The Philosophy : Basics

Stewardship of the environment has played a prominent role in Zoroastrianism throughout its history, as the religion sees the caretaking of the Earth as an essential responsibility of Zoroastrians, being aids and coworkers with Ahura Mazda in creation. At the heart of their duties is to nourish and love the world Ahura Mazda has fashioned, because it is thought that by placing the environment and its preservation at the forefront of Zoroastrian life, individuals may help the earth grow and progress, as well as better understand the nature of the Creator. The whole of Zoroastrian historical tradition demonstrates a consistent effort at preserving and honoring the natural world as best as is possible, a tradition which, although not as prevalent as in the past, continues to forward environmentalist thinking to this day.

The Zoroastrian regard for the natural world is manifest as the veneration for the elements, such as fire and water. For example, Asha Vahishta, the Amesha Spenta representing the Ideal Order of existence, is symbolized in the natural world as fire. Zoroastrians pray towards and care for fire as a physical expression of their dedication to promote Asha in the physical world. The primary place of worship for Zoroastrians, alongside nature, is the fire temple, or atash kade, which hold sacred fires to which prayers are directed. The most famous of these today is the fire temple in Yazd, Iran, whose fire has been continually burning for over 1500 years. Water, as well, has a near equal reverence to fire in the Zoroastrian tradition, playing a key role in Zoroastrian liturgies. It is symbolized both by its connection to Haurvatat, the Amesha Spenta embodying the entirety and wholeness of creation, and to Anahita, a female sub-divinity in later tradition which is associated with rivers, abundance, and fertility. As with fire, the pollution of water is condemned in Zoroastrian tradition, with extra care being taken to not pollute rivers or lakes with waste.

The Zoroastrian tradition also stresses a close relationship between the natural world and Spenta Armaiti, the divine principle regulating the beneficial ordering of creation. Zoroastrians understand the value caring and interacting with nature has in bringing peace of mind and prosperity to individuals and the community. Zoroastrians hold animals in high regard as fellow creations of Ahura Mazda. Zarathustra himself lived in a pastoral world where caring for animals and the environment was an ideal livelihood. His teachings emphasize the necessity of living in harmony with the earth and its creatures, establishing a spiritual standard to provide for and nourish the land. Ahura Mazda, “Divine Wisdom”, is seen as preserving and presiding over all created things; through study and inquiry with the natural world, Zoroastrians could understand and emulate the plans and workings of Ahura Mazda, allowing them to contribute to the betterment of the world. Protecting innocent creatures, removing invasive species, decreasing competition, nourishing crops and caring for damaged ecosystems are all a part of traditional Zoroastrian rehabilitative duties prescribed to humans that transition the world to a state of eternal flourishing.

Notably, in Zoroastrian literature, the earth is regarded as a living creation whom humans are meant to care for and be stewards of. In this way, the Earth, or life as a whole, is often cast in the metaphor of a Cow symbolizing all life. At the outset of the Gathas, Yasna 29, Zarathushtra describes the ‘Cow’ as lamenting the harmful and destructive acts of humans and crying out to Mazda and the Amesha Spentas for a better mode of existence. In other places of the Gathas, Zarathushtra urges humanity to be pastors of the Cow and to lead it to a better pasture, therefore telling humanity to be caretakers of the world and to bring it to a peaceful and harmonious state of existence.

This reverence for living creation is also seen in the Zoroastrian tradition of sky burials. Zoroastrians saw an act such as burying the dead as burdening the earth with the deceased. Instead, Zoroastrians placed dead bodies at the peaks of mountains, or, in later times, on top of large structures called daxmas, often called Towers of Silence today. Here the body was exposed to scavenging animals, namely vultures or in some cases dogs, thereby giving back to the earth. These sky burials, while not widely practiced today, show the high regard ancient Zoroastrians had for the earth, in their own understanding. Ultimately, concern for the earth and fellow beings is the primary responsibility of a Zoroastrian and the basis for relating to Ahura Mazda. We are urged to understand that good thoughts, words, and deeds, and the commitment to peace and justice is an extension of environmentalism. Physically protecting life on earth cannot be separated from one’s moral duties.

Alongside this Zarathushtra also employs the metaphor of the pregnant Cow, which represents the fundamental assertion in Zoroastrian thought that existence is laden with the potential to become ideal or perfect. By caring for creation, we assist in the birth of a more beautiful mode of existence, a concept called Frasho.Kereti ‘the act of making existence ideal’.

While the concept of Frasho.kereti permeates Zoroastrian tradition, it is most notably seen in the famous Persian walled gardens of the Achaemenid times, which attempted to replicate the final perfection of the world in the miniscule. These gardens exhibited a remarkable feat of environmental stewardship as a plethora of beautiful plants were grown in harsh environments. In the ancient world, the gardens became synonymous with Persian royalty, science, and mythology, having heavy influence on Greek and Jewish conceptions of paradise, perhaps influencing the story of the Garden of Eden found in Abrahamic scripture. Such was the majesty of these gardens, that the very name of them, Paridaeza in Old Iranian, became synonymous with a heavenly reality in many cultures, hence the word paradise in English. This method of designing gardens, while stripped of its Zoroastrian origin, still exists today in the tradition of Persian gardens, which can be found across Eurasia, from Spain to Iran to India.

Ultimately, Zarathustra envisioned that by realizing Asha and caring for the earth, we assist Ahura Mazda in the process of Frasho-Kereti, a cosmic renewal in which the whole creation is rejuvenated and made perfect, leading to a hospitable environment for all living beings to thrive and find joy. The goal of Frasho-Kereti is remembered each year on Now-Ruz, the Zoroastrian new year festival. During the holiday, Zoroastrians are encouraged to clean, care for fire and water, and grow new life in the form of planting trees or flowers. By renewing the commitment to paradise each year, Zoroastrians witness the Frasho-kereti come to fruition in increments, until at last, creation is a paradise. This effort continues to this day as Zoroastrians firmly hold that through our collective efforts and care for all living organisms, existence will be full of life and joy, and the universe itself will be likened to a garden of paradise, closed off to all that wrong and evil, and full of love and beauty.