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TENETS OF ZOROASTRIANISM FOR
PEACE AND HARMONY
The Zoroastrian prophet, Zarathushtra (Zoroaster to the Greeks), who was born some 3500 years ago in old Persia, composed a short but most significant prayer of 12 words among many others, in the Avestan language, the language of all Zoroastrian prayers. The prayer is the ASHEM VOHU, Ashem meaning righteousness. This is the very first prayer a Zoroastrian child is taught.
Free Translation of Ashem Vohu Prayer
Ashem (righteousness) is good. Righteousness is best. Righteousness is bliss. It is the highest bliss for the individual who is righteous for the sake of righteousness not for reward or return.
What does Righteousness Mean?
Righteousness is a very lofty word but what does it mean to an individual? Righteousness connotes virtues of life. Righteousness means truth, uprightness, honesty, integrity, justice, decency, sincerity, virtue, morality, benevolence, goodness. These are virtues that we would like to see in the ideal person. However, it is very easy for us to expound these virtues on paper but very difficult to put them into practice in today's materialistic
world.
How do you put these Virtues into Practice?
In a very simplistic way, righteousness is to do the right thing, at the right time, in the right place with the right means to achieve the right purpose. Righteousness is the universal law that stands for order, progress and prosperity.
According to this law good deeds produce good rewards, and evil deeds have bad consequences. A scientist working in a lab, a mathematician solving a formula, a musician composing music, a person counseling the needy, a mother caring for her family, and a student struggling with his homework are all implementing righteousness in their lives if they act with truth and integrity.
According to the teaching of Zarathushtra, Ahura Mazda (the creator) has given every human being a Vohu Manoh (Good Mind) to help us follow this path of righteousness. With our Vohu Manoh we can not only think, but we can reason and articulate, and this is what makes us so unique from all other living species on this planet. We have a mind that can think, analyze, separate, and distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil.
In the Gathas, the divine songs of Zarathushtra, which form the core principles of the Zoroastrian faith, the Prophet says:
"Shraota Geush Aish Vahishta Avaenata Sucha Manangaha Avarenao Vichithaya Narem Narem Khakhyai Tanuye
14th Biennial JAINA Convention 2007.
Jain Education International
104
For Private & Personal Use Only
Ervad Brigadier
Behram M. Panthaki behrampanthaki@hotmail.com)
Ervad Brigadier Behram M. Panthaki is a fully ordained Zoroastrian priest who provides honorary service to the Zoroastrian community and runs Sunday school for over 75 Zoroastrian children in Washington DC Metropolitan Area. Brigadier Panthaki took voluntary retirement from the Indian Army after serving for 30 years. He currently works as Human Resources
Director at Kingsbury. a non-profit organization in Washington, DC, that runs K-12 day school for children with learning difficulties.
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