OBJECTS OF RELIGIOUS CEREMONIAL 183 



Besides the Avesta scriptures, the language of which is akin to San- 

 skrit, the Parsee religious literature includes many works of a later 

 date written in other languages, chiefly in Pahlavi. Among these are 

 the Dinkard, the Bundahish, the historical account of the reformer- 

 king Ardeshii', the vision of Arda Viraf in his journey through heaven 

 and hell, a crude forerunner of Dante and his Divina Commedia, etc. 



ZOROASTRIAN THEOLOGY 



The supreme figure in Zoroastrianism is Ormuzd (Ahura- Mazda, 

 "Wise Spirit," properly "Lord Wisdom"), the all-w^ise Lord, the God, 

 who made heaven and earth and all that is therein, who governs every- 

 thing with wisdom, righteousness, and goodness. Associated with 

 him in the government of the world as his ministers are the Ameshas- 

 pands (AmesTia Spentas, "Immortal Holy Ones"): 1, Vohu Mano, 

 good mind (the good principle, the idea of good that works in man, 

 inclining him to what is good); 2, Asha, right (as conformity to the 

 moral law and order) ; Kshathra, the wished-for kingdom, (the King- 

 dom of God); 4, Armaiti, devotion (humble piety, reverence for the 

 Divine); 5, Haurvatat, welfare or perfection; Amertat, immortality. 

 With these six, to make up the sacred seven, Sraosha, the genius of 

 obedience, of "faithful hearing," is sometimes joined. They were at 

 first mere attributes of God, or personified qualities and ideals of hu- 

 man character in the likeness of God; later certain specified parts of 

 the world were put under their care; they were also assigned to differ- 

 ent days and months, and each has a peculiar flower and color. 



Besides the Amshaspands, who are termed the "children" of Or- 

 muzd, or may be designated as archangels, the Avesta mentions some 

 minor spiritual beings of the celestial hierarchy, such as the Yazatas 

 (modern Izads), "worshipful or holy ones," ordinary angels; the Frav- 

 asJiis, protecting spirits, who help men in battle and accompany souls 

 to the next world, and some mere abstractions, as Arshtat, watchful- 

 ness; Parendi, riches; AsM, rectitude, etc. 



Over against the realm of law and righteousness (asJia), ruled by 

 Ormuzd and his beneficient ministering spirits, is the sphere of the Lie 

 (druj) and wickedness, dominated by Ahriman (Angra-Mainyu, 

 "enemy spirit"), at the head of the daeras, a body of malevolent and 

 harmful powers. The relation of the opposing powers is variously 

 represented as the different parts of the Zoroastrian scriptures. In the 

 earlier Avesta (the GatJias), two primeval principles or causes of light 

 and darkness, of life and death, of good and evil, personified in Spenta- 

 Mainyu, the Holy Spirit of Ahura-Mazda, and Angra-Mainyu, respec- 

 tively, are assumed, both being subordinate to and united in Ahura- 

 Mazda. As they met they produced life and unlife, determining how 

 at last there should be for the wicked the worst state, and for the right- 

 eous the "best mind". Zoroaster is made to say: "In the beginning 



