Textual sources for the study of Zoroastrianism
Boyce, Mary
Textual sources for the study of Zoroastrianism - Chicago University of Chicago Press 1990 - 166p.
General introduction vii
Acknowledgements viii
Abbreviations viii
Foreword ix
1. Introduction 1
1.1. The textual sources 1
1.2. The religious background to Zoroastrianism 8
1.3. Zarathushtra and his teachings 11
1.4. Some reasons for diversity in modern studies of Zoroastrianism 15
1.5. The ancient Iranian world picture 17
1.6. The seven holy days of obligation 18
1.7. The Zoroastrian calendar 19
1.8. The Zoroastrian ’world year’ 20
1.9. Chronological background to the texts 22
2. Tradition and doctrine 27
2.1. Ancient materials from the Yashts 27
2.2. Verses from the Gathas 34
2.3. Passages from the Zand of lost Avestan texts 45
3. Worship, prayer and confession 53
3.1. Selections from Yasna Haptanhaiti 53
3.2. Passages from the yasna liturgy accompanying the preparation of the haoma offering 55
3.3. The four great prayers 56
3.4. The creed (Fravarane) 57
3.5. The kusti prayers 58
3.6. The Hamazor 59
3.7. The benediction, or prayer for health (tan-dorosti) 59
3.8. From a general confession, Patet i Khwad 60
4. Rules and observances 61
4.1. The cult of fire 61
4.2. Concerning human ’nasa’ and the proper disposal of the dead 64
4.3. On ’taking the baj’ 66
4.4. Festivals 67
5. The life and legend of Zarathustra 71
5.1. Passages from Younger Avestan texts 71
5.2. Passages from the Zand of lost Avestan texts 72
5.3. Kavi Vishtaspa and the early wars of the faith 77
6. The fate of the soul at death, and a vision of heaven and hell 80
6.1. The fate of the soul, from Younger Avestan texts 80
6.2. The fate of the soul, from Pahlavi sources 82
6.3. A vision of heaven and hell, from Arda Viraz Namag 84
7. Apocalyptic texts 90
7.1. On the coming of the Saoshyant, from Yasht 19 90
7.2. On the three World Saviours, from the Zand 90
7.3. On the seven ages of the world, and the coming of the Saviours, from the Zand of Vahman Yasht 91
7.4. On Yima’s var, from Vendidad 2 94
8. A Zoroastrian heresy: Zurvanism 96
8.1. A citation from Theopompus 96
8.2. Versions of the myth of Zurvan and his twin Sons 97
9. Dogmatic passages from ninth-century Pahlavi books 99
9.1. From ’Selected Precepts of the Ancient Sages’ 99
9.2. From Shkand-gumanig Vizar, the ’Doubt-dispelling Exposition’ 101
10. Historical texts 104
10.1. From the Achaemenian period 104
10.2. From the Parthian period 108
10.3. From the Sasanian period 109
10.4. Passages concerning the Arab conquest and the early centuries of Islam 115
10.5. Concerning the Irani and Parsi communities, fifteenth to eighteenth centuries A. C. 117
10.6. From the reports of Europeans, seventeenth to eighteenth centuries 123
11. The faith in modern times: the nineteenth and twentieth centuries 132
11.1. From nineteenth-century European writings on Zoroastrian dualism 132
11.2. Passages from Parsi theosophical writings 135
11.3. Writings by moderate and radical reformists 139
11.4. Tradition in belief and practice 144
11.5. Matters of controversy 153
11.6. Restatements and reappraisal 157
Bibliography 161
Glossarial index 165
0226069303
Stepwells
Pahlavi literature
Avestan language
Landscape gardening
India
295 / BOY
Textual sources for the study of Zoroastrianism - Chicago University of Chicago Press 1990 - 166p.
General introduction vii
Acknowledgements viii
Abbreviations viii
Foreword ix
1. Introduction 1
1.1. The textual sources 1
1.2. The religious background to Zoroastrianism 8
1.3. Zarathushtra and his teachings 11
1.4. Some reasons for diversity in modern studies of Zoroastrianism 15
1.5. The ancient Iranian world picture 17
1.6. The seven holy days of obligation 18
1.7. The Zoroastrian calendar 19
1.8. The Zoroastrian ’world year’ 20
1.9. Chronological background to the texts 22
2. Tradition and doctrine 27
2.1. Ancient materials from the Yashts 27
2.2. Verses from the Gathas 34
2.3. Passages from the Zand of lost Avestan texts 45
3. Worship, prayer and confession 53
3.1. Selections from Yasna Haptanhaiti 53
3.2. Passages from the yasna liturgy accompanying the preparation of the haoma offering 55
3.3. The four great prayers 56
3.4. The creed (Fravarane) 57
3.5. The kusti prayers 58
3.6. The Hamazor 59
3.7. The benediction, or prayer for health (tan-dorosti) 59
3.8. From a general confession, Patet i Khwad 60
4. Rules and observances 61
4.1. The cult of fire 61
4.2. Concerning human ’nasa’ and the proper disposal of the dead 64
4.3. On ’taking the baj’ 66
4.4. Festivals 67
5. The life and legend of Zarathustra 71
5.1. Passages from Younger Avestan texts 71
5.2. Passages from the Zand of lost Avestan texts 72
5.3. Kavi Vishtaspa and the early wars of the faith 77
6. The fate of the soul at death, and a vision of heaven and hell 80
6.1. The fate of the soul, from Younger Avestan texts 80
6.2. The fate of the soul, from Pahlavi sources 82
6.3. A vision of heaven and hell, from Arda Viraz Namag 84
7. Apocalyptic texts 90
7.1. On the coming of the Saoshyant, from Yasht 19 90
7.2. On the three World Saviours, from the Zand 90
7.3. On the seven ages of the world, and the coming of the Saviours, from the Zand of Vahman Yasht 91
7.4. On Yima’s var, from Vendidad 2 94
8. A Zoroastrian heresy: Zurvanism 96
8.1. A citation from Theopompus 96
8.2. Versions of the myth of Zurvan and his twin Sons 97
9. Dogmatic passages from ninth-century Pahlavi books 99
9.1. From ’Selected Precepts of the Ancient Sages’ 99
9.2. From Shkand-gumanig Vizar, the ’Doubt-dispelling Exposition’ 101
10. Historical texts 104
10.1. From the Achaemenian period 104
10.2. From the Parthian period 108
10.3. From the Sasanian period 109
10.4. Passages concerning the Arab conquest and the early centuries of Islam 115
10.5. Concerning the Irani and Parsi communities, fifteenth to eighteenth centuries A. C. 117
10.6. From the reports of Europeans, seventeenth to eighteenth centuries 123
11. The faith in modern times: the nineteenth and twentieth centuries 132
11.1. From nineteenth-century European writings on Zoroastrian dualism 132
11.2. Passages from Parsi theosophical writings 135
11.3. Writings by moderate and radical reformists 139
11.4. Tradition in belief and practice 144
11.5. Matters of controversy 153
11.6. Restatements and reappraisal 157
Bibliography 161
Glossarial index 165
0226069303
Stepwells
Pahlavi literature
Avestan language
Landscape gardening
India
295 / BOY