In many respects Ahura Alazda offers striking parallels to the God of Judaism and Christianity. In one point, however, there is a great differ ence: Jehovah is omnipotent, hut Ormazd is op posed and limited in his activity by Ahriman.
An elaborately developed system of angelology is one of the most striking features of the faith.
The immediate ministers of Ahura Afazda are the Amesha Spentas, "Immortal Holy Ones" (the Persian Amshashpands), corresponding most nearly to our archangels. Of these there are six, and their names are personifications of abstract virtues. They are: (I) Vohu Alanah, "Good Mind," Ahura Mazda's good spirit personified, and the mediator between him and man ; (2) Asha Vallishta, "Best Righteousness," a person ification of order in the world ; (3) Khshathra Vairya, "the Wished-for Kingdom," represents the "Good Kingdom ;" (4) Spenta Armaiti,"Holy Harmony," represents peace and concord among men ; (5) Haurvatat, "Wholeness," and (6) Ameretat, "Immortality," are invariably men tioned together.
In addition to these we must also mention Sraosha, "Obedience," although he is not reck oned among the Anzesha Spentas proper. He is the special foe of the daevas and drujes, a sort of Iranian St. Michael.
Besides the Anzesha Spentas the Avesta men tions some minor divinities, ordinary angels, such as the Yazatas, "Worshipful Ones." The most important of these are Mitlzra, the Angel of Light, and Rashnu, the Angel of Justice. These two, together with Sraosha, judge the soul immedi ately after death. The other deities are merely abstractions, such as Arshtat, "Truthfulness ;" Parezzdi, "Riches ;" Aslzi, "Rectitude ;" Vere thraghna, "Victory ;" Hvar, "Sun ;" Mah, "Moon ;" Tishtrya, "Star ;" and fltar, "Fire." At the head of the demons stands Angra Afainyu or Ahriman. He is a distinctively Zoro astrian conception, but his name does not occur in the old Persian inscriptions. The etymology of the name is somewhat obscure, mainyu means "spirit ;" angra probably means "hostile." He is the inveterate opponent of Ahura Mazda and of his creation. His most frequent epithets are such as poztrzsmahrka, "full of death," and duzlz dao, "evil-knowing, malign." He is the seed of darkness, and he dwells in infinite night. In con trast to the omniscience of Ornzazd we have the ignorance of Ahriman. He knows what was and what is, but he does not know what will be. He is coeval with Ornzazd, but not coeternal ; with the advent of the "Good Kingdom," he will be banished from the world.
To carry out consistently the dualistic idea each Anzashspand has for an opponent some Arch Fiend. So we find also seven of these fiends : (I) Aka Afanah, "Evil Mind," is the antagonist of Volzu Manah; (2) Andra, probably not identical with the Vedic Indra, has no special attributes; (3) Saurva, rather indistinct, is explained as the demon of misrule and of headache; (4) Taro maiti, "Presumption," is opposed to Aramaiti; (5 and 6) Taunt and Zairica are opposed to Haurvatat and Ameretat. They are the demons
respectively of fever hnd thirst, and of drought. Lastly, there is Aeshma, "Wrath," the biblical Asnzodeus, who is the special foe of Sraosha.
Below these Arch-Fiends stand the Daevas, of whom we mention Bztiti, the tempter ; Kunda, drunkenness ; Astovidhotu, bone-divider—death; Driwi, poverty; Zemaka, winter ; and Apaosha, drought.
Next to the daevas stand the drujes, for the most part subordinate female demons, such as Nasu, demon of corpses ; Jahi, demon of lust ; the long-handed yellow Bushyvansta, who puts men to sleep; Aglza Doithra, evil eye, and others.
In addition to the daevas and drujes there are also pairikas, fairies; jainis (jinns?) ; and yatus, sorcerers: and lastly, three evil monsters Azhi Dahaka, a dragon; Sruvara, a dragon; and Gan darewa, an evil being of indefinite description.
(3) Ethies and Eschatology. Unlike Bud dhism, of which the highest ideal is quietism, Zo roastrianism is a religion of struggle and exer tion. Its leading article of faith is the doctrine of free will and moral responsibility. Man is free to choose either the good or the evil, but he should choose the former. Every good action in creases the power of Good, every evil action the power of Evil. At the final judgment, man must give an account of himself, and eternal happi ness is the reward of the righteous, while eternal punishment awaits the wicked. Purity of body and soul is enjoined on all, as are also upright ness, charity, generosity and, with particular em phasis, truthfulness. The moral teachings of the prophet may be summed up in the oft-recurring triad, "humata, hzikhla, hvarshta," "good thoughts, good words, good deeds." Some phy sical duties are also imposed. Thus the youth are exhorted to take outdoor exercise; chastity and soberness are insisted upon, although the ex istence of polygamy and concubinage, in antiq uity, cannot be denied. Asceticism, as it was practiced by the Brahmans of India, has no place in the Persian religion, which does not oppose a wholesome indulgence in the joys of life. Pa triotism was cultivated, and respect for civil and religious authority was inculcated. In general, the ethical code of Zoroastrianism does not differ very much from our own. (See article in Inter national Journal of Ethics, October, 1896.) Great stress was laid on prescriptions designed to preserve the purity of the elements, earth, water, fire. Dead matter was not allowed to come into contact with these; hence arose those peculiar funeral rites that characterize Parsism even at the present day. Special structures, the "towers of silence," were erected, on which the dead bodies were placed to be devoured by vul tures.