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Vendidad

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810:"How do Zoroastrians view the Vendidad today? And how many of the laws of the Vendidad are still followed? This depends, as so many other Zoroastrian beliefs and practices do, on whether you are a "reformist" or a "traditionalist." The reformists, following the Gathas as their prime guide, judge the Vendidad harshly as being a deviation from the non-prescriptive, abstract teachings of the Gathas. For them, few if any of the laws or practices in the Vendidad are either in the spirit or the letter of the Gathas, and so they are not to be followed. The reformists prefer to regard the Vendidad as a document which has no religious value but is only of historic or anthropological interest. Many Zoroastrians, in Iran, India, and the world diaspora, inspired by reformists, have chosen to dispense with the Vendidad prescriptions entirely or only to follow those which they believe are not against the original spirit of the Gathas." 1306: 554: 25: 142: 798:
Most of the Zoroastrians continue to use the Vendidad as a valued and fundamental cultural and ethical moral guide, viewing their teachings as essential to Zoroastrian tradition and see it as part of Zoroastrianism original perspectives about the truth of spiritual existence. They argue that it has
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The emergent reformist Zoroastrian movement reject the later writings in the Avesta as being corruptions of Zarathustra's original teachings and thus do not consider the Vendidad as an original Zoroastrian scripture. They argue that it was written nearly 700 years after the death of Zarathustra and
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identified the texts as being linguistically distinct from both the Old Avestan language texts as well as from the Yashts of the younger Avesta. Today, there is controversy over historical development of the Vendidad. The Vendidad is classified by some as an artificial, young Avestan text. Its
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apparent in the Vendidad, and the diverse rules and regulations are not always expressed as being mystical, absolute, universal or mandatory. The Vendidad is mainly about social laws, mores, customs and culture. In some instances, the description of prescribed behaviour is accompanied by a
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Some consider the Vendidad a link to ancient early oral traditions, later written as a book of laws for the Zoroastrian community. The writing of the Vendidad began - perhaps substantially - before the formation of the Median and Persian Empires, before the 8th century B.C.E..
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language resembles Old Avestan. The Vendidad is thought to be a Magi (Magi-influenced) composition. It has also been suggested that the Vendidad belongs to a particular school, but "no linguistic or textual argument allows us to attain any degree of certainty in these matters."
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In addition, as with the Yashts, the date of composition of the final version does not exclude the possibility that some parts of the Vendidad may consist of very old material. Even in this modern age, Zoroastrians are continually rewriting old spiritual material.
712:. The remaining chapters cover diverse rules and regulations, through the adherence of which evil spirits may be confounded. Broken down by subject, these fargards deal with the following topics (chapters where a topic is covered are in brackets): 672:'s different parts vary widely in character and in age. Although some portions are relatively recent in origin, the subject matter of the greater part is very old. In 1877, 905:
have been interleaved. These manuscripts were used for liturgical purposes outside the yasna ceremony proper, not accompanied by any ritual activity. The expression
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is an enumeration of various manifestations of evil spirits, and ways to confound them. According to the divisions of the Avesta as described in the
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description of the penances that have to be made to atone for violations thereof. Such penances include:
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observations), it is very rarely performed at the present day. In such an extended service,
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statutes on unacceptable social behaviour such as breach of contract and assault ;
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s appears to have been frequently performed in the mid-18th century (as noted in
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is not a liturgical manual, a section of it may be recited as part of a greater
