The origins and the stages of the iranian mysticism’s development (mithraism, zoroastrianism, manichaeism)

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THE ORIGINS AND THE STAGES OF THE IRANIAN MYSTICISM'S DEVELOPMENT (MITHRAISM, ZOROASTRIANISM, MANICHAEISM)

Tan Tan Davani H.

Abstract

Mystic beliefs of the ancient Iran have a very long history - Mithraism, Zoroastrianism, Mazdaism and Manichaeism - more than 10,000 years.

The goal of the scientific research is to consider the origins and the development of the mysticism in the ancient Iran (HI century BC-- ХН century AD).

The methods of the scientific research: culture--historical, chronological and dialectic methods, and also ones of systemic analysis, synthesis and comparison.

Historical evidences about the first mystic beliefs and culture are present in the inscriptions of the Achaemenian Kings, "Vedic texts", "Avesta" and the treaties of Herodotus. In article we discover general content of the above-mentioned mystic cults, especially its view of the world, the qualities of gods, the place of humans and their right lifestyle.

The main conclusions: 1. The ancient Iranian philosophical traditions and thoughts are originated from pre-Islamic era of the Persian philosophy which have the ancient Indo-Iranian roots. 2. Some of the pre-Zoroastrian and Zoroastrian mystic traditions continue to influence even today the global mystic culture (for instance - the meaning of the days of week in English).

Keywords: Iranian Mysticism, Mithraism, Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, Mazdaism, "Avesta", AhuraMazda.

Тан Тан Давані Х.Походження і етапи розвитку іранського містицизму (мітраїзм, зороастризм, маніхейство)

Містичні вірування стародавнього Ірану мають тривалу історію - мітраїзм, зороастризм, маздаїзм та маніхейство - більше 10,000 років існування.

Метою наукового дослідження є розглянути походження та розвиток культу містицизму в стародавньому Ірані (ІІІ ст. до н.е.--ХІІ ст. н.е.).

Методи наукового дослідження: культурно--історичний, хронологічний, діалектичний методи, а також методи системного аналізу, синтезу і порівняння.

Історичні свідчення про перші містичні вірування наявні у надписах ахеменідських королів, "Ведичних текстах", "Авесті" та у трактатах Геродота. В статті ми розкриваємо загальний зміст вищезазначених містичних культів, зокрема їхній світогляд, якості богів, місце людей та їх правильний спосіб життя.

Основні висновки: 1. Стародавні іранські філософські традиції та думки походять з до-ісламської епохи перської філософії, які мають старовинне індоіранське коріння. 2. Деякі до-зороастрійські та зороастрійські містичні традиції продовжують впливати навіть сьогодні на світову містичну культуру (наприклад - значення днів тижня англійською мовою).

Ключові слова: іранськиймістицизм, мітраїзм, зороастризм, маздаїзм, маніхейство, "Авеста", АхураМазда.

Тан Тан Давани Х. Происхождение и этапы развития иранского мистицизма (митраизм, зороастризм, манихейство)

Мистические верования древнего Ирана - митраизм, зороастризм, маздаизм та манихеизм - имеют длительную историю - больше 10,000 лет существования.

Целью научного исследования является рассмотреть происхождение и развитие культа мистицизма в древнем Иране (Ш ст. до н.э.--ХИ ст. н.э.).

Методы научного исследования: культурно--исторический,

хронологический, диалектический методы, а также методы системного анализа, синтеза и сравнения.

Исторические свидетельства о них присутствуют в надписях ахеменидских королей, "Ведических текстах", "Авесте" и в трактате Геродота. В статье мы раскрываем общее содержание вышеуказанных мистических культов, в частности их мировоззрение, качества богов, место людей и их правильный способ жизни.

Основные выводы: 1. Древние иранские философские традиции и мысли происходят из до--исламской эпохи персидской философии, которые имеют старинные индо-иранские корни. 2. Некоторые до-зороастрийские и

зороастрийские мистические традиции продолжают влиять даже сегодня на мировую мистическую культуру (например - значение дней недели на английском языке).

Ключевые слова: иранскиймистицизм, митраизм, зороастризм, маздаизм, манихейство, "Авеста", АхураМазда.

A number of religions were practiced in the different geographical parts of ancient Iran in the various periods of history, all of which underwent many changes in the course of time, owing to the various social and political developments and upheavals faced by the country. It is mainly due to this reason that details concerning the original forms of these religions and their relationship with each other are shrouded in haziness and ambiguity.

