Related Articles
off-site :

buy e-books on
Restored
Zoroastrianism

visit the Temple of
Benevolent Light

ZOROASTRIANISM
Who fears God, does not know God  

Perhaps no other doctrine in Zoroastrianism is as famous as its "Doctrine of Good and Evil." It is also the most misunderstood and the most misperceived one. This is perhaps fitting, for not only is it the first clearly ethical religious doctrine in history, but it was and perhaps is the most satisfactory answer to what is known as the "problem of evil."

The Doctrine as given in Gathas - Song 3
In Song 3 of the Gathas, Zarathushtra gives us the basics of Zoroastrian thinking on Good and Evil. The very introduction in Verse 3:1 of this Song, he introduces what he calls "Principles" to "those who wish to hear" and tells us that these principles are "important to the wise."

Discernment
First of all in Song 3:2 he calls these principles, "discernments" which we have to choose between, after listening, or perceiving them and pondering on them with a bright, clear mind.

Mentalities
What then are these discernments? In Song 3:3 Zarathushtra calls them "Mentalities." (Mainyus), for the mind is the human faculty which makes Man capable of this discernment. He says that these two 'mainyus' are twins. These twins are also described as "…the 'better' and the 'bad' in thoughts, words and deeds." The better, progressive, creative, augmenting, edifying mentality is Spenta Mainyu and the opposite twin is "Aka Mainyu" the wrongful, retarding, evil mentality. It is pertinent to note here that in the latter literature these twin mentalities ended up being two "spirits" and eventually two entities "Ohrmazd" (God) and "Ahriman" (Devil) during the Sassanian dynasty, and gave rise to the misconception that there is Cosmic Dualism in Zoroastrianism.

Choices
However, in the Gathas there is no Ahriman and is never mentioned as an entity, or otherwise. The two mentalities, the two principles, are indeed Choices we humans must make per se (that is between the two mentalities themselves) and are also a way of making choices in life.

In Song 3:5 we are told that the wrongful mentality chooses worst actions, while the most progressive (Spentatoish) chooses Righteousness. The Gathas also assure us that those who will please the Wise One choose Righteousness by 'true actions." Conversely in the next verse, Song 3:6, the choice of Aka Mainyu is identified directly with a wrong choice - "the choice of the worst mind."

The Choice is always between the "Spenta" way of thinking, speaking and acting and the "Aka" way of thinking, speaking and acting. So instead of being two opposite 'spirit beings' (as in the later literature), in the Gathas the Mainyus are clearly 'ways of thinking' that exist in mortal minds. Those who choose Spenta are the Righteous and those who choose Aka are the wrongful. Therefore it is more than evident that there are no twin spirits battling in the Cosmos under the guidance of Ahura Mazda and Ahriman, which is a creation of misunderstanding of the Gathas by the Sassanians.

Consequences
In Song 3:4 these two are pictured as creating "LIFE" and "NOT LIVING", thereby implying that when we choose the Spenta way, we choose the right way of living and conversely when we choose the Aka way, it is indeed the wrong way of living……..which is synonymous with not living at all. The verse further warns of "…..until the end of existence ('angheush' - which can also be defined as 'world') the worst mind (or mentality) is for the wrongful, and the best mind, shall be for the Righteous"

Further in Song 3.11 we are explicitly told: "If you understand the two principles of prosperity and adversity (Mainyus as explained in Song 3:1), established by the Wise One, which are a long suffering for the wrongful and a lasting good for the righteous, then you shall enjoy radiant happiness."

Conclusion
Thus the Zoroastrian doctrine clearly enunciates, that Evil in Mazdayasna is placed inside mortal minds. It is produced by wrong, retrograde, evil choices. On the other hand Good is also a product of righteous, Spenta choices. Evil and Good are clearly ethical edicts, which have no real existence outside Man's minds, mentalities and choices.

As a logical conclusion of this teaching, we in Mazdayasna believe that there is no Evil in nature. Hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes and sicknesses, which humans believe to be Nature's wrath or a manifestation of Evil, or punishment for Man's misdeeds, are in Zoroastrianism ethically neutral. That is they are neither good, nor bad in themselves. They are either the products of chance, the existence of which is necessary to allow freedom of choice, or they are a function of Asha, necessary to uphold creation.

For example, while earth quakes and volcanoes do cause consequences that are destructive and disastrous to human existence, in reality they are necessary to relieve the inner pressure of the Earth's crust. Without this relief of pressure, the Earth would explode.

In Mazdayasna God is totally good, thus all His creation is good and is functioning as it was designed. Evil is the product of man's wrongful choices and it is to be eliminated by good choices. Zarathushtra expresses this beautifully as "delivering wrong into the hands of righteousness." When mortals eliminate evil choices they become progressively more Whole (complete), eventually leading to immortality in the better existence (the House of Good Mind) and in the very presence of our Creator.

 Questions and/or opinions? You're welcome on the discussion pages!                     (continue)