Gathic Zoroastriansm [1]

[smkolins]

Originally Posted by kiwimac

... thanks to the long, arduous and painstaking work of literally hundreds of scholars in the last 200 or so years

There is a curious set of facts about this scholarly work that I tripped across in some republished copies of the early translations. It has since proven hard to re-find the data on the internet but perhaps even this might prove useful. As some might have noted there is a curious relationship between Zoroastrianism, Judaism, and Christianity. For example, and this is far from an exhaustive list, there is the role of Zoroastrianism in ancient Judaism with respect to the liberation of the Jewish peoples when the Persian Empire conquered the Babylonians. Then leaping way in time there is the "three wise men" who came to seek the King of the Jews, who all admit were Magi - followers of Zoroastrianism.

But the curious fact I would add to the mix is the curious syzygy of dates around the 1830-40's. In Christianity this was the time of prophesied return of Jesus - William Miller had worked out (from the 1820's or so) that Jesus might return in 1844.

Among the least know aspects of the date of 1844 is the fact that emediately in that period (say fall 1843 through April 1844) Eugene Burnhoff, a French linguist scholar, did two remarkable things - established that modern day Zoroastrianism is actually the same religion as the ancient religion of the Persians - and - the first modern translations of Buddhism into a western language (French) which then Thoreau translated into English in May 1844.

It's extremely hard to document these events today. The closest I can come on the internet is this citation ( http://94.1911encyclopedia.org/B/BU/BURNOUF_EUGENE.htm ) which speak obliquely of certain publications. Another partial reference is here ( http://www.purifymind.com/Modern.htm ) . Here ( http://www.zarathushtra.com/z/article/dgm/vol10.htm ) is partial mention of some of his work on Zoroastrianism ("decoded the grammatical structure of this ancient language".)

1844 is also the point at which substantial Jewish presense in Palestine is measured from as it had been relatively illegal to be there (or at least own land) for Jews.

Interesting how Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and even Buddhism all touch the dates between 1830 and 1844.

[I, Brian]

Interesting how Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and even Buddhism all touch the dates between 1830 and 1844.

Perhaps more due to the greater accesibility of education to the masses those countries undergonig the process of Industrial Revolution, hence the sudden rise in so many different people claiming so many different interpretations of the classic passages.

[smkolins]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

Perhaps more due to the greater accesibility of education to the masses those countries undergonig the process of Industrial Revolution, hence the sudden rise in so many different people claiming so many different interpretations of the classic passages.

I would believe that of later years but in the earlier 1800's it was much more in the realm of singular effort. If I recall reading right Eugene Burnhoff had to go to Persia himself and investigate the columns still standing from the days of ancient Persia to compare them with the Zoroastrian scriptures he had. Once his announcement was made surely others followed and so he moved onto studying Buddhism....

[kiwimac]

Finally,

Something about "Bendwa"

See the following URLS

http://www.zoroaster.com/Gatha/Ahunavada/gatha%2032.htm

http://www.zoroaster.com/Gatha/Spentomad/gatha%2049.htm

Bendwa appears to have been a tribal chieftain of Zoroaster's time who opposed him. That is about all I have been able to find out.... SO FAR

Kiwimac

[wil]

Interesting how Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and even Buddhism all touch the dates between 1830 and 1844.

Don't you think it really relates to the authors suspecting it will happen in their lifetime? Everyone wants to have a ticket to the big event.

namaste,