Persian mysticism can be traced back toold Iranian philosophical traditions and thoughts with their ancient Indo-Iranian roots. These were considerably influenced by Zarathustra's teachings. Throughout Iranian history, due to remarkable political and social influences such as the Macedonian, the Arab, and the Mongol invasions of Persia, a wide spectrum of schools of thought arose. These espoused a variety of views on philosophical questions, extending from Old Iranian and mainly Zoroastrianism- influenced traditions to schools appearing in the late pre- Islamic era, such as Manicheism and Mazdakism, as well as various post-Islamic schools. Iranian mysticism after Arab invasion of Persia is characterized by different interactions with the old Iranian mystic philosophy and the Greek philosophy.

Professor R. Grishman (Ukrainian archaeologist, explorer, and historian, educated at the Sorbonne in Paris) in his book "Iran from the earliest times to the Islamic conquest" describes Iran in the last fifteen hundred years BC before the invading Arabs. In hisbook, he explains that" Iran was a highway for the movement of peoples and for the transmission of ideas. From the prehistoric period onwards, and for 1,000 years more, it held this important position as an intermediary between East and West. In return for what it received it never ceased to give; its role was to receive, to recreate, and then to transmit" [4, p.16-54].

The story of civilization is like the story of Iran. Hegel writes in his book "The Philosophy of history": "The principle of evolution begins with the history of Iran". The main part of the story of civilization began after the last Ice Age. Broadly speaking, the Stone Age began roughly 2.5 million years ago and ended in parts of the world after the last Ice Age. In the Stone Age, human groups in different parts of the world began using stone tools at different times and abandoned stone for metal tools at different times. What we know it as "Mysticism" is part of the story of civilization that appeared after the Stone Age. The history of human evolution and also the story of civilization and the ancient religion have many unclear and ambiguous things. But we can draw a very big and rough picture of what has happened after the Ice Age within the area of Persia.

The main principles and the basic belief structure of the ancient Iranian mysticism like Zoroastrianism (its followers of which still live in Iran) are somewhat better known because of the availability of certain evidences and sources. However it is clear that several faiths and mystic beliefs existed in ancient Iran in different forms, the influences of which can be observed in the later mysticism such as Mithraism, Manichaeism, Zoroastrianism, Mazdaism, Zurvanism. These religions had also influenced to a great extent the ancient Iranian art and literature as well as its other cultural heritages. All the available historical evidences show that during the different periods, Iranians altogether not only kept to their old beliefs but actually tried to integrate them with delicacy and skills within the new beliefs.

In general, the sources that are available for providing us with information regarding the pre-Zoroastrian religions of ancient Iran are as follows:

1. The works of Greek writers like Herodotus, Strabo, Polybius, and others that contain sporadic information regarding the traditions and religious beliefs of ancient Iran;

2. The remained parts of the "Avesta", concerning the sources of Mazdaism the only comparatively sure points in which direct and indirect references have been made to the beliefs and views that were more ancient than Zoroastrianism. It is worthwhile to mention that both Zoroaster and the early Zoroastrians had for a long time struggled to prevent the beliefs of the pre-Zoroastrian faiths from penetrating into the Zoroastrian thought and belief structure. Nevertheless, some elements of these ancient religions eventually found their way into the Mazda- worshipping Zoroastrian religion and merged with it. Thus "the Avesta" - and particularly the sections of the Yashts, which comprise hymns in praise of God - is one of the most important sources available concerning the religions that existed in ancient Iran.

3. The "Vedic texts": These ancient Indian religious texts constitute another important source for research on the religious beliefs and traditions of the ancient Iranians. This is mainly due to the fact that the two branches of the Aryan race that had apparently separated from the other Indo- European tribes in the second millennium BC had a lot in common in the areas of language, legends, epics, and religious beliefs. Moreover, what has been referred to as the "Iranian religion" in the writings of the ancient Greek historians clearly resembles the vedic beliefs and, therefore, there is no doubt that the Vedas are also one of the most important existing sources that provide researchers with information on the religious beliefs of ancient Iran. Pre- Zoroastrian religion of the ancient ancestors was centered on nature cults mostly belonging to the Stone Age, such as the cults of water and fire. Many elements of these ancient cults have survived in Zoroastrian and Indian Vedic literature. Elements such as water and fire were personified. Water itself became a goddess the "Apas" (modern Persian Aab) with specific prayers and libations made to her. The elders of each household regularly made offerings (from the plant and animal world) to the nearest pool or spring and there were communal ceremonies involving the priestly rites. Fire, named "Atar" (modern Persian Azar/Atash) was also worshipped with offerings consisting of clean dry fuel, incense and animal fat if available.

