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Customer Reviews (5)

In the name of Iran
This is a great book if you want to learn how certian concept of Zoroastrian faith emerged on Judism, Christianity and Islam; such as, after life, how Auhra Mazda judges people, and good people will be able to pass a bridge and wrong doers will fall off the bridge. There was one point that Zoroastrian did not share with other faith which was fasting.

Last, fire means justice, and Zoroastrian people do not worship fire, as a matter of fact they worship just one God, and call their God Ahura Mazda which means the Wise Lord.

The book briefly discussed how Zoroastrian faith shaped ancient political system in Iran.

It is a nice book to read and have fun.

True message of Zoroaster vs. Traditional Zoroastrianism
If you are interested in the pure message of Zoroaster, this and many other interpretations of the religion are misleading.

They deal generally with the traditional aspect of the religion as we know it today, which is really a mixture of many religious philosophies and practices which appeared before and after Zoroaster, such as Mithraism, Maniism, Mazdakism, Christianity which itself has derived many of it's traditions and concepts like Christmas, "son of god", Easter, etc. from Mithraism and other Iranian religions.

We can conclude that Zoroastrianism in Iran stayed true to Zoroaster's message only through the Achaemenid dynasty, ended by Alexander's invasion of Iran around 300 BC. One major contributor was Alexander's destruction of the royal library at Persepolis which contained the only written text on Zoroastrianism.

After 70 years of Macedonian rule, the Parthians (Iranian dynasty) started recollecting as much as they could to go back to their Zoroastrian roots, but they were not able to separate the true Zoroastrianism from other competing religions of the time.

The truth about Zoroaster's briliant and thought provoking message lies in the 17 simple chapters of Gatha, which is the only direct work of Zoroaster, in existence. His message was about human individuality, equality, truth, unification with the natural order, morality and, in fact, anti organized religion, which he viewed as root of greed and wrong doing in the world around him.

So after reading this and other books about Zoroaster and Zoroastrianism, please pick up the Gatha of Zoroaster and read it. It is available in many languages on-line, for free. And for further understanding, refer to a book called "Zarathustra" by Jalaledin Ashtiani.

Finally some good primary sources
This book is a real gem as is the whole series.Series editor John Hinnels, himself an expert on Zoroastrianism he wrote Zorastrians in Britain, has done a good job of getting many experts to put together the most important sources on the world religions.In this one Mary Boyce, the authority on Zoroastrianism and Professor emeritus at the University of London gives us some basic sources.Anyone studying Zoroastrianism knows that new editions of the primary sources dont come out very often.This book contains only selections of the Avesta, Vendidad and other works unfortunately.However, it does contain many other sources including works from Herodutos, Strabo and my personal favorite a newspaper report of the new Atash Bahram in Bombay dated 1897. This is essential for anyone with an interest in the subject.

Excellent Literary Excavation, Dubious Date
If you're interested in Zoroaster and the religion that came to bear his name, this book is essential reading. In it, Mary Boyce extracts and organizes texts from the now-(I gather)-degenerate form the Avesta has taken in the centuries since the religion became marginalized by Muslim conquest, into a comprehensible, rational sequence covering the the entire history of the religion. The translations are clear. The only caveat I have is her justification of a late Bronze Age date for the time of Zoroaster's life. Other than the archaic language of the Gathas and the simplicity of the society presupposed in the text, she offers no evidence, archaeological or otherwise, for the preservation, transmission, and flowering, in the later Persian empire, of Zoroaster's singular viewpoint. She requires a huge leap of faith the reasonable reader shouldn't have to make. For this reason, William Malandra's "Introduction to Ancient Iranian Religion" is a valuable companion and counterpoint. When reading about archaic language and viewpoints, it's good to keep in mind our own experience with King James English and pastoral religious imagery, in a society where most people speak modern English and have no direct experience shepherds or sheep, except in movies and old-fashioned books!

