What we should keep in mind here is that historically BUDDHISM has been very strong in both Afghanistan and Tajikistan (actually in most of Central Asia, with the interesting EXCEPTION of Iran).
And here is the interesting detail: There are no recorded major conflicts between Buddhists and Zoroastrians!!!
Instead it seems that Buddhism and Zoroastrianism co-existed very well until the arrival of Islam in the area. Possibly also in what is now Chinese Xinjiang (East Turkestan).
Please note here how we have previously on Ushta discussed the Zoroastrian origins of Chan in China and Zen in Japan (which have both, often wrongly attributed as forms of Buddhism, when they in reality are as much Taoist as Buddhist, and most of all their own philosophical movement). The founder of Chan in China (which later became Zen in Japan) was BODHIDHARMA who was not a prince from India (as wrongly claimed historically, as there are no traces of him or his teachings anywhere in India) but was instead a tradesman from Zoroastrian Sogdia in Central Asia!!!
I believe enlightening Buddhists on the creative and tolerant brotherhood culturally between Zoroastrianism and Buddhism in Central Asia can do us a lot of good on the global stage. Especially in the fight for democracy and freedom of thought and speech in these countries.
Ushta
Alexander
2009/12/12 Fariborz Rahnamoon
Dear Parviz
In the city of Istaravshan near Khujand there is a mould which had been partially excavated
and is believed to be a few thousand years old. It is called "Tape Atash Kadeh" The city has built a gate (darvazeh) on it and the mayor of the city wanted a huge Fire Urn (Afrigun) to place it there. There is lots of potential in Tajikistan for Zoroastrianism to flourish but they need help and backing.
With Regards & Best Wishes
Fariborz Rahnamoon
http://www.ancientiran.com
http://www.wzccbc.com
--- On Fri, 12/11/09, Parviz Varjavand
From: Parviz Varjavand
Subject: Re: [Ushta] Fresh Zoroastrianism in Tajikistan
To: Ushta@yahoogroups.com
Date: Friday, December 11, 2009, 9:48 AM
Dear Fariborz Rahnemoon,
Thank you so much for your positive note about Dame Dr. Mehr Master Moos. She is a very charming lady, but full of the strange ideas of the Illm-i-Khoshnoom. I am so glad to hear that she is not in Tajikistan to spread "THAT" version of Zoroastrianism. My first encounter with her was when we had just purchased the Dar-e-Mehr of San Jose property. There was a spring at that site (unfortunately dried up now) and I wanted to take the water from there up a hill where I thought was a good location for the Adorian. I had the idea not to use electricity to pump the water up-hill but to use the energy of a wind operated pump. She liked the idea, but she told me that if I would wait, she had an ancient recipe (from the Ilm-i-Khoshnoom book of science I guess) that if a path was constructed in a special way as prescribed, water would travel uphill in it under its own power. I told her that if she gave me a sacred recipe by which water would travel uphill, not only would I become a follower of the Illm, but I would convert half the population of US to it. Needless to say that I am still waiting.
Once again, thank you for your positive note and I feel greatly energized about Tajikistan thanks to your input.
Mehr Afzoon,
Parviz Varjavand
--- On Thu, 12/10/09, Fariborz Rahnamoon
From: Fariborz Rahnamoon
Subject: Re: [Ushta] Fresh Zoroastrianism in Tajikistan
To: Ushta@yahoogroups. com
Date: Thursday, December 10, 2009, 9:26 PM
Ardeshir you have mistaken Dr.Mehr Master Moos with Dr. Farhang Mehr. Mehr Master Moos is a Parsi lady from India.I have know her for more than 30years. I respect her for what she has done in Tajikistan but that has nothing to do with her Ilm Khushnoom philosophy. She has done a lot of good in Tajikistan over the years when all the rest of us have shied away. In 2006 I was with her and the two mobeds who are in the news these day (Madon & Mirza).The two mobeds do not believe in Ilm e Khosnoom. Dr. Mehr master Moos did not lecture about her beliefs to the people who converted The Tajiks had their own ideas about Zoroastrianism like each of us on the Ushta list. She had seven suitcases filled with Sedra Kushti and small Zoroastrian related gifts and over 45 people were converted in that short trip.I was the only person in the group who could speak Persian and so I was the translator.