4. Inscriptions of the Achaemenian Kings. These inscriptions also make faint references to the religious beliefs of the ancient Iranians and since they don't particularly mention Zoroaster's name as well as the specific Zoroastrian principles, they can be considered as a part of the non-Zoroastrian culture of ancient Iran. Basing on this statement, it could be said that even though it is not possible to have an exact picture of the pre-Zoroastrian religions of the ancient Iranians, it is possible at the same time to reconstruct certain important characteristics and principles of these faiths with the help of the above mentioned sources and references. Thus, based on these evidences it can be inferred that the religion in Iran has a very long history, more than 10,000 years. Mithraism and Zoroastrianism are two old Persian religions that influenced almost all mysticism.

Many Persian myths and Persian customs are older than Zoroastrianism and belong to Pre-Zoroastrian period. Mithraism is the main mysticism in the pre-Zoroastrian era in Iran. The worship to Mithra, the Iranian god of the sun, justice, contract, and war, during II and III centuries AD was set in all areas in the Roman Empire, in mainland Europe, North Africa and Great Britain. In the Roman Empire, this deity was honored as the patron of loyalty to the emperor. In 66 AD King Tirdad introduced Mitra's religion to Nero and up till 325 AD it was the official religion of the Roman Empire. In the first century, during Ashkanian reign, Iranian merchants and believers brought Mitraism to Europe and it was mixed there with Aristotle's and Plato's philosophy. After the acceptance of Christianity by the emperor Constantine the Great in the early 4th century Mithraism rapidly declined.

Alexander's age had a profound influence in bringing different cultures together. Religious movements in this period begin to get farther from ethnic or national boundaries and take on a global meaning or significance. Manichaeism was one such world religion. Mani was preaching an idea capable of uniting all the different ethnic and religious groups under the Sassanid Empire.

The Greek philosophers at the time considered his religion as a "gnostic" one. Mani was well familiar with Greek thought and traces of not only Plato and Aristotle but also Alexandria's neo-Platonist ideas can be found in all his writings. In his religion you can observe elements from all the ideas and religions of his time. The Manichaeism was founded by Mani (216 AD). Mani was a Iranian by birth, In the doctrine of Manichaeism, "The Teaching of Light" as it was called, the Universe was originally divided between two eternal, uncreated, and utterly irreconcilable principles: Light and Darkness. Light was Spirit and hence "good" and that Darkness was Matter and consequently "evil". Mani taught a strict dualism of spirit and matter. He held that good and evil are in essence and in origin separate and opposed, and that they became mixed in this world through the act of the evil principle (Matter or Darkness). Salvation lies in the release of goodness (Spirit or Light) from Matter, and its return to its original state of separation. This teaching Mani set out in an elaborate mythology, harmonized deliberately from different elements. Manichaeism ultimately failed in Europe and the Middle East by its inability to compete with Islam and Christianity. Manichaeism continued to flourish in the barren plains of Central Asia.

The mazdakian and manavian movements during the Sassanid period were both a reflection of popular anger against social and religious privileges introduced by them. In Mani's religion everybody were equal and could reach higher grades only through devotion.

Mani considered the world as based on two principles both of which he understood as eternal: darkness and light. Khodavandegar ("the divine god") was the god of goodness and light whilst ahriman ("satan") was the god of darkness.

This duality in creation was also extended to the created. Human beings also had two contradictory souls at the same time. There were thoughts, sensations and intelligence coming from the dark side, as opposed to the thoughts, sensations and intelligence emanating from the enlightened soul.

For example, Mani considered kindness, faith, patience and rationality to be products of the enlightened soul, whilst vengeance, anger, lust and impudence came from the dark soul. Purification of the soul and strengthening the enlightened side in preparation for a return to the eternal light was the corner stone of his religion.

For the devout Manichaeism, denouncing worldly goods, inner contemplation, and esoteric speculation, appreciation of beauty, cleanliness and goodliness was a way of life. In this religion, position, class and nationality played no role and reaching divinity was possible for all. It only depended on spiritual training and progression of the individual.

