Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism
Indo-Iranian religion, founded by Zoroaster or Zarathustra, c. 6th century BC. The dominant religion of Persia until the rise of Islam, Zoroastrianism is now largely confined to the Parsi community of Bombay. Its scriptures are know as the Avesta . It maintains a dualistic doctrine, contrasting the force of light and good in the world (Ahuramazda ) with that of darkness and evil (Ahriman, or Angra Mainyu ). Offshoots of Zoroastrianism include Mithraism and Manichaeanism . Zoroastrianism entered the western tradition as an influence on Judaism, and hence on Middle Platonism.

Philosophy dictionary. . 2011.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Zoroastrianism —    Zoroastrianism was the dominant, pre Islamic religion of both the Achaemenid (550 330 BCE) and Sassanid (226 650 CE) Persian empires. The religion undoubtedly exerted a powerful influence on the indigenous Kurdish religion of the Cult of… …   Historical Dictionary of the Kurds

  • Zoroastrianism — o ro*as tri*an*ism, n. The religious system of Zoroaster, the legislator and prophet of the ancient Persians, which was the national faith of Persia; mazdeism. The system presupposes a good spirit (Ormuzd) and an opposing evil spirit (Ahriman).… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Zoroastrianism — (n.) 1854, from ZOROASTRIAN (Cf. Zoroastrian) + ISM (Cf. ism) …   Etymology dictionary

  • Zoroastrianism — ► NOUN ▪ a religion of ancient Persia based on the worship of a single god, founded by the prophet Zoroaster (also called Zarathustra) in the 6th century BC. DERIVATIVES Zoroastrian adjective & noun …   English terms dictionary

  • Zoroastrianism — [zō΄rō as′trē əniz΄əm, zôr΄ō as′trē əniz΄əm] n. the religious system of the Persians before their conversion to Islam: it was founded by Zoroaster, and its principles, contained in the Avesta, include belief in an afterlife and in the continuous… …   English World dictionary

  • Zoroastrianism — Part of a series on Zoroastrianism Portal Primary topics …   Wikipedia

  • Zoroastrianism — /zawr oh as tree euh niz euhm, zohr /, n. an Iranian religion, founded c600 B.C. by Zoroaster, the principal beliefs of which are in the existence of a supreme deity, Ahura Mazda, and in a cosmic struggle between a spirit of good, Spenta Mainyu,… …   Universalium

  • Zoroastrianism —    Religion of ancient Persia based on the teachings of the prophet Zarasthustra (Zoroaster in Greek). Zoroastrianism influenced the development of Western angelologies and demonologies.    Zarathustra may have been born as early as 650 B.C.E.… …   Encyclopedia of Demons and Demonology

  • Zoroastrianism —    The chief religion of the ancient Achaemenid Persians and later the Sassanian Persians, a faith based on the teachings of the ancient Iranian prophet Zoroaster (or Zarathustra). There is some debate among modern scholars, however, over which… …   Ancient Mesopotamia dictioary

  • Zoroastrianism —    Persian religion founded by the legendary Zoroaster (died ca. 551 B.C.); state religion of the Sassanians (q.v.). Central to Zoroastrianism is a belief in the ongoing strife between the Ohrmazd (Ahuramazda), the god of light, who represents… …   Historical dictionary of Byzantium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”