Excellent Literary Excavation, Dubious Date
If you're interested in Zoroaster and the religion that came to bear his name, this book is essential reading. In it, Mary Boyce extracts and organizes texts from the now-(I gather)-degenerate form the Avesta has taken in the centuries since the religion became marginalized by Muslim conquest, into a comprehensible, rational sequence covering the the entire history of the religion. The translations are clear. The only caveat I have is her justification of a late Bronze Age date for the time of Zoroaster's life. Other than the archaic language of the Gathas and the simplicity of the society presupposed in the text, she offers no evidence, archaeological or otherwise, for the preservation, transmission, and flowering, in the later Persian empire, of Zoroaster's singular viewpoint. She requires a huge leap of faith the reasonable reader shouldn't have to make. For this reason, William Malandra's "Introduction to Ancient Iranian Religion" is a valuable companion and counterpoint. When reading about archaic language and viewpoints, it's good to keep in mind our own experience with King James English and pastoral religious imagery, in a society where people speak modern English and have never seen shepherds or sheep! ... Read more

Product Description
This classic account of Zoroastrianism is the most comprehensive survey of the religion available. The study's two sections correspond to the two periods of Zoroastrian greatness in its homeland, Iran: the first occurred around 588 BC, during the Achaemenian Empire, and the second during the Empire of the Sassanians (225-652 AD), which long rivaled the might of Rome.
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Customer Reviews (3)

A Magesterial Study
Steven B. Herrmann
Author of "Walt Whitman: Shamanism, Spiritual Democracy, and the World Soul"

As the Zoroastrian scholar R. C. Zaehner (1961) tells us in his magisterial book The Rise and Fall of Zoroastrianism: the first prophet of Iran, the ancient Persian poet Zarathushtra, taught that every person is born with the freedom to choose between Good conscience and Bad conscience, the Good Mind and the Evil Mind, Right-Mindedness and Wrong-Mindedness, Truth and the Lie.From a Zoroastrian standpoint, there are two consciences within humans, as well as two wills that emanate from a pair of hostile twin Spirits, Spenta Mainyu and Angra Mainyu, the Holy Spirit and Destructive Spirit.Both Spirits are believed to have originally emanated from Ahura Mazdâh, the Wise Lord of the Gâthâs (pp. 33-50).The Gâthâs consist of five books of `hymns' or `songs' in the Avesta, a volume generally considered to have been written by Zarathushtra himself.In Zoroastrianism the twin Spirits are not one entity, they are split into a pair of warring opposites within conscience: a pair of hostile twin brothers that form an ethical dualism similar, but not identical to, the dualistic thinking of the Rig-Veda, yet unlike the oldest Hindu scriptures, Zarusthushtra thrust the dualistic conception of conscience directly into the forefront of his religious teaching (p. 40).It is a basic tenet of Zoroastrianism that sooner or later every person is faced with an ethical dilemma, a moral decision of having to choose between the two consciences.Ahura Mazda gave humans freedom to choose between the two consciences and twin wills and the Wise Lord of the Gâthâs was not exempt from having to make ethical decisions Himself.He had to choose between Good and Evil and this choice was transferred to humans who must ultimately decide between absolute opposites.Zaehner is a master at his art.When I first read this book I was in the midst of reading C. G. Jung's massive 1544 page study of Nietzsche's Also Sprach Zarathustra, where he traces the split in the monothsistic conception of conscience to the Persian archetype. Finding this book by Zaehner is just what I was looking for to illuminate the origins of the problem of Good and Evil.I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in theology, morality, ethics, the history of religious ideas, or analytical psychology. It may be the best book on the subject yet.

Excellent exposition of the Zoroastrian faith
Zaehner is probably the most respected Zoroastrian scholar around.If you want a clear and concise exposition of the Zoroastrian faith and historical experience, this is the work to consult.This book requires a modicum of understanding in order to comprehend the development of the faith, however, so I wouldn't recommend it as a first read.Mary Boyce's `Zoroastrians' is a good first book, as is Nigosian's `The Zoroastrian Faith'.I began reading this book first and couldn't get through it.Once I had some background, I was able to come back to it and read it with ease.