Mani recognized three principal "Ages". The first Age was before this visible universe came into being, when the Two Principles were entirely separated. In the second Age, our present age, Darkness burst through the dividing partition into the region of Light, and this resulted in universal conflict. The third Age, that of the final consummation, will bring the final triumph of the Truth and the Light and the complete separation, as in the first Age, of the Realm of Light and the Realm of Darkness. He decorated his religious books with beautiful paintings so that the world of light would be appreciated in its beauty. Manichaeism ultimately failed in Europe and the Middle East by its inability to compete with Islam and Christianity.

All the survived Iranian Manichaean manuscripts were discovered this century among the sand-covered ruins of Manichaean monasteries in Chinese Turkestan. Most were found in ancient Qocho (near modern Turfan). They are written in three Iranian languages: Middle Persian, Parthian and Sogdian. The first two languages were church- languages for the Sogdians of Central Asia. There is one fragment in Bactrian, which is an Eastern Iranian language like Sogdian. Both Middle Persian and Parthian belong to the Western Middle Iranian group. The texts are usually written with ink on the paper, although a few of them are on written on the leather. The Middle Persian and Parthian manuscripts are written in the characteristic Manichaean script, which is akin to SyriacEstrangelo, and was evidently the form of writing used in Mani's homeland. The Sogdianmanuscripts are written partly in this script, partly in a script that is known either as "Sogdian" or as "Uigur" (from its adoption by the Uigur Turks). This, like the Pahlavi script, is an adaptation of the Achaemenian chancellery script, deriving from Aramaic [3, p.1].

Most of the manuscripts are beautifully written and some of them are illuminated. However, all have been badly mutilated, either by the action of the elements, or deliberately, in the past, by Buddhist or Moslems. Very few single pages even survive intact, and most of the material remained in small, damaged fragments. There are too few evidences to date properly these manuscripts; a few of them show consistent evidence of late pronunciation, but most maintain the orthography established in the III century. The scribal tradition is almost uniformly excellent. The bulk of the Iranian Manichaean material was found by German expedition and it is preserved in Berlin.

The state religions of the time considered Manichaeism as a threat. By the IV century AD its followers were persecuted to death in Persia, Rome and Egypt. Manichaeism continued to flourish in the barren plains of Central Asia, where it became to concentratein the city of Turfanthat is in the northwest of China now. It even became the state religion of the short-termed Uighur Empire, until it was wiped out in the 13th century AD by the Mongol invasions. It survived in the southern China as the "Religion of the Venerable Light" until the 17th century AD.

But even after the death of Mani and the long persecution of its followers' ideas continued to survive for centuries in both Asia and Europe.

Mithra (or Mehr) was the ancient Persian god of light and wisdom. Mithraism was the root of Zoroastrianism, and Zoroastrianism was the first monolithic religion in the world. Mithraism and Zoroastrianism both influenced a lot of following religions including Christianity. Many ancient religious traditions in Persia are global traditions now. There are some examples of the common notions and ideas originated from that time: the idea of life after death, notions of "heaven, hell and limbo", the idea of Satan (or Ahriman), the idea of crossing of the bridge on the road to heaven (that is decisive for the final fate), the idea of resurrection, the idea of being judged after the death, notion of "individual judgment", the idea of fasting and paying religious tax, regarding fire as a sacred entity, using candle and fire in the funeral rites and the ritual, charity and distributing food among the poor, symbolic uses of food, animal sacrifice, avoiding certain foods, thanksgiving to God, daily and periodic ceremonies and rituals, a series of holy days and holy festivals and celebrations, and many other traditions are among what the Persian introduced to the world 10,000 to 4,000 years ago. Some believe that after

Alexander's era, Mithraism spread rapidly throughout Rome and the Roman provinces in the I century BC. Mithraism became popular there, and Christianity borrowed many things from Mithraism. Mithraism was older than Zoroastrianism, and many Persian traditions and the Persian myths about Mithra, Anahita, Jamshid, Siavash, Arash, Kaveh, Zahak, Sraosha (Soroush), Rashnu, etc. are older than Zoroastrianism and belongs to Pre-Zoroastrian, mainly to the Mithraic culture.