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is read, rather than recalled from memory as is otherwise necessary for the
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ceremony is always performed between nightfall and dawn, though a normal
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the dignity of wealth and charity , of marriage and of physical effort
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interpret the writing as different from the other parts of the Avesta.
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An article by Hannah M. G. Shapero sums up the reformist perspective:
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repeated recitations of certain parts of the liturgy such as the
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is a collection of texts within the greater compendium of the
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origins on early oral tradition, being only later written.
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hygiene (in particular care of the dead) and cleansing ;
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praise and care of the bull , the dog , the otter , the
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to turn from the good religion, turns instead towards
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is an ecclesiastical code, not a liturgical manual.
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 16:Zoroastrian collection of texts within the Avesta 1328: 982:The significance and philosophy of the Vendidad 995:"Avestan, Iranian & Zoroastrian Languages" 626:The name of the texts is a contraction of the 1125: 872:requires a priest of higher rank (one with a 726:, and the remuneration of deeds after death ; 576: 719:disease, its origin, and spells against it ; 1027:Significance and Philosophy of the Vendidad 936: 1139: 1132: 1118: 860:Because of its length and complexity, the 583: 569: 140: 776:payment in cash or kind to the aggrieved; 640:(Demons)", and as the name suggests, the 109:Learn how and when to remove this message 958: 794:Value of the Vendidad among Zoroastrians 700:). Chapter 19 relates the temptation of 964: 945:The Dawn and Twilight of Zoroastrianism 942: 1329: 1087: 1113: 741:(water) and the light of the stars ; 729:the sanctity of, and invocations to, 1071:The Vendidad. The Law Against Demons 857:is performed between dawn and noon. 47:adding citations to reliable sources 18: 951:Portions of the book are available 660:that has survived in its entirety. 505:Zoroastrianism in the United States 13: 14: 1353: 1080: 943:Zaehner, Richard Charles (1961). 814: 1304: 965:Kellens, Jean (1989). "Avesta". 887:should not be confused with the 829:service. Although such extended 552: 23: 688:The first chapter is dualistic 34:needs additional citations for 1064: 1050: 1032: 1019: 1005: 987: 974: 750:on the worthiness of priests ; 1: 868:texts. The recitation of the 722:mourning for the dead , the 7: 980:Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram. 912: 535:Criticism of Zoroastrianism 515:Persecution of Zoroastrians 10: 1358: 663: 648:, a 9th-century text, the 1299: 1263: 1196: 1148: 1094:The Zend-Avesta, Part I ( 1088:Müller, Max, ed. (1880). 1073:Retrieved 14 January 2023 1044:www.heritageinstitute.com 1029:Retrieved 14 January 2023 984:Retrieved 14 January 2023 845:1-4 are inserted between 656:, which is then the only 652:includes all of the 19th 929: 288:101 Names of Ahura Mazda 1025:Ervad Marzban Hathiram 621: 812: 674:Karl Friedrich Geldner 253:Zoroastrian literature 1255:Shikand-gumanig Vizar 999:heritageinstitute.com 897:texts into which the 808: 767:There is a degree of 704:, who, when urged by 633:, "Given Against the 540:Zoroastrian cosmology 490:Zoroastrians in India 246:Scripture and worship 967:Encyclopedia Iranica 495:Zoroastrians in Iran 361:Accounts and legends 43:improve this article 1311:Religion portal 947:. New York: Putnam. 835:Anquetil-Duperron's 780:corporal punishment 559:Religion portal 411:History and culture 1250:Dana-i Menog Khrat 1245:Frahang-i Oim-evak 1240:Frahang-i Pahlavig 1210:Book of Arda Viraf 1102:Darmesteter, James 378:Book of Arda Viraf 308:Cypress of Kashmar 1337:Zoroastrian texts 1324: 1323: 1060:. March 18, 2021. 924:Avestan geography 782:such as whipping; 724:Towers of Silence 593: 592: 119: 118: 111: 93: 1349: 1309: 1308: 1281:Dasatir-i-Asmani 1230:Letter of Tansar 1220:Dadestan-i Denig 1134: 1127: 1120: 1111: 1110: 1105: 1100:. 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"Vendidad"
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a series
Zoroastrianism

Ahura Mazda
Zarathustra
Asha
Vohu Manah
Persia/Iran
Faravahar
Avestan
Amesha Spentas
Yazatas
Ahuras
Daevas
Fravashi
Angra Mainyu
Zoroastrian literature
Avesta
Ashem Vohu

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