Zaehner goes to the very beginning:Zoroaster himself.He dates him to the traditional, but mostly now discredited, time of about 250 years before Alexander's conquest.The evidence for this comes from a single unreliable source, and most of the evidence indicates a time between 1600 and 1300 BCE.The primary line of evidence comes from the language and manner in which the Gathas, the songs of Zoroastrianism and the Avesta, the first scriptures are written:they indicate an undeveloped pastoral culture that had not yet begun to coalesce into a dominant Persian culture.The inaccuracy is not a big deal for this work.Zoroaster's ideas were truly revolutionary, to have a most dramatic impact on history in his singular development of the binary dualism of the cosmic sphere and metaphysical reality.He claimed there was one God worthy of worship, Ahura Mazda, who had one primary adversary, Angra Mainyu, who embodied the Lie and all that was evil.These beings were primal and respectively chose, according to the true natures, good and evil before the dawn of creation.Later to also be incorporated into certain sects of second Temple Judaism and in Christianity, these two beings were engaged in a cosmic battle for control over the world that would one day be finalized in an eschatological drama in Ahura's favor with the devil forever consigned to misery and torment.The prophet reduced the daevas, beings worshipped by the original Indo-Iranians to demons; they were the gods of the cattle raiders and symbolized cosmic chaos.The former benevolent deities were changed to the status of Amesha Spenta, emanations of the one God.Most likely, Zoroaster is also responsible for turning Indra, an important warrior-god, into a malevolent deity.In so doing, Zoroaster created the first unequivocally dualist religion, embodied by the strict separation of the good and the true from the bad and the false into two distinct beings, a religion which every man was to choose which side he was on.

The world was created by Ahura Mazda in order to help defeat the forces of evil, and was subsequently despoiled by Angra Mainyu who constantly attempted to thwart Ahura's will, an example being his sullying of glorious fire with smoke.Gaining the patronage of Vishtaspa, a northeasterly king, Zoroaster's message spread throughout the Iranian plateau.By the time Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, the new religion had become the dominant one, although having been altered subsequent to his death, most likely by Magi, by a lessening of the strictness of the monotheistic claim.It became the official religion of the Persian Empire and there is clear evidence that at least by the time of Darius, it was the one that was faithfully adhered to by the nobles and general population.This ascendancy represents Zaehner's "dawn" of the religion.

Zaehner discusses various strains within Zoroastrianism in extensive detail:hard monotheism, Zurvanism, of which there were at least two distinct types, and Manichaeism.All of these represented misunderstandings or syncretistic alterations of the original faith.Orthodox Zoroastrianism was marked by an eschatological fervor, the first religion to exhibit such qualities.The present world would one day end, after the appearance of one of Zoroaster's miraculously conceived descendants, called the Saoshyant, the forces of the Lie would be defeated, and humans would be bodily resurrected into a new paradise that would last forevermore.In the end, grace would be universal:after punishment and purification of the followers of the Lie, all human beings would eventually participate in this blessed existence, a true and lasting victory for Ahura Mazda, while Angra Mainyu would be reduced to ruin for eternity.

Zoroastrianism thrived in Iran, competed with Christianity and Manichaeism, and eventually gave in to Islam, after holding out respectably.Today it is a minority faith with less than one million adherents, mostly in India and Iran.Its effect was to last to this day, however:Christianity, via Judaism, and Islam would adopt much of its teaching, primarily reflected in their ethical dualism and eschatology.

This is the seminal work on the faith and is an excellent resource and must own for the history of religion enthusiast.

