sayings and incantations). The tribe to which he belonged is also called the "people of the Avesta". They didn't have a written language. Their science consisted of studying the rites and positions of faith and memorizing the great mantras composed in remote times by the sages and priests of the ancient people.

As for the more accurate time of his life, detailed information is given by the “Book of Arda-Viraz”. It says that the religion spread by Zoroaster was kept pure for three hundred years, until Alexander the Great came, who killed the ruler of Iran and destroyed his capital and kingdom. Along with the number 300 in the Zoroastrian tradition, the figure of 258 years appears in the same meaning, which has a derivative character: 300 - 42 (the age of the prophet when Kavi Vishtaspa was converted to his religion) = 258. The same figure appears in Biruni, Masudi and others. The end of the 300-year period falls on the death of the last Achaemenid king and his capital Persepolis, that is, in 330 BC. e. Be that as it may, one thing is clear: Zoroaster lived and preached at least 600 years before the birth of Christ, that is, Zoroaster, who lived 6000 years ago, had a double, who is believed to have lived in the time of Plato.

Historians have significant discrepancies regarding the dates of birth and death of Zoroaster, the time of adoption of this religion by the Iranians, as well as its relationship with the religion of the Achaemenids. Some believe that Zoroaster lived at the end of the 7th - the first half of the 6th century BC. e., that is, 258 years before Alexander the Great, or perhaps a little earlier - presumably in the VIII-VII centuries BC. e. or between the 10th and 7th centuries BC. e. It is clear that such uncertainty gives rise to heated debate about which of the Iranian kings was (or was not) a Zoroastrian.

Ahura Mazda handing symbol royal power Shah Artashir

The maturity of the Iranians came by the age of 15, when the young man had to learn the knowledge he received from different teachers. Zoroaster, like Buddha and Christ, spent many years wandering. He saw that a lot of injustice was being committed in the world (murders of civilians, robberies, cattle rustling, deceit). He was filled with a passionate desire to achieve the establishment of the kingdom of justice at all costs. The moral law of the ahur deities must be the same for the strong and the weak, the rich and the poor. All should live in equal contentment and peace if they lead a pure and righteous life. So he decided - and at the age of thirty a revelation came to him. Almost the age of Christ. The Pahlavi work "Zadspram" and one of the Gathas (Yasna 43) tells how this happened. Going for water on the occasion of the spring festival, Zoroaster had a strange vision. He saw a radiant being. This creature was revealed to him as Vohu-Mana, that is, "Good Thought" (recall the Christian "Good News"). It was this that led Zoroaster to Ahura Mazda (God the Father) and to other deities who radiate light. From them he received a revelation. So Zoroaster began to worship Ahura Mazda as the lord of order, righteousness and justice (asha). He proclaimed Ahura Mazda the uncreated god that exists forever. He is the creator of all that is good, the creator of the world in seven stages (again, let us recall the seven days of divine creation among Christians).

Naturally, a good and fair god - Ahura Mazda - had to correspond to an evil spirit, his worst enemy and rival - Angro-Manyu ("Evil Spirit"). They are twin gods who pursue diametrically opposed goals in the universe. One brings evil and lies, the other strives for truth and justice (and fights for them). Every person in life voluntarily or involuntarily follows this or that god. Therefore, the heavenly and earthly worlds are a reflection of the continuous struggle and the eternal confrontation between the forces of good and evil. Ahura Mazda will win in the end great battle and destroy evil. The hymn "Avesta", the sacred book of the Zoroastrians, says: "In the beginning there were two geniuses endowed with different activities, a good and an evil spirit, in thought, in word, in action. Choose between the two: be good, not evil…” Each person is free to choose either of these two geniuses as their mentors: the genius of lies that does evil, or the genius of truth and holiness. Anyone who chooses the first prepares himself a sad fate; whoever accepts the second, honors Ahura Mazda, lives with dignity and is lucky in his affairs. Ahura Mazda is the god of light, truth and creation. Its complete opposite and adversary is the demon of darkness, lies and destruction Angro-Manyu (Ahriman).

