Text of Confucianism Part 02

SR No.: 007676
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: James Legge
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1882
Total Pages: 2405
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 43 MB

Page 1404

III. MEANING OF KHVỆTOK-DAS.
423
them a very heinous sin, through faith in this law of the good, is that which is called the most perfect and best good work of Mazda-worship."
'This, too, is declared by revelation, that Adharmazd spoke unto Zaratast thus: “You should cause the performance of duties and good works.” And Zaratūst spoke thus: “Which duty and good work shall I do first ?" Adharmazd spoke thus: “Khvêtādâd; because that duty and good work is to be performed in the foremost place of all, for, in the end, it happens through Khvêtādâd, when all who are in the world attain unto the religion 1.”
This, too, is declared by revelation, that Zaratūst spoke unto Adharmazd thus: “In my eyes it is an evil (vado) which is performed, and it is perplexing that I should make Khvêtûdâd as it were fully current among mankind." Adharmazd spoke thus : “In my eyes, also, it is just as in thine; but for this reason—when out of everything perfect there is some miserable evil 2 for thee-it should not seem so. Do thou be diligent in performing Khvêtudâd, and others, also, will perform it diligently."
The unpopularity of the practice advocated could hardly be more fully admitted than in this last paragraph, nor the objection more irrationally and dogmatically disposed of. As for the numerous quotations, which the compiler of this Pahlavi Rivâyat
by the priests ('the good '). This is evidently an admission that the practice advocated was contrary to the ordinary laws of Mazdaworship itself.
As Pahlavi writers expect them to do before the resurrection. . Reading vado-î vêsht; but it may be something is difficult and hard' (tang va sakht).
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