A Reprint of a Magisterial work on Zoroastrianism
When I first read this book I was still in high school.I found it on the shelves of the library of the University of Montana. Since I was not, of course, a University student at that time, I could not check it out.So I spent hours upon hours reading it in the library, returning day after day.I simply could not put the darn thing down.For here was a book on an ancient and hardly known prophet of Iran who taught an ethical monotheism centuries before the birth of Christ.Though Zaehner's work has been, in some respects, superseded by others who have followed him (such as Mary Boyce), no work on the subject before or since conveys so vividly, profoundly, and movingly the religious genius of Zoroaster.Furthermore, there has not appeared any work which deals so thoroughly or so sympathetically with the scholastic theology of the Zoroastrian priests during the Sassanian empire.Zaehner demonstrates, by means of hundreds of quotes (which he explains in a masterly fashion) that the Sassianian philosopher priests proposed a powerful solution to the problem of evil, a solution that still ought to be carefully studied by theists of any religious tradition. The final chapter, dealing with Zoroastrian eschatology, is still unrivaled, as a recent Zoroastrian scholar, Shaul Shaked, has confessed in print.Mary Boyce may think the work is "basically unsound", but such a sentiment is unworthy of her (for it is a kind of patricide), and it smells to me of "sour grapes".The reprint of this book after so many years is welcome indeed to any person who takes faith in a personal God seriously. ... Read more

Product Description
1918. The author attempts to give an outline picture of Zoroastriansm, and then of Judaism when it came to be somewhat a fixed system in the post-exilic times, in order to give the leading religious, social, and moral conceptions in each faith. Contents: Zarathustra and the Zeit-Geist; Judaism; the idea of deity; the host of heaven; naturalistic traits; the expectation of a redeemer; civil, social, and ceremonial regulations; morals and ethics; the future life. ... Read more

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Outdated
This is an old and very outdated work. While books on comparative religions are difficult to come by, this one offers very little insight. ... Read more

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This book sets out clearly and succinctly the major beliefs and practices which inform Zoroastrianism today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent Book
While the title of this book is "An Introduction" it goes into great detail and for me, reading this book, was in fact a colorful journey into a world that, as a Christian, is startlingly familiar. My favorite chapter would have to be "The Two Existences and the Problem of Evil", where the Spiritual and Material worlds are discussed with such freshness that it is as though you are just discovering them for the first time. Clark'sdescription of the Zoroastrian Creation Myth is also fascinating - and it is nothing like Genesis 1!

Systematic Zoroastrianism
This book is, hands down, the best systematic presentation of the Zoroastrian world-picture that I've ever read. It brings together the Gathas, the priesthood, the Yasna Liturgy, cosmology, and culture to show Zoroastrianism as a living faith in all its glorious complexity. Dr. Clark does a wonderful job explaining terminology and open debates. He thoroughly documents all of his sources for those interested in digging deeper.

The only flaw I found with his work was that he was, in some ways, too enamoured with his subject. Sometimes he almost loses his scholarly objectivity, especially when comparing Zoroastrianism to other living religions, Christianity in particular. One example will suffice: Late in the book he notes that Christian missionaries used "unfair" tactics in their analysis by comparing the Vendidad quite unfavorably (read the book and you'll understand) with the Gospels and arguing from that that Zoroastrians should convert to Christianity. Dr. Clark remarks something to the effect that "of course a fairer comparison would be to compare the Vendidad not with the Gospels, but with Leviticus". Actually, his desire to present Zoroastrianism in the best possible light as a viable contemporary tradition has lead him to "lose it" here. It is imminently fair and reasonable to compare the Vendidad to the Christian Gospels and not to Leviticus because Christianity (except for some real fringe groups) doesn't claim Leviticus has any normative authority over Christians in the same sense that the Zoroastrians claim the Vendidad is authoritative over them. Comparing Vendidad to Gospel *is* comparing apples to apples.

Other than this and a couple other "Come on!" moments, the book was quite informative. It's refreshing to read a book by a scholar who is passionately devoted to his subject.

If you would like to learn more about the Ashavan community or about the Gathic faith, this is the book to read!