The value and uniqueness of the religion of the ancient Persians is that Zoroastrianism cleanses a person, like a sacred fire ... It requires him to comply with high moral standards, instilling a sense of responsibility for everything that happens around us. It is for this that one must study, observe the canons of faith, all the requirements of the law. In this case, Ahura Mazda (“Wise Lord”) will take you under his protection. This is not Christianity, where Christ equally accepts a righteous soul and a thief-murderer, a highly moral person and a person completely mired in sin, a degraded person. The sinner is something even dearer to him. The religion of the Persians is higher and purer. It is also significant that Zoroaster broke with the old aristocratic and priestly tradition, which allotted to the poor only the underworld, so to speak, the divine cellar. He gave a chance and hope for salvation in paradise to the poor and threatened with hell and punishment for the powerful of this world if they behave vilely, unworthily and unfairly. The thesis of an eternal struggle, a life-and-death struggle against human vices and social injustice, of course, could not arouse enthusiasm among the ruling elite. As a result, the sermons of Zoroaster had the same result among his fellow tribesmen as the sermons of Christ among the Jews (and even more modest). He was able to convert to the new faith at first only his cousin.

Sasanian temple with fire burning in front of it

Then he left his people and went to others, to strangers. There, with King Vishtaspa and Queen Khutaosa, he found support and understanding. Neighboring kingdoms, dissatisfied with the change of religions, went to war against this kingdom. But Vishtaspa won - and Zoroastrianism was established. Thus, the merit of Zoroaster is that he managed to create a strong and strong-spirited community, united by a bright and clear teaching. As M. Boyes notes, he "created a religious system of great power and provided the new faith with the ability to persist for thousands of years." At one time Zoroaster dreamed that his religion would become world. And although he did not happen to see the complete triumph of his religion, over time it not only spread among the Iranians, but some of its provisions were inherited by the prophet Muhammad and Islam. The Greeks, who considered Zoroaster a great magician, also experienced the charm of fire worshipers. The graceful altars in the capital of Cyrus, Pasargadagh, were the personal "fires of the hearth" of the king of the Persians. According to legend, Zoroaster died already in old age, a violent death - allegedly he was stabbed with a dagger by a pagan priest who envied his fame.

In the most ancient religious tradition, Zarathushtra (the Avestan form of the name Zoroaster) appears as a priest, more precisely, in his own words, a zaotar, that is, a professional priest who has the right to make sacrifices to the gods and perform the corresponding rites. He is also a sacred poet and seer. Such priests were usually invited in case of special need to perform ritual actions for a special reward. Like the Brahmins, they led a wandering life. Zoroastrianism spread in the area between the Samarkand region and the Balkh region (Central Asia). There are indications of this not among historians, but among poets. Firdousi (more precisely, Dakiki, whose verses Firdousi included in his poem) Gushtasp, the patron of Zarathushtra, lives in Balkh. The same is said about Gushtasp (Vishtasp), regardless of Firdowsi and Dakiki, Biruni, al-Masudi and some others. By the way, the Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus also speaks of the "Bactrian Zoroaster". Early Christian authors speak of Zoroaster as the founder of Bactria, from where the new law spread throughout the earth.

Tomb of the Persian king in Naqsh-i-Rustem

The heyday of the popularity of Zoroastrianism began in the VI century BC. e., when Cyrus adopted his teachings. The question whether Cyrus and Cambyses were Zoroastrians, or whether the first Achaemenid monarch who adopted Zoroastrianism was Xerxes or, perhaps, Artaxerxes I (when the "Zoroastrian" calendar was introduced - in 441 BC), today have only theoretical interest. Some scientists, analyzing the inscription of Darius on the relief of the Behistun rock, found terminology there that allows them to recognize in it quotations from one gata of the Avesta, which gave them reason to declare that King Darius belonged to Zoroastrianism. Information from ancient literature about Zoroaster refers only to the last period of the existence of the Achaemenid state (390-375 BC) or a little later. Herodotus, speaking of religious figures or sages among other peoples, does not mention anything about Zoroaster in the texts about the religion of the Persians and magicians. There is nothing about this in Ctesias, who spent a number of years in Iran and at the court of the Achaemenids, and in Xenophon in the Cyropaedia. Perhaps the beliefs of the Iranians were at first independent of Zoroastrianism. But then he charmed and captivated the passionate soul of the East.

