Zoroastrianism ad the Secret Doctrine

Judy D. Saltzman
United Lodge of Theosophists
Santa Barbara

Zoroastrianism and the Secret
Doctrine
The Most Ancient Religious
Source

Sri Bomanji Pestonji
Wadia: 1881-1958
• Founder of the Indian
Institute of World
Culture and
Promulgator of
Theosophy. Although
born Zoroastrianisn, he
claimed its true essence
was known in The
Secret Doctrine.

Zoroastor or Zarathustra: the Star
who sacrifices to the Sun
The Prophet here
depicted is the last of
13. He is said to have
lived in the Axial Age
about 600 B.C.There
are Zoroaster’s going
back to 3000 B.C.
According to The Secret
Doctrine, even back to
the Fourth Race in
Atlantis and earlier.

The Most Ancient Surviving
Religion
Zoroaster: The
Prophet of the
Wings of the Soul
This symbol is of the
wings of the souland
human immortality ,
and the wisdom
imparted to Zarathustra
for universal salvation.

Ahura Mazda, The God of
Light and all that is Good
Ahura is connected to
the Asuras of the
Vedas. Although later
considered demons,
the Asuras are shown
as spiritual Divine
Kings from Asu(The
Breath of God) and are
the Supreme Spirit.
Secret Doctrine II, p.
59.

Angra Mainyu or Ahriman
Here he is depicted in a
demonic for, the source
of all our evil thoughts,
words and deeds.
Judaism, Islam,
Christianity all regard
such a being as
necessary for human
development.

Zoroastrianian
Philosophy
Exoterically, Western Orientalists of have
considered Zoroastrianism to be teaching
that two primeval dieties: Ahura Mazda
(Ormuzd) and Angra Mainyu (Ahriman).
Ahura Mazda is the God of Light and Source
of All Good. Angra Mainyu is he source of all
evil and selfishness. B. P. Wadia says these
are allegories for the struggle between good
and evil in men and between Brahmanism
and Zoroastrianism in India. See also Isis
Unveiled II, p. 237 by H.P Blavatsky

The Zend Avesta System
Both Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu
emanate from the same source: a
primeval unknowable Boundless
Principle: Amatetat which remains in
limitless duration. They are not just
opposing Beings, but became so in the
later Pahlavi Tradition. It periodically
casts its shadow, Dareghe-Khodate, the
circle of time, the chakra world.

Emanation
Doctrine
Ahura Mazda or Absolute Wisdom is the
sacred Word which comes into
existence before Being. But the Word
also becomes one of the emanations of
Amesha Spenta, the Immortal or
Mainyu Spirits which emanate a 7--Fold
hierarchy of Beings. The Spenta Mainyu
is the same source from which
Emanates Ahura Mazda and its six
satellites Builders of Being.

Zoroastrianism, Hindusim and
Judais from same ancient
source
The supplementing source is Angra
Mainyu, Root Matter. Ahura Mazda
and Agra Mainyu are rather like
Purusha and Prakriti. They work
together, just as Satan is God’s
Adversary in the Hebrew Bible. In the
Book of Job, Satan does God’s
bidding to test Job’s devotion.
Ahura emanates Vohu Manu, the
Good Mind, which the devotee must
attain.

B. P. Wadia on the Concept
of Agra Mainyu, later Satan
The concept which ensouls the word is
derived from the same source from which
Ahimanyu of the Rig Veda comes. The
Zoroastrian concept was not borrowed from
the Vedas. But like so many others is rooted
in the original parent of both Vedic and
Avestic systems: The Ah-hi of the Esoteric
Doctrine. Spento and Agro are like Purusha
and Prakriti, Just as light and darkness are
the world’s eternal ways. (Gita VIII). The
serpent of evil, or cycles of matter is the
manifested universe.

Asha
The Sacred Bearer of Fire
and Law is always with
humanity. Fire is the
purest of all elements
begins it is connected to
the sun, just as Agni and
Surya are connected in the
Vedas. Fire is a symbol of
the inner spiritual Sun.

Zoroastrian Temple
This Temple in Iran
shows the image of
Zarathustra and the
Wings of the soul
above it. To
preserve purity,
Zoroastrians do not
allow conversions or
even visits to
temples.

Zoroastrian Ethics in
Vendidad
Like Dharma (Duty) in Hinduism, the theme in
Zoroastrianism is Ashoi, purity.Ahura Mazda
says to Zarathustra:
Make thyself pure, O Righteous Man.
Anyone in the world below can win purity for
himself, namely when he cleanses himself
with good thoughts, words and deeds. ..Purity
is the noblest blessing. Happiness it is to him
who is pure for the sake of the noblest purity
itself.

The Future Cycle: Sosiosh or
Sasohbyant
• The power of
redemption as a
Savior who will
appear in the
future or near the
end of time. We
are currently in a
3,000year cycle in
which Ahriman
has much power,
but it will end.

H.P.B. on Zoroastrianism
• In the Mazdean or Magian religion, “Asura” is
the Lord Asura Visvavedas, the all knowing or
omniscient Lord: Asura Mazda later became
Ahura Mazda,The Lord who bestows
intelligence. The Indo Iranian Asura was always
regarded as sevenfold. The Amshaspends, the
Asuras, and incarnating Dhyan Chohans,as well
as the Elohim, the even informing gods of Egypt
and Chaldea are all connected.

Milton’s Paradise Lost
Hail Holy Light,Offspring of heaven first
Born!
Or of Co-Eternal beam
May I express the unblamed ? Since God is
light …
Dwelt from Eternity, Dwelt in thee…
Satan with thoughts inflamed of highest
design
Puts on swift wings toward the gates of hell
Explores his solitary flight

Comparison to the Secret
Doctrine
Ormuzd is the Deity of the Manifested
Plane. In the esoteric interpretation of the
vestian sacred allegories, Ahura or Asura is a
name for ther 7-Fold Deity.He is the ruler of
the seven worlds and Hvamiratha (our earth)
is the fourth…The Fravashi or the Ferouer of
Ormuzd is the eternal double or image which
prepcedes and survives every god, man and
animal, and finally Ahura Mazda himself.