ZARATHUSHTRA - FATHER OF PHILOSOPHY

ZARATHUSHTRA
FATHER OF PHILOSOPHY

It is interesting to know that Plato called Zarathushtra the father of philosophy. Philosophy means love of wisdom. The ancient Iranian name for Zoroastrian religion is "mazdayasna" which also means worship of wisdom or as Zarathushtra viewed it - to serve with love.

Zarathushtra's name for God is Ahura Mazda - The Wise Lord or Lordly Wisdom. Our Gathas contain lofty thoughts and the language being ancient - their interpretations were sometimes done with little understanding of the metaphorical, multi-layered and deeply spiritual meanings.

A student of philosophy will at once realise that the Gathas contain all eternal truths of life. Compare the knowledge in them to books on philosophy written in English and you will find that they contain the same wisdom.

(A snippet of fact that I read out at the Fire Temple on Jamshedi Navroz i.e. 21st March 2010 along with the below given expansion of the meaning of ASHA.

ASHA - ESSENCE OF ASHEM VOHU PRAYER

Asha is an aspect of divinity. The English translation of the word that we are all familiar with is ‘TRUTH’. The word literally means ‘what fits” and is applied to laws that govern both worlds – that is mind and matter.

In the world of matter, what fits is what is accurate – truth.

In the world of mind and spirit, what fits is what is right – truth, goodness, compassion, loving kindness, generosity, benevolence - i.e. a complete absence of bad. These are the qualities connected with the word Asha.  So Asha in the world of mind and spirit means not only what is good – but also the absence of what is not good. In other words “asha” in its highest or best form means pure truth, pure righteousness, pure goodness, pure compassion, pure love.

Now I wish to talk of a consequence not previously understood by us as an attribute of “Asha”. Asha is perfect justice which sets in motion the law of consequences – that what we do – good or bad – comes back to us…….BUT HERE IS WHERE OUR KNOWLEDGE IS A BIT INCOMPLETE. IT DOES NOT COME  BACK  by way of punishment which is the popular conception…..but by way of enlightenment….to expand our understanding, our thinking.

At first glance this  may seem inconsistent that on the one hand justice with its relentless law of consequences and on the other, generosity or love are both included in the meaning of the word Asha. But the apparent inconsistency disappears when you think that the “so called bad consequences” or our wrongful choices are not punishments per se …….but rather are one way of increasing our understanding and compassion of bringing to light the fact that we have erred and helping us to realise the divine power within each one of us. So to sum up divine justice, which generates the law of consequences is also an expression of love and generosity. THE TRUE BENEVOLENCE OF AHURA MAZDA.