A Zoroastrian Educational Institute

Journal

Towards Right-Mindedness – Progressively[1]

We, the elder, immigrant generation, finding ourselves now living in our adopted land, can discover in the Gathas, Zarathushtra’s Message which helps us to fully understand and appreciate our role within the context of the North American experience.[2]

Out of necessity, our focus has been survival and adaptation in a new land, and thus we have focused on the basic physiological and safety/security needs (Mazlow’s Hierarchy). We can now attend to the “growth needs”, which include perfection, justice, order, meaningfulness, truth, goodness, beauty, individuality, order, simplicity, and the self-actualization at the peak of Mazlow’s hierarchy. With that in mind, we will look at certain concepts of Zarathushtra’s message and see that there is practical application to daily life and great value for our continued life education.

In every developmental stage of life, there are some tasks. What is our task as the elder immigrant generation? What are we to do in this part of our lives? The following are examples of tasks found in our Gathas. This is not meant as all inclusive but as an example of how we can find out WHAT IT IS THAT WE ARE TO DO and HOW ARE WE TO DO? The means of accomplishment, naturally, is by GOODNESS OF THOUGHTS, WORDS AND DEEDS.

VIEWING TASKS AND CONTINUING OUR EDUCATION

FRASHO KERATI: The first of these tasks is To make our individual contribution in the progress towards Frasho Kerati, the refreshment and progression of the world. The world progresses towards perfection and we are collaborators with Ahura Mazda in bringing about this state of the world. This certainly is a beautiful and inspirational thought - to think that each day we are charged with the mission, to make a contribution towards bringing our world to progress and perfection, by thought, word and deed.

DO GOOD/FIGHT EVIL: The second task is To collaborate to bring about Goodness and to Fight Evil as co-workers with Ahura Mazda. Sometimes, we hesitate to become involved in the fighting of evil. Conflict is not pleasant, some people view these actions as “being political” and being involved in controversy. We would rather have others do the fighting. However, as Zarthushtis, if we ignore evil or turn from it, we are turning away from our responsibility. Dr. Dhalla states that we are called to adjust social wrongs, regenerate society, and that we are to do it individually and collectively. Actively working for righteousness and fighting against wickedness, is absolutely one of our guiding principles and so one of our tasks.

GROW IN WISDOM: The third task is, To Grow in Wisdom. According to Dr. Jehan Bagli  “Aging is a harvesting time of wisdom”. He says that, “We work in partnership with the source of wisdom, Ahura Mazda.”    It is our duty to become wise and to act through that wisdom.  We can all think of times when we have gone to elders of our community to seek advice and gain insights to dilemmas or to have a dialogue about the important questions of life. As Zarthushtis, we are charged with the responsibility of growing in wisdom through our thought, word and deed. We attain this wisdom through righteousness (Yasna 51.16) and the words of Zarathushtra, prayer, contemplation, and actively seeking enlightenment and wisdom from Ahura Mazda.

With our tasks in mind, we consider ways and means for continuing life education, conceptualizing within a chart,

In closing, as Dastur Dhalla said, “Free minds are communicating with the great minds, uniting with living minds to form community of minds upon earth. Knowledge knows not national frontiers, nor recognizes difference of caste, creed.” So true now more than ever as we communicate electronically, in a matter of seconds. Progress is a fact and, it is Ahura Mazda’s plan. It is our duty to collaborate with Him ethically, mentally, socially, physically, responsibly, individually and collectively. We can do it with the BEST SERENITY USING THE GATHAS AS OUR GUIDE.

“Indeed, Wise One, this reward is given to those who in their choice of physical life, truly serve the community of the fruitful world with their deeds of good mind, and God, promote your plan of wisdom through communal righteousness.” Yasna 31.14 (Jafarey)

[1] Appeared in the Winter 2002 issue of the FEZANA journal under the overall heading “Zarathushtrian Education: Zarathushtra’s vision in a life time’s learning”, guest edited by Dr.  Mehrborzin Soroushian, and Dr. Natalie Vania

[2] Bibliography

Bagli, Jehan. Lecture, The 12^th North American Congress, Chicago, Illinois, 2002.

Dhalla, Dr. M.N. History of Zarathushtrianism New York: Oxford University Press, 1938.

Dhalla, Dr. M.N. Our Perfecting World. New York: Oxford University Press, 1930.

Irani, D. J. The Gathas The Hymns of Zarathushtra. Newton, MA: The Centre for Ancient Iranian Studies, 1989.

Jafarey, Ali A. The Gathas, Our Guide.  Cypress, CA: Ushta Publications, 1989.