When I asked one lady who had her Novjote performed, and is a professor in history, the reason for her decision. She said, “My grandfather had a small metal box which was very dear to him and nobody was allowed to touch it, he had some papers in it which he read privately, after he died my father opened the box and found Avesta prayers in it. We realized that my grandfather was a Zarathushti and had kept it private due to unfavorable circumstances. Since then I have always been a Zarathushti at heart and now seeing the opportunity I decided to make it official”.
Another professor of English who had his Novjote done years ago, seeing the presence of two priests in his hometown decides to have the ceremony performed for his whole family including his grand children.
You can read the rest in my report at
http://ahura. homestead. com/files/ IranZaminSixteen /Report_Tajikist an_2006_16l. mht
My point is we in that group were Zarathusties with different view points but we worked together towards a single goal we did not discuss our differences or argue about it we just satisfied the wish of the Tajiks who wanted to convert based on their own beliefs and wanted a ceremony performed.
Here are some of the pictures
http://ahura. homestead. com/TAJIK2006. html#anchor_ 46
With Regards & Best Wishes
Fariborz Rahnamoon
http://www.ancienti ran.com
http://www.wzccbc. com
--- On Thu, 12/10/09, Alexander Bard
From: Alexander Bard
Subject: [Ushta] Fresh Zoroastrianism in Tajikistan
To: Ushta@yahoogroups. com
Date: Thursday, December 10, 2009, 2:54 PM
Dear Friends
I believe Ardeshir has a great point here!!!
When Parviz gets upset about the Gathic direction we are taking it is because the previous translations and readings of The Gathas to the western context (and even to Farsi) have been so sloppy. But now when we have Bahman Varza'a translation to German and soon Fariborz' new translation to English and Ardeshir's great interpretation of The Gathas, we can reconquer The Gathas and together with a fresh look at the world through the eyes of modern science, we can present a stronger case than ever for Mazdayasna, both Gathic and scientific and innovative in a modern way.
Ardeshir adds a very interesting spice to our soup, Parviz! Our case is looking more promising than ever, especially with the youth of Iran out in the streets again this week.
And Tajikistan is right now ripe and open to all forms of Zoroastrianism, especially those that present Zarathushtra as an excellent philosopher and do not ask people to openly convert but rather accepting Iranian philosophy as their guideline (as Rahmon himself has publicly done). What makes you think Illm-i-Khshnoom has taken over Tajikistan when we have people like Kamran and Fariborz who have been there conductiing navjotes already according to our very own Mazdayasna?
In any case, the current situation does serve us rather well. The less we look like a religion and the more we present a philosophical lifestyle, the better off we are and the truer we are to the heart of Mazdayasna.
Ushta
Alexander
2009/12/10 ardeshir farhmand
Dear Parviz,
i strongly agree with many of ur points. i strongly disagree with the "fantasies" of Dr. farhang Mehr myself. i think his positions are based on " vague personal speculations" rather than the enchanting gathas of the seer. but i confirm according to all ancient and credible zoroastrian traditions: everything IS in the enchanting GATHAS, and u CAN read/find everything in the GATHIC MANTHRAS. in fact, almost the entire, avesta and denkard are a footnote and commentary to the melodious gathas.
the problem is that people such as Mr. Mehr and Dr. Jaffary translations of the gathic charms, are simply speculations of the translators that can in NO WAY be logically substantiated in the original text. the gathic words are twisted to better serve their "mechanical" and so called rationalistic and human-centric views, and all ancient commentaries are dismissed and ridiculed. these peole speak with such authority, as if they knew the seer themselves. yet a simple scientific and comparative study of the gathas shatters a great part of their views entirely.
now, considering tajiks, i strongly disagree with u. i myself, am a born zoroastrian, and i can assure u that zoroastrianism just did not survive in in yazd and kerman. sistanis, lors and some of the mountain people of khorasan and specially the pamir tajiks are still to a great degree zoroastrian, and many times more than us. in fact, we have the chance to make tajikistan our zoorastrian stronghold and homeland.
ardeshir
true, gathic words have purposefully been constructed as such, to give a MULTIPLE layer of amazing and RELATED words, but the aforementioned translations simply ignore
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