Anahita or Nahid is the oldest Persian form of an Iranian goddess, as the divinity of `the Waters' (Aban) and hence associated with fertility, healing and wisdom. [Now "Aban" is the name of the 8th month in the Iranian calendar, and "Mehr" is the name of the 7th month. The Mithraist names of the days of the week have remained, except for the changement in the language. This can be observed in the following examples: Mahshid ("God of Moon") - Monday in English, Montag in German, Bahramshid ("the day of TeeVis") - Tuesday in English and Dienstag in German, Tirshid ("the Vedin day") Wednesday in English and Mittwoch in German, Berjisshid ("the day of Tour") - Thursday in English and Donnerstag in German, Nahidshid ("the day of Erie, god of fertility") - Friday in English, Fristag in German, Keyvanshid ("the day of Saturn") - Saturday in English and Samstag in German, Mehrshid ("the day of Sun") - Sunday in English and Sonntag in German.In 321 AD Constantine the Great declared Sunday a weekly holiday [7, p. 1-60].

Mitra had twelve supporters and theyremind us Christ's apostles. During the repairing of the old churches around the world including those in Germany, France and Russia there were found numerous signs of Mithraism. Christianity was influenced by the variety of traditions and rituals of Mithraism and it became the leading religion of European civilization.

The era of Mithraism continued to favor Zoroastrianism hence many belongings of the Mithraism were destroyed under the Persian Empire. The similar fate befell for Mithraism in the west when the Christianity took over it. Some believe that the Romans feared being taken over by the Persians and tried to become independent. But the Roman Empire regarded Iran as the birth place of Mithraism and they made no attempt to hide it. Zoroastrianism is the religion which based the wisdom of Zarathustra. This wisdom has rooted the development of the Indo-Iranian philosophy. Zoroastra lived from 1500 to 500 B.C.E. Central to its view is a cosmic struggle between good and evil in which humans are called to participate. Ahura Mazda (later Ormazd), the creator of the universe, chose the good, while the evil spirit, Angra Mainyu (later Ahriman) chose the evil. These two are both primordial, but Ormazd will defeat Ahriman at the end of time. Its highly developed conceptions of spiritual beings and its eschatology probably influenced Jewish thinking in the later centuries B.C. It uses fire as its central symbol, so that the Muslims called the Zoroastrians "fire worshippers". Zarathustra asked his listeners to attend to his teachings, and with care and clear mind, choose a life of intelligent reflection and active benevolence. The quintessences of Zoroaster's teachings are embodied in the triad: Umata - Good Thoughts, Hkhata - Good Words, Hvarshta - Good Deeds.

In the III century AD Zoroastrianism was reorganized as the state religion of the Sassanian dynasty. After the Muslim conquest, most Iranians became Muslims, but Zoroastrian activity remained vigorous for some time. A small Zoroastrian community continues to exist in Iran and a larger one in India (the Parsis).

In the earliest stages of Greek philosophy, alongside the idealist and materialist schools there were some thinkers that were "neither this nor that". Gnosticism was the name of one such school of mysticism. Its followers were called Gnostics. But Greek Gnosticism was itself influenced by the more ancient Persian Mithraism. After Alexander's conquest of Iran, when Zoroastrianism the official religion of the defeated state was weakened, Mithraism began to grow once again amongst the Iranians. Many of the Alexander's commanders themselves became converts to Mithraism and took its ideas back with them to Europe.After the suppression of Mithraism within the two super-powers of the time, Rome and Persia, its practice was gradually uprooted. The influence of its ideas, however, did not disappear and even during the Islamic period its lasting influence could be observed. "Mithra" plays a very prominent role in the Mazdyasni/Zoroastrian religion. Some of its traditions continue even today, the 7th month of the zoroastrian calendar starting with autumnal equinox is dedicated to Mithra. The celebrations and festivities of this month in ancient days, were in par with the New Year or "nauv-rooz" celebrations starting with vernal equinox, and were highlighted by an elaborate wine festival, Winter solstice celebration, which continued until sunrise was in fact the birth feast for Mithra, as from then on, the sun stayed in the sky a bit longer each day. Even Zoroastrianism, had to recognize Mehr [Mithra] as one of the gods and it dedicated a month and a day in the year to him (21 Sep to 20 Oct). The seven Amesha Spenta in Zoroastrianism or the seven day week are also related to the Mithra's seven grades of initiation. Even, shaking hands when committing to an agreement is a Mithraist tradition as the 7th month of the zoroastrian calendar started with autumnal equinox dedicated to Mithra.

Also, the 10th hymn in the Yashts or "adoration songs" in Avesta; is dedicated to Mithra. This Avestan hymn to Mithra is one of the most poetic and beautiful portions of the Avesta after the enchanting gathas; and provides the most comprehensive information/record on Mithra among all indo-european sources. The influence of Mithraism ideas, however, did not disappear and even during the Islamic period its lasting influence could be observed.