The problem interests us, including in terms of specifying the location of the kingdom where Zoroastrianism became widespread. It seems that Zoroaster could be located not far from the Russian-Scythian area. The image of Zoroaster, who lived, according to Pliny and others, 6000 years before Plato and 5000 years before the Trojan War, the founder of the ancient religion of Revelation, of course, attracts the attention of scientists. It is understandable why Nietzsche dedicated one of his most famous works to him - "Thus Spoke Zarathustra". Was not Zarathustra, or Zoroaster, to some extent close to the Scythians? An attempt to answer this question was made by the Russian scientist I. Pyankov in the article "Zoroaster in the history of Central Asia".

Image of Zoroaster

A version spread among scientists according to which the homeland of the sage, as well as the kingdom of the king (kavi) Vishtaspa, who patronized him and at whose court the prophet received recognition, were supposedly in the region of Khorezm. The wanderings of Zoroaster connect two important points - the homeland of the prophet and the place of his recognition (that is, the region of Samarkand and the region of Balkh). Most believe that there was once a powerful kingdom in Khorezm, which went far beyond the boundaries of the Khorezm oasis. A variant of the "Khorezmian" hypothesis can be considered the "Scythian" hypothesis. In it, Zoroaster appeared as a primitive priest of a "prehistoric" people who lived in Khorezm in an indefinite, pre-Achaemenid antiquity. From there, he allegedly fled to the neighboring Scythian tribes, found support there from King Vishtaspa and founded the first Zoroastrian community. Professor M. Boyes (London) believes that Zarathustra lived in the south of the Urals. The Big Mound is also located there (near Magnitogorsk), where the alleged burial place of Zarathustra is located. Indo-Aryan tribes inhabited these regions. Therefore, the hypothesis of V. I. Abaev, who believed that “Zoroaster was a Scythian,” does not look fantastic at all.

Kaaba of Zoroaster

The researchers emphasize that the ancient Indo-Iranian Aryans not only called themselves "noble", but also sought to show nobility in words, deeds and thoughts. The Aryans especially revered the desire for truth, justice and goodness. Being aware of the presence of base and dark principles in a person - anger, self-interest, envy, lies - they not only condemned them, but also tried in every possible way to get rid of them and save others.

The most important means for overcoming this duality of the properties of the human soul are personal freedom and will ... “Perhaps the most characteristic feature of the teachings of Zoroaster is the emphasis on personal faith,” wrote the English religious scholar D. Hinnels. - All men and women (and in Zoroastrianism, both sexes have the same duties and equal rights) are personally responsible for choosing between good and evil. And in the future they will be judged only by how they disposed of their free will.

Mithra - Indo-Iranian god of light, in the form of Kronos with a lion's head

In Zoroastrianism, the word had a great influence. As scientists note, the Zoroastrian had an absolute faith in the effective power of words and prayers. With prayers they cleansed all good creations, with prayers Zarathustra cast out demons. In particular, the main Zoroastrian prayer ahuna-vairya, which Ahura Mazda, the highest deity of the Iranian pantheon, uttered before the creation of the physical world, had exceptional power. By this prayer the Evil Spirit was plunged into a state of stupor for three thousand years (Bundahishn). The Word is a weapon against the Evil Spirit and demons, who, while reading prayers, cannot harm good beings. It is interesting that in the teaching the word itself has great magical power, not because it is addressed to God, but in itself. At the same time, the word in Zoroastrianism needs serious protection from defilement.