Very well written book
Everyone who needs to know about Zoroastrianism must read this well written book ... Read more

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I Expected Better From Facts On File
There is not a thing wrong with the text of this book.It is well written and informative.The problem is that this book claims to be an updated edition.We've been able to find no changes from the prior edition.In my opinion, this is tantamount to defrauding schools and libraries with limited budgets, not to mention the folks who work hard to pay the taxes.Buy the version that's not updated.You'll get the same product probably for a better price and let Facts On File know that such conduct is not appreciated. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

One sided
Prof. Jean Kellens (who as pointed before, is certainly a man!) is a leading scholar of Zoroastrian/Mazdaian studies.However, he clearly belongs to one end of the scholary spectrum on the matters of Zoroastrian studies and has his own well-known opinions.He certainly believes that Zarathushtra did not exist, and he has other specific beliefs which need more space to discuss than a review.

The translator, probably the most well-known and respected English language scholar of Old Iranian studies, is also the major representative of the "Kellens" school in North America.The book in a way is a statement, one establishing the presence of the Kellens system in North America, where it usually is not taken seriously.

The essays are certainly very learned and have impeccable scholary weight, but their conclusions and statements should be taken with warning. The non-specialist reader should always notice that the opinions expressed are only one side of the coin.

Also, Prof. Skjaervo "goes" with his middle name, Oktor.

Four essays on Zarathushtrianism.
Dr. Prods Oktor Skjaervo deserves our deep thanks for taking the time to translate into English (and to elucidate further) four lectures on "Zarathustra and the Old Avesta" delivered at the College de France by a grand master on the lore of Avestan language and Zarathushtrianism, Dr. Jean Kellens.For me the greatest delight was to read pages 120-131, which highlights year by year, the magnificant output of Dr. Jean Kellens, displaying his depth and range of his "Avestic" erudition.

Though the book is intened for an advanced audience, the general outline and arguments can be followed even by a novice with appropriate reference guides.A novice may use this book as a model for scholarly publication in the difficult field of the Avestan language.I strongly recommend this book for review to every Parsee, Zarathushtrian and readers and admirers of Avestan lore.

Not for beginners
In the introduction, Prods Skjaervo says that he translated these essays to help his students at Harvard.So if you are attending Harvard and planning on studying Mazdaism this is a great book to read. It is filled with many of the brilliant insights of Jean Kellens and is a great read for serious students of religion.However, if you are not that familiar with Mazdaism I suggest you start with another work probably Nigosian.This book also talks considerable about the textual analysis of the Avesta from a linguistical perspective which makes it difficult to follow if you don't have some knowledge of linguistics. ... Read more

Product Description
"Isms" help to inform us, educate us and sometimes even amuse us. What would life be like without altrusim or cynicism, dogmatism or optimism? Below are just some of the "isms" explained in this collection of more than 400.

• Absolutism
• Albigensianism
• Aphorism
• Atavism
• Behaviouralism
• Bolshevism
• Buddhism
• Butskellism
• Calvinism
• Capitalism
• Communism
• Confucianism
• Dadaism
• Deontologism
• Dystopianism
• Eclecticism
• Empiricism
• Euphemism
• Existentialism
• Fascism
• Fauvism
• Fourierism
• Frotteurism
• Gaullism
• Geophagism
• Globalism
• Gnosticism
• Hedonism
• Hermeticism
• Hypopituitarism
• Idealism
• Ignosticism
• Irredentism
• Isomorphism
• Jansenism
• Jingoism
• Journalism
• Judaism
• Kabbalism
• Keynesianism
• Know-nothingism
• Lacanianism
• Leninism
• Lollardism
• Malthusianism
• Manichaeism
• Maoism
• Marxism
• Masochism
• Narcissism
• Neologism
• Nestorianism
• Obscurantism
• Onanism
• Orphism
• Ostracism
• Paganism
• Phallocentrism
• Poststructuralism
• Quakerism
• Quietism
• Quixotism
• Racism
• Reaganism
• Reductionism
• Romanticism
• Sacerdotalism
• Sadism
• Sapphism
• Solipsism
• Stoicism
• Sufism
• Tantrism
• Taoism
• Thatcherism
• Transvestism
• Trotskyism
• Ultramontanism
• Unilateralism
• Utilitarianism
• Utopianism
• Valetudinarianism
• Vorticism
• Voyeurism
• Wahhabism
• Zeism
• Zionism
• Zoomorphism

Customer Reviews (2)

Great gift, great browsing
I find myself casually browsing my copy at those in-between moments during the day, and enjoy these perfectly formed, erudite little morsels of learning. At its best, the Econ is both enlightening and witty, in a great juxtaposition. This book is the Econ's style at its best (I have other Econ books on business that are definitely more of a slog to work through). I concur with the previous reviewer: it's tailor made for gifting--just got one for a colleague.