Zoroastrianism has been identified as one of the key early events in the development of philosophy. The dates of Zarathustra, the prophet and founder of the religious philosophy Zoroastrianism (after the Greek version of his name, Zoroaster) are still strongly contested by modern scholarship, and possible dates vary from about 1400 BC to 500BC. He is generally regarded to have lived in what is now north or east Iran.

"... Zoroaster was the first to dedicate a natural cave in honour of Mithras, the creator and father of all; it was located in the mountains near Persia and had flowers and springs. This cave bore for him the image of the cosmos which Mithras had created and the things which the cave contained, by their proportionate arrangement, provided him with symbols of the elements and climates of the cosmos.

After Zoroaster, others adopted the custom of performing their rites of initiation in caves and grottoes which were either natural or artificial" [9, section2].

The religious tradition of Zoroastrianism is widely spread, represented in greatest numbers by the Parsis of the Indian sub-continent. The ancient text, the Avesta, is divided into the Yasna (liturgy), the Yashts (sacrificial hymns) and the Videvdat (ritual purification). Included in the Yasna are the Gatas, that portion of the Avesta which scholarship and religious tradition tend to proclaim as the essential teaching of the prophet Zarathustra himself.

As for Zoroastrians this world is a battlefield between two opposing forces, good and evil. The world is currently in a temporary stage of "mixture" wherein both evil and good are coexisting. But this is neither how Ahura Mazda originally created the world nor is it how it always exists. To understand the Zoroastrian view of the end times, it is necessary to understand the Zoroastrian understanding of the beginning of times, because it is believed that the end will mirror the beginning.

From the beginning, two spirits have existed, totally unlike each other, completely opposed in every way. Ahura Mazda is all-good and AngraMainyu (known in Pahlavi as Ahriman) is all-bad. No evil ever comes from Ahura Mazda, and no good ever comes from AngraMainyu. It is a perfectly dualistic system. The utter difference between the two beings is stressed in the most sacred Zoroastrian Scripture, "the Avesta":

"I will speak of the Spirits' twain at the first beginning of the world, of whom the holier spoke thus to the enemy: "Neither thought, nor teachings, nor wills, nor beliefs, nor words, nor deeds, nor selfs, nor souls of us twain agree" [1, p. 45].

The history of Zoroastrianism can be roughly divided into three phases. The first, including the time of Zarathustra himself, ended with the conquest by Alexander of the ancient Persian Empire in the late fourth century BC. The second phase was that of the Sasanian Empire. Zoroastrianism flourished as a state religion and saw the composition (in the Pahlavi language) of rich philosophical texts, which attempted a reclamation and reinterpretation of the ancient Avestan inheritance with a certain emphasis on the social dimension. This period ended with the Muslim conquests of the seventh century AD, and the final phase in its history began with migration of Zoroastrians to the Indian sub-continent, where they came to be known as "Parsis" or people from Persia. Since that time Zoroastrianism has undergone a dynamic process of adjustment to the rival religious, philosophical and social traditions it has lived within and alongside of the Hindu and Muslim to the Protestant British culture of the nineteenth and early twentieth century. In essence a religious philosophy, Zoroastrianism focuses on the problem of the moral and spiritual nature of man. Though it is often chastised by its opponents and sometimes lauded by its proponents as a ditheistic or even polytheistic system, the stronger emphasis seems to have been on developing a monotheism which yet resolves the problem of evil and gives freedom of moral choice to men. The cosmogony and eschatology trace the history of the world from its creation by the one god, Ahura Mazda (in Pahlavi, Ohrmazd), through a struggle between goodness and evil personified by AngraMainyu (in Pahlavi, Ahriman) to a state where man is rewarded by eternal happiness on earth.

Ahura Mazda is omniscient and so he was aware from the beginning of the existence of the evil Angra Mainyu who dwelled in a pit of eternal darkness. Angra Mainyu is not omniscient and therefore he cannot foresee his own demise. He wishes to destroy the realm of light in which Ahura Mazda dwells. It is in order to defeat the malevolent Angra Mainyu that Ahura Mazda creates the world [8, p.85].