When Islam spread in Iran (1300-1400 years ago), several hundred thousand followers of the old, Zoroastrian religion moved to India. They settled on the west coast, where they were warmly welcomed by the local tribes. No one interfered in their internal affairs, and they themselves did not touch anyone. Here they found a second homeland and began to be called Parsis. J. Nehru said about the mutual influence of the cultures of the two peoples: “In India, a whole architecture arose that combined Indian ideals and Persian motifs. Agra and Delhi were adorned with majestic and beautiful buildings. About the most famous of them, the Taj Mahal, the French scholar Grousset said that this is "the soul of Iran, embodied in the body of India." Few peoples are more closely related to each other by origin and the whole course of history than the people of India and the people of Iran. Both peoples are very close to Russia.

In general, there is an amazing connection between the gods and the heroes of ancient peoples. They seem to be created according to the same scheme, the cults of the gods and the images of the heroes are similar. Scientists noted that the ancient Iranian Avesta has a complete parallel to the cult of Greek heroes and Indian rishis. Darmsteter called this list "the Homeric catalog of Mazdaism." This includes the names of pre-Zoroastrian heroes, mythical kings, the first adherents and propagandists of the teachings of Zoroaster, as well as persons who lived later. An example of this is the god Mithra, the god of goodness, whose goal was to maintain peace and harmony in society.

His name was translated as "contract" and "consent". Maintaining a balance in nature, he acted as a kind of mediator in the dispute between the main deities - the Spirit of Good Ormazd (Ormuzd or Ahura Mazda) and the Spirit of Evil Ahriman. As M. Hall writes, "while Ormuzd and Ahriman fought for the human soul and for primacy in Nature, Mithra, the God of Reason, stood as an intermediary between them." We also note that one of the central deities of the Mithraic pantheon is Leontocephalus, Aeon or Deus aeternus, starting from the 2nd century AD. e., found in statues and reliefs throughout the distribution area of ​​​​the cult of Mithra, from Britain to Egypt and from the Danubian regions to Phoenicia. They are often depicted next to Mithras. M. Vermaseren's work contains more than 50 statues, reliefs, bronze figurines and fragments of statues of Leontocephalus. Most often, this deity has, like Mithra, a lion's head, a male body and wings, usually four wings. A large snake wraps around the body, its head is on the lion's head of the deity.

N. Roerich. Zarathustra

Zoroastrianism in the modern world has largely become popular thanks to the book of F. Nietzsche "Thus Spoke Zarathustra". It praises and exalts the so-called superman. Many have attached the label of "fascist" and "blond beast" to this "superman". Are the ancient Aryans to blame for this?! Perhaps they had somewhat exaggerated ideas about their nobility and the need to sacredly preserve racial purity among the people. But this almost literally corresponds to the instructions of the Avesta: “Whoever mixes the seed (relatives) of the righteous with the seeds of the wicked (aliens), the seed of the worshipers of the devas (demons) with the seeds (Aryans), who reject them (those should be severely punished. – Auth.). Of this I tell you, O Zarathustra, that it is more important to kill them than writhing snakes and crouching wolves. But to see in Zoroastrianism on this basis only the “teaching of blood”, or “racism” means to become like a drunken donkey, about which Friedrich Nietzsche writes in Zarathustra, and not to see the sign that came along with the sunrise, “the deep eye of happiness ". Thanks to the teachings of Zarathustra, even the “ugly man” awakened: “It is worth living on earth: one day, one holiday spent with Zarathustra taught me to love (this) earth.” So the fire lit by Zarathustra did not go out at all (as Ferdowsi wrote about in Shahnameh).

