Zoroastrianism, like many religions, provides its followers with a philosophy, or guidelines by which to live. A deeply ethical religion, it leads them to make moral choices. Zarathustra’s great vision for humankind was to see people as capable of rational thought and fundamentally ethical—that is, able to make right decisions about how they live their lives. For a Zoroastrian the most important religious duty is to lead a moral life. In Zarathustra’s view life is a series of choices between good and evil. He urged his followers to choose goodness. Zoroastrians are taught to strive always to follow the path of Asha, or Truth. To be Zoroastrian is to respect and honor such virtues as truth, kindness, humility, compassion, gratitude, love of family and friends, respect for others and for the community, respect for the environment, kindness to animals, hard work, hospitality, and generosity. These are the Good Thoughts, Good Words, and Good Deeds of Zoroastrianism.
The Amesha Spentas provide a framework for living the good life that Zarathustra described. They are aspects of Ahura Mazda himself, which later became personifi ed as spirits or angels. By focusing on the virtues represented by the Amesha Spentas, humans may acquire these virtues themselves. The Amesha Spentas thus provide a framework for Zoroastrian life.Asha is a Gathic word and diffi cult to translate. The closest translation in English is “truth” and “righteousness,” but Asha means more than that. It carries with it the idea of perfection. Asha is truth, wisdom, righteousness, justice, and progress in one ideal. In Zoroastrian belief, there is no higher ideal than Asha. The perfect world of Ahura Mazda is organized according to Asha, the ideal Truth. Zoroastrians try to follow the path of Asha in their lives. Of all the principles laid down in the Gathas by Zarathustra, Asha is perhaps the most important.
Zarathustra mentions it more than any other principle, and he obviously considered it essential to the practice of Zoroastrianism. He says, “For as long as I am able, and have any strength, I shall pursue the Truth [Asha].” (Ys. 28.4) The importance of Asha goes beyond the Gathas. The Ashem Vohu, which is considered the most basic prayer of Zoroastrianism, praises Asha above all things. Zoroastrians try to pursue and live according to the Truth in their lives but this has never been easy. There may be many truths, although what someone believes is not necessarily true, no matter how sincerely he or she believes it. There are different kinds of truth—for example, spiritual truth and scientifi c truth. Truth is diffi cult to know. Moreover, people are limited in their ability to know it by their human viewpoint. Zoroastrians know that they may pursue Asha for a lifetime and never fully know it. However they must never stop trying to learn it and act according to it. This means constantly searching, constantly learning, constantly questioning, and constantly listening—to other Zoroastrians, to their own conscience, to the words of Zarathustra.
Zoroastrianism, Holy Days and Celebration in Ancient Persia