Ahura Mazda first created the world in a non-material, spiritual state called menog, but in order to create a setting where the battle between good and evil could take place and evil be defeated, he gave the world material existence, or getig. Zoroastrians view the getig existence as superior to the menog state. Having material form is seen as a positive quality of creation, preferable to the state that is only spiritual [2, p.42]. This might explain why Zoroastrians have come to await a physical resurrection of the body and a renovation of the physical earth rather than just a disembodied existence in a spiritual heaven.

Ahura Mazda created the good things of the earth, including a single plant, a single animal (a bull), and a single human. But Angra Mainyu quickly attacked, killing the plant, animal, and human. But from the single plant, animal, and human, came all plants, animals, and humans, in order to fight against Angra Mainyu's assault [6, p.35].

Significant elements of Zoroastrian teaching that are attested in the Gatas are: (1) the emphasis on Ahura Mazda's role as the Creator of the world; (2) the notion that the present state of the world is not determined by Ahura Mazda alone; the forces of Evil also play a role; (3) this world, therefore, is not as Mazda wants it to be, and must be brought to a state where the powers of Good will reign unopposed; (4) the world as we know it will have an end; (5) although there is no doubt about the final outcome, the time of "Making Wonderful" depends on man's readiness to listen to God's commands; (6) the purpose of the world's existence is a moral one: to free the universe from Evil; (7) man's choice plays a key role in these events, and the individual soul will be recompensed after death, until the End of Time[5]. mithraism zoroastrianism mazdaism manichaeism

Zurvanism, with its emphasis on fate, is an atypical deviation from the essentially libertarian metaphysics. The moral and social philosophy is founded onthe place of man within this struggle. Of epistemological issues the most fundamental must be the prophetic status of Zarathustra himself, in which his authority on his god's words is secured by their direct communication to him. But no less pressing, in the light of its history, are questions of the authenticity of those words in the varied attempts at reclamation and reconstruction within the tradition itself. Indeed, modern scholarship from a neutral position outside the tradition exhibits a lively disagreement over such fundamental questions as the authentic or core teaching of Zarathustra, and the boundaries between its adaptation and relinquishment.

The serious social and political changes like Mongol invasions of Persia has brought forth a variety of schools of thought which lead to Iranian mysticism which is also called Persian mysticism. In a broader sense, this mysticism can be split between the Post-Islamic and the Pre-Islamic Period.

There are four main schools that are considered as the important one in Pre-Islamic Schools. They are Manichaeism, Mithraism, Zoroastrianism, Mazdakism.

The roots of mystical thought in Iran goes back to the period before the formation of the Zoroastrian, that is the era of Mithraism that was the Iranian people sacrament for five hundred years at the time of the Parthian (Ashkanian) dynasty. Mithras is mentioned both in the Vedas, the ancient holy books of Hindusim, and he is also named in the hymns of the Zoroastrian "Avesta", which was written between 224-640 AD as a compilation of older religious oral traditions.

The ancient Iranian philosophical traditions and thoughts lead to Persian philosophy which is originated in the ancient Indo-Iranian roots. These traditions were influenced by the teachings of Zarathustra which appeared in between 1000-588 BC.

References

1. Avesta: Yasna: Sacred Liturgy and Gathas/Hymns of Zarathushtra.-Access on-line athttp://www.avesta.org/yasna/yasna.htm

2. Boyce M. Zoroastrians(Their religious belief and practices).- London and New York,2000. -252p.

3. Boyce M. An Introduction to Manichaeism/The Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies (CAIS).-London, 1998-2014.-Access on-line athttp://www.cais-soas.com/CAIS/Religions/iranian/Manichaeism/manichaeism.htm

4. Grishman R. Iran: From The Earliest Time To The Islamic Conquest, 1954/translated into Persian by M. Muin.-Tehran, 1972.500 p.

5. Kreyenbroek P.G. EncyclopediaIranica/Iran IX.Religion in Iran pre-Islamic(1.1)overview.-Access on-line at http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/iran-ix1-religions-in-iran-pre- islamic

6. Kreyenbroek P.G. Millennialism and Eschatology in the Zoroastrian.-London, 2002.-251 p.

7. NabarzP. The Mysteries of Mithra: The Pagan Belief That Shaped the Christian World.-Canada, 2005.-240 p.

8. Cohn N. Cosmos, Chaos& the World to Come/ Yale University Press.-Unitet State,2001.-256 p.

9. PorphyryOn the Cave of the Nymphs (De antronympharum) Greek/Translated by Thomas Taylor.-London 1017.

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