Iran has made a significant contribution to the creation of social and legal institutions of the entire Islamic civilization. True, the laws of the Persians took shape legally quite late, but they clearly show the presence of a strict and harmonious legal system. In Iranian law, a person acquired an independent person from the moment of birth. In particular, in the Sudebnik (compilation of legal norms) compiled by Farahvmart, the son of Vahram, a contemporary of Khosrov II Aparvez (591–628), orders are mentioned for the transfer of things, and definitions of the share in the inheritance are given, made in case of birth and death of a person. Loss of legal capacity came only with death. Rights were held by both sexes. As in other countries, only the free man. The slave acted as the subject of law only to a limited extent. The man, the head of the family, had the greatest right. The full legal capacity of a member of the society came with the attainment of the age of majority - 15 years. The completeness of legal and legal capacity depended on his class, family and civil status. However, a person could lose legal capacity if he was convicted of a serious crime ("mortal guilt"). Moreover, according to the instructions of the Avesta, the Persians did not stand on ceremony with criminals who committed serious crimes.

"Avesta" indicates the need to cut off the head of the guilty of a serious crime after the first review of the case (not allowing the second review). True, by the Sassanian time, physical death (the execution of a criminal) had long been replaced by civil death. In some cases, in relation to persons guilty of crimes against the state, such executions nevertheless took place. For civilian death individual followed by the confiscation of all his property (assets and liabilities), the complete deprivation of his rights to participate in the life of society, including a ban on worship. Their rights were carefully guarded not only by the state and the community, but also by the church. So, with the spread of Manichaeism, which turned into a real force, the adherents of this doctrine were severely persecuted by the official Zoroastrian church and state. They were equated with the legally disenfranchised. A decree was circulated throughout the country, according to which it was ordered to confiscate the property of the Manicheans and teachers of Manichaeism into the royal treasury.

Teacher Mani

Here we consider it necessary to say at least a few words in defense of Manichaeism, a doctrine not understood and not accepted in a ruthless world ... In the 3rd century AD. e. in Babylonia, the future preacher Mani (Manu) was born in the family of an Iranian Pattitsia. From his first steps, it became obvious that the child was exceptionally talented. Like some kind of deity, from the age of four he was distinguished by outstanding abilities and intelligence. The wisdom of many nations was available to him. Soon he began to show interest in various religious movements (Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism). Having become acquainted with the teachings, he realized that the prophets, saints, sages, all the teachers of the peoples strive to convey to people the light of truth (Christ, Buddha, Lao Tzu, etc.). Mani could not understand why those who want good things for people divided the peoples religiously, as we say today, into different confessions. So, in his homeland, in Iran, the followers of Zurvanism and traditional Zoroastrianism were in a fierce confrontation. Mani proposed to unite religions, including their most successful provisions in a common religion, which was called Manichaeism. Manichaeism is a kind of universal choir of religions, consisting of representatives of different countries and peoples, unanimously performing common songs in one language. The idea itself is amazing and, as we would say, truly cosmic. It is not surprising that even the ruler of Persia, the formidable Shapur, was carried away by her. However, the priests, in particular the head of the Iranian church Kirder, a supporter of Zoroastrianism, strongly opposed this idea. Indeed, if everyone has one religion, then how to manage the people of different countries in the conditions of constant wars and confrontations?! After all, there is nothing more convenient than to move the dark people to the persecution and murder of a non-believer.

Manichaeism as a religion of friendship and brotherhood of peoples (a kind of Aryan-Iranian internationalism) and could not be met otherwise than with hostility by the ruling elites. The authorities have always needed bugbears, demons of fear, with which you can set people against people, caste against caste. Let us recall how in the Middle Ages the chroniclers of Europe used a certain vocabulary to designate the Gentiles, which made it possible to clearly distinguish “ours” from “theirs”: Muslims were called “enemies of the Lord” (inimichi Domi-ni), “companions of the devil” (satellites Diaboli), “enemies of God and holy Christianity" (inimichi Dei et sanctae Christianitatas). In turn, they are sharply opposed by the righteous, Christians, worthy peoples: “the people of God” (populus Dei), “knights of Christ” (Christi milites), “pilgrims” (peregrini), “Christ’s tribe” (gens Christiana), “sons of promises” (filii adoptionis et promissionis), “the people of Christians” (Christianorum populus), etc., etc. In the same way, the Soviet system, communism, could not be accepted by capitalism. Nothing in principle has changed in the five thousand years of the history of the so-called civilization: great ideas have been turned into a farce.