TJ

A very fun book, makes a great gift for anyone!
I love this little book! Not only is it full of interesting information, but it is a lot of fun too. There is a very subtly, wry, witty sense of humor that peers out at you with a wink and a nod from behind every "ism". Did not expect that from a book published by the Economist! Well organized, well written, and I ordered two more to give as gifts. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Product Description
This volume traces the history of Zoroastrianism at times and places whereits existence has previously been largely ignored, or treated onlyepisodically. Literary, archaeological and numismatic evidence has been drawnon (some of it only recently brought to light), and local developments aredistinguished.In Iran itself some 200 years of Macedonian rule had little effect on thenational religion. To the east, Zoroastrianism survived in the Greco-Bactriankingdoms and under Mauryan suzereinty, where it came into contact withBuddhism. In Eastern Mediterranean lands it was maintained by Iranianexpatriates well down into Roman imperial times. They adopted Greek for theirwritten tongue, and Zoroastrian doctrines thus became known in the Greco-Romanworld.Study is made accordingly of Zoroastrian contributions to Hellenisticthought, and to Judaism, Christianity and Mithraism; and an excursus providesa thorough reassessment of the Zoroastrian pseudepigrapha. ... Read more

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Contents Include Zoroaster Himself The Mission and Ministry of the Prophet The Scriptures of Zoroastrianism Doctrine of Man Developments and Contacts ... Read more

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Interesting, accessible discussion.
Zoroastrianism may not be a religion many people have heard of, but it is a religion.It pre-dates Judaism, and may (in fact) be the foundation for Judaism, Christianity and Islam, as it has as its focus a "One-God," and the expectation that humans act in accordance with some sort of divine "inspiration."

What many don't know is that Zoroastrianism is still practiced today, although its numbers are dwindling quickly.This is because its adherents are not required to proselytize, may marry outside the religion, may change religions in the name of familial peace, and need not raise their children to be Zoroastrians.

It is almost as if its only expectation is that humanity (individually and collectively) should leave the world better off for our having been here.Very simple, but also very profound.

Read this book, and see where the monotheistic religions got their primary impetus. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume is part of a three-volume work tracing the history of Zoroastrianism. In the set, literary, archaeological and numismatic evidence is drawn on and local developments are explored. Study is made of the Zoroastrian contributions to Hellenistic thought and to Judaism, Christianity and Mithraism. An excursus provides a reassessment of the Zoroastrian pseudepigrapha. ... Read more

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This delightful book fulfils a desire of those who wish to know about the social and religious system of the Parsis. And there are many who have this desire for though the Parsi people are few in number - so few that in the statistics of the world population they are simply insignificant - they have an importance that is out of all proportion to their numbers. The Parsis are the best educated community in the whole of Asia. In trade, commerce and industry they have proved themselves among the most active and enterprising of the people of the world. In public spirit and philanthropy they have set a notable example to all men.Exiled for many centuries from their own land, they have maintained their identity as a race, and they have not ceased to take pride in their long and wonderful history. Commending the book Mr. John McKenzie states in his Foreword that this book stands out from the many works written about the Parsis and Zoroastrianism. He says that this is certainly the book to know more about the Parsi way of life. ... Read more

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This Elibron Classics edition is a facsimile reprint of a 1913 edition by Williams and Norgate, London. ... Read more

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A history and analysis of Zoroastrian religion with exploration of its Indo-European origins and its subsequent influence on Western moral systems ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more