The life of man falls into two parts—its earthly portion and that which is lived after death. The lot assigned to him after death is the result and consequence of his life upon earth. On the works of men here below a strict reckoning will be held in heaven (according to later representations, by Rashnu, the genius of justice, and Mithra). All the thoughts, words and deeds of each are entered in the book of life as separate items—all the evil works, etc., as debts. Wicked actions cannot be undone, but in the heavenly account can be counterbalanced by a surplus of good works. Only in this sense can an evil deed be atoned for by a good deed. Of a real remission of sins the old doctrine of Zoroaster knows nothing, whilst the later Zoroastrian Church admits repentance, expiation and remission. After death the soul arrives at the cinvata peretu, or accountant's bridge, over which lies the way to heaven. Here the statement of his life account is made out. If he has a balance of good works in his favour, he passes forthwith into paradise (Garo demand) and the blessed life. If his evil works outweigh his good, he falls finally under the power of Satan, and the pains of hell are his portion for ever. Should the evil and the good be equally balanced, the soul passes into an intermediary stage of existence (the Hamestakdns of the Pahlavi books) and its final lot is not decided until the last judg ment. This court of reckoning is called died. The course of law cannot be turned aside by sacrifice, nor by the grace of God.
In the G5.thas Zoroaster speaks usually in general terms of the divine commands and of good and evil works, of the re nunciation of Satan, adoration of Ormazd, purity of soul and body, and care of the cow. Ceremonial worship is hardly men tioned. The Gathas contain revelations concerning the last things and the future lot, whether bliss or woe, of human souls, promises for true believers, threatenings for misbelievers, and Zoroaster's firm confidence as to the future triumph of the good.
Zoroaster believed that the calling of a prophet took place precisely when it did with special reason. It was, he held, the final appeal of Ormazd to mankind at large. The fulness of time was near, the kingdom of heaven was at hand. Through the whole of the Gathas runs the pious hope that the end of the present world is not far distant. He himself hopes, with his followers, to live to see the decisive turn of things, the dawn of the new and better aeon. Ormazd will summon together all his powers for a final decisive struggle and break the power of evil for ever; by his help the faithful will achieve the victory over their detested enemies, the daeva worshippers. Thereupon Ormazd will hold a general ordeal. Forthwith begins the one undivided kingdom of God in heaven and on earth. This is called, sometimes the good kingdom, sometimes simply the kingdom. Here the sun will for ever shine, and all the pious and faithful will live a happy life, which no evil power can disturb, in the eternal fellowship of Ormazd and his angels. Every believer will receive as his guerdon the inexhausti ble cow and the gracious gifts of the Vohu Mario.
when personified comes to be regarded as a protecting spirit. With the new teaching arose a widely spread priesthood (iithravano) who systematized its doctrines, organized and car ried on its worship, and laid down the minutely elaborate laws of the Vendidad for the purifying and keeping clean of soul and body, such as the numerous ablutions, bodily chastisements, love of truth, beneficial works,, support of comrades in the faith, alms, chastity, improvement of the land, arboriculture, breeding of cattle, agriculture, protection of useful animals, as the dog, the destruction of noxious animals, and the prohibition either to burn or to bury the dead. These are to be left on the appointed places (dakhmas) and exposed to the vultures and wild dogs. In the worship the drink prepared from the haoma (Indian soma) plant had a prominent place. Worship in the Zoroastrian Church was devoid of pomp; it was independent of temples. Its centre was the holy fire on the altar. The fire altars afterwards developed to fire temples. In the sanctuary of these temples the various sacri fices and high and low masses were celebrated. As offerings meat, milk, show-bread, fruits, flowers and consecrated water were used. The priests were the privileged keepers and teachers of religion. They only performed the sacrifices (Herodotus, i. 132), educated the young clergy, imposed the penances; they in person executed the ceremonies of purification and exercised a spiritual guardian ship and pastoral care of the laymen. Every young believer in Mazda, after having been received into the religious community by being girt with the holy lace, chose a spiritual guide (rata).
In eschatology a change took place. The last things and the end of the world are relegated to the close of a long period of time (3,00o years after Zoroaster), when a new Saoshyant is to be born of the seed of the prophet, the dead come to life, and a new incorruptible world begins.
Zoroastrianism was the national religion of Iran, and was pro fessed by Turanians as well. The worship of the Persian gods spread to Armenia and Cappadocia and over the whole of the Near East (Strabo, xv. 3, 14; xi. 8, 4; 14, 76). Of the Zoroastrian Church under the Achaemenides and Aeracides little is known. After the overthrow of the dynasty of the Achaemenides a period of decay set in Yet the Aeracides and the Indo-Scythian kings as well as the Achaemenides were believers in Mazda. The na tional restoration of the Sassanides brought new life to the Zoro astrian religion and long-lasting sway to the Church. Protected by this dynasty, the priesthood developed into a completely organized state church, which employed the power of the state in enforcing strict compliance with the religious law-book hitherto enjoined by their unaided efforts only. The head of the Church (Zara, Thushtrotema) had his seat at Rai in Media and was the first person in the state next to the king. The formation of sects was at this period not infrequent (cf. The Moham medan invasion (636), with the persecutions of the following cen turies, was the death-blow of Zoroastrianism. In Persia itself only a few followers of Zoroaster are now found (in Kerman and Yezd). The PARSEES (q.v.) in and around Bombay hold by Zoroaster as their prophet and by the ancient religious usages, but their doctrine is a pure monotheism.