Golden rhyton (Achaemenid period)

The indigenous population was designated by the ethnonym "er" - Iranian (plural - "eran"), in contrast to "aner" - Persian ("non-Iranian"). The first in Sasanian times, and possibly earlier, were designated by the synonym "Zoroastrian". The latter have become synonymous with the word "non-Zoroastrian" ("non-Christian"). At the same time, even persons of Iranian origin, but not professing Zoroastrianism, were considered infidels. They were persecuted. Thus, under Shapur II (339–379) the persecution of Christians continued for forty years.

Sasanian Seal of "Vakhuden-Shahpuhr, Anbarkpat of Iran"

Nevertheless, Iranian law should be recognized as not devoid of democratic elements. For example, in the Code of Laws there is no indication of the inferiority of the rights of non-believers in private law transactions with Zoroastrians. Legal discrimination concerned only administrative aspects. The transition of a Zoroastrian to another faith (apostasy), however, was persecuted, but within limited limits. Persons professing Judaism or Christianity (and the number of persons of Iranian origin among the Christians of Iran was quite significant) were part of the respective religious communities, which had their own legal systems and autonomy in the area of ​​jurisdiction. Famous monuments of the law of the Jewish and Christian communities of Sasanian Iran, respectively, are such books as the Babylonian Talmud and the Sudebnik of Ishoboht.

It is worth mentioning the presence of other democratic elements in the class division of Iran. As you know, there were four estates in Iran - priests, warriors, farmers and artisans, which has an analogy among other Indo-European peoples. It is also interesting that the written evidence of the Achaemenid period, including Greek, does not contain indications of class division. There is no such information in the texts relating to the Parthian period, which is rather strange. The works in Greek and Latin contemporary to the first Sassanids do not mention any of the estates known to us from the Avesta. They are mentioned only in the Pahlavi, Armenian and Greek texts of the 5th-7th centuries. Although Persian and other Arabic texts (Tansar’s Letter, Ardashir’s Testament, Jahiz’s work “The Book of the Crown”, etc.), based on the late Sasanian tradition, say: as a result of the reforms of Artashir Papakan, the estate structure was subsequently restored in Iran.

N. Roerich. Order of Rigden-Japo

The authors are extremely cautious about the reasons for such silence or the sporadic occurrence of references to the estates of Iran. Apparently, not mentioning the class factor is explained by a number of reasons. First, the decline in the role of the ancient estate organization due to the emergence of strong state formations. But this moment is doubtful, because in other states the class division only strengthened with the strengthening of the state. Second, religious reasons. In Iran, religion, as we have already noted, has always played a paramount role. And therefore, in such a system, class division may recede before the role of the religious hierarchy. Thirdly, and this moment seems to us the most significant, Iran, which included a number of state formations (Elam, Media, the Achaemenid Empire, Greek policies), had to face the diversity and variety of forms (including estates) that existed in different countries. The conquest of vast territories, the inclusion of different peoples in the empire, the task of maintaining and managing this vast conglomerate of different languages, cultures, norms, and laws forced Iran to be extremely attentive and cautious towards the ethnically and religiously diverse mass of its subjects. Here the Persians subtly follow the advice of the great physician of antiquity - "Do no harm!" Willingly or unwittingly, Iran was a wise and largely democratic sovereign, despite outwardly despotic forms of government. This should be remembered by the current politicians of great Eurasia. Lyapustin Boris Sergeevich

Culture and worldview of the ancient Iranians. Zoroastrianism Iranian civilization was relatively young: the Iranians mastered writing only shortly before the creation of their "world" power. On the other hand, they made extensive use of the possibilities of interaction with