Teachings of Zoroaster - Extracts - Pages 66 - 71

[Anne Terri]

THE TEACHINGS OF ZOROASTER,

AND


THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE PARSI RELIGION

EXTRACTS 66 - 71

p. 66

worst existence. When they have undergone their punishment at the renovation of the universe they attain, by complete purification. from every sin, unto the everlasting progress, happy progress, and perfect progress of the best and undisturbed existence."

GATHA HYMN *
Page 66 continued

"This I ask Thee, O Ahura! tell me aright: when praise is to be offered, how shall I complete the praise of the One like You, O Mazda? Let the One like Thee declare it earnestly to the friend who is such as I, thus through Thy Righteousness within us to offer friendly help to us, so that the One like Thee may draw near us through Thy Good Mind within the soul.

"This I ask Thee, O Ahura! tell me aright: how, in pleasing Him, may we serve the Supreme One of the better world?

. . . . .

"This I ask Thee, O Ahura! tell me aright: who by generation was the first father of the Righteous Order? Who gave the recurring sun and stars their undeviating way? Who established that whereby the moon waxes, and whereby

p. 67

she wanes, save Thee? These things, O Great Creator! would I know, and others likewise still.

"This I ask Thee, O Ahura! tell me aright: who from beneath hath sustained the earth and the clouds above that they do not fall? Who made the waters and the plants? Who to the wind has yoked on the storm-clouds, the swift and fleetest too? Who, O Great Creator! is the inspirer of the good thoughts within our souls?

"This I ask Thee, O Ahura! tell me aright: who, as a skilful artisan, hath made the lights and the darkness? Who, as thus skilful, hath made sleep and the zest of waking hours? Who spread the Auroras, the noontides and midnight, monitors to discerning man, duties, true guides?

"This I ask Thee, O Ahura! tell me aright these things which I shall speak forth, if they are truly thus. Doth the Piety (which we cherish) in reality increase the sacred orderliness within our actions? To these Thy true saints hath she given the Realm through the Good Mind. For whom hast Thou made the Mother-kine, the producer of joy?

"This I ask Thee, O Ahura! tell me aright: who fashioned Âramaiti (our piety) the beloved, together with Thy Sovereign Power? Who, through his guiding wisdom, hath made the son revering the father? Who made him beloved?

p. 68

[paragraph continues] With questions such as these, so abundant, O Mazda! I press Thee, O beautiful Spirit, Thou maker of all!

"This I ask Thee, O Ahura! tell me aright, that I may ponder these which are Thy revelations, O Mazda! and the words which were asked of Thee by Thy Good Mind Within us, and that whereby we may attain, through Thine Order, to this life's perfection. Yea, how may my soul with joyfulness increase in goodness?

. . . . .

"This I ask Thee, O Ahura! tell me aright that holy faith which is of all Things best, and which, going on hand in hand with Thy people, shall further my lands in Asha, Thine Order, and, through the words of Âramaiti (our piety), shall render actions just. The prayers of mine understanding will seek for Thee, O Ahura!

. . . . .

"This I ask Thee, O Ahura! tell me aright: who is the righteous one in that regard in which I ask Thee my question? And who is evil? For which is the wicked? Or which is himself the foremost wicked one? And the vile man who stands against me in this gain of Thy blessing, wherefore is he not held and believed to be the sinner that he is?

This I ask Thee, O Ahura! tell me aright: how shall I banish this Demon-of-the-Lie from

p. 69

us hence to those beneath who are filled with rebellion?"

CONFESSION OF FAITH
Page 69 Continued

"The good, righteous, right religion which the Lord has sent to the creatures is that which Zarathustra has brought. The religion is the religion of Zarathustra, the religion of Ahura-Mazda, given to Zarathustra."

THE CREED *

"I praise the well-thought, well-spoken, well-performed thoughts, words, and works.

"I lay hold on all good thoughts, words, and works.

"I abandon all evil thoughts, words, and works. I bring to you, O Amĕsha-çpĕntas,

"Praise and adoration,

"With thoughts, words, and works, with heavenly mind, the vital strength of my own body.

. . . . .

"I drive away the Daêvas, I profess myself a Zarathrustrian, an expeller of the Daêvas, a follower of the teachings of Ahura.

"A hymn-singer of the Amĕsha-çpĕntas, a praiser of the Amĕsha-çpĕntas.

p. 70

"To Ahura-Mazda, the good, endued with good wisdom, I offer all good."

PRAYER OF KEM NÂ MAZDA *
Page 70 Continued

"Whom hast thou placed to protect me, O Mazda, while the hate of the fiend is grasping me? Whom but thy Atar and Vohumanô (Angels in charge of Heaven), by whose work the holy world goes on?

"Reveal to me the rules of thy law!"

PRAYER OF KE VERETHREM GA †

"Who is he who will smite the fiend in order to maintain thy ordinances? Teach me clearly thy rules for this world and for the next, that Shros (Angel who fights Drug with an uplifted Club, and guards the Earth Night and Day) may come with Vohumanô and help whomsoever thou pleasest."

PRAYER OF ORMUZD YAST ‡
(In Praise of God)

. . . . .

"And he who in this material world, O Spitama Zarathustra! shall recite and pronounce § those names of mine either by day or by night;



p. 71

"He who shall pronounce them, when he rises up or when he lays him down; . . . when he binds on the sacred girdle or when he unbinds the sacred girdle; when he goes out of his dwelling-place, or when he goes out of his town, or when he goes out of his country and comes into another country;

"That man, neither in that day nor in that night, shall be wounded by the weapons of the foe who rushes with anger and is Drug-minded;

. . . . .

"But those names shall come in to keep him from behind and to keep him in front, from the Drug unseen, . . . from the evil-doer bent on mischief, and from that fiend who is all death, Angro Mainyus."

GOD AS THE KING, THE LIFE, THE REWARDER *
Page 71 Continued

"Praises, and songs, and adorations do we offer to Ahura-Mazda, and to Righteousness the Best; yea, we offer and we ascribe them, and proclaim them.

"And to Thy good kingdom, O Ahura-Mazda! may we attain for ever, and a good King be Thou over us; and let each man of us, and so each woman, thus abide, O Thou most beneficent of beings, and for both the worlds!


NOTES:


66:* Sacred Books of the East. Yaçna XLIV. Dr. L. H. Mills' translation.

69:* Spiegel and Bleeck's translation.

70:* Max Müller's "Sacred Books of the East."

70:† Ibid.

70:‡ Ibid.

70:§ See Introduction about the names of God.

71:* Sacred Books of the East. Translation by Dr. L. H. Mills.

The Teachings of Zoroaster
by author S. A. Kapadia - 1905

GOD'S LIVING BIBLE - THE THIRD TESTAMENT - RESEARCH LIBRARY :: THE HISTORY OF RELIGION :: The Lost - Coptic Gospels :: The Teachings of Zoroaster

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