Zoroastrian Teachings

“Those which are worth keeping with every one are peace and affection.”

“He is not to seek his own welfare and advantage through the injury of any one else; and he becomes compassionate as regards the creatures of Aûharmazd.”

“Happiness be to the man who conduces to the happiness of each.”

“Be modest with friends, clever, and well-wishing.”

“The provisions must be faith and hope and the remembrance of your good works.”

“May that come to you which is better than the good, may that not come to you which is worse than the evil.”

“In the first place the friend who will assist you is God; but to attain His friendship you must walk in His ways and place in Him the firmest reliance.”

“Aûharmazd is wishing good, and never approves nor contemplates evil.”

“Content is the happiest condition of man and the most pleasing to the Creator.”

“God, O Ardâ-Vîrâf! requires only two things of the sons of men: the first, that they should not sin; the next, that they should be grateful of the many blessings He is continually bestowing upon them.”

“For having little trouble in oneself contentment is good.”

“Purity is the best good. Happiness, happiness is to him: Namely, to the most pure in purity.”

“And the pleasures which are superior to all pleasures are health of body, freedom from fear, good repute, and righteousness.”

“Yea, how may my soul with joyfulness increase in goodness?”

“It is wisdom with which every one and one's own self are untroubled and satisfied.”

“It is understanding and intellect which it is not possible to buy at a price.”

“It is knowledge of which no one knows a superfluity.”

“And in wisdom he is the more complete who is able to preserve his own soul.”

“The speech of him is the more proper who speaks more true.”

“In disposition he is the more faithful, in whom there is nothing whatever of deceit and pretence.”

“Righteousness is the brighter, and wickedness the darker.”

“Without trouble nothing can be attained.”

“Practise no sloth; so that the duty and good work, which it is necessary for thee to do, may not remain undone.”

“In the progress of business energy is good, for every one to become confident therein steadfastness is good, and for the coming of benefit thereto thankfulness is good.”

“Take less care of your body and more of your soul; the pains and aches of the body are easily cured, but who can minister to the diseases of the soul?”

“Make thyself pure, O righteous man! Any one in the world here below can win purity for himself, namely, when he cleanses himself with Good Thoughts, Good Words, and Good Deeds.”

“So let all deeds thou doest be henceforth good.”

“Walk yourself in the ways of righteousness, and teach others also to do so.”

“And in wisdom he is the more unforeseeing, who does not provide for the spiritual existence, and attends to the worldly one.”

“Thou shouldst not become presumptuous through great connections and race; for in the end thy trust is on thine own deeds.”

“I am this of thine, the good thoughts, the good words, and the good deeds which were thought and spoken and done by thee.”

“May the mind think good thoughts, the words speak good, the works do good!”

“Who, O Great Creator! is the inspirer of the good thoughts within our souls?”

“Suffer no anxiety; for he who is a sufferer of anxiety becomes regardless of enjoyment of the world and the spirit, and contraction happens to his body and soul.”

“And one's own soul is not to be made unrespected in any mode, and is always to be kept in remembrance.”

“Thou shouldst not become presumptuous through much treasure and wealth; for in the end it is necessary for thee to leave all.”

“Yea, the world itself will pass away, and nothing will remain but God!”

“The will of the Lord is the law of holiness.”

“Thou shouldst not become presumptuous through any happiness of the world; for the happiness of the world is such-like as a cloud that comes on a rainy day, which one does not ward off by any hill.”

“Goodness is little in the mind of a man of wrath.”

“Be not cruel. Be not wrathful-minded.”

“Indulge in no wrathfulness; for a man, when he indulges in wrath, becomes then forgetful of his duty and good works.”

“Recollect that your body will return to dust, but your soul, if rich in good works, will mount to immortality.”

“The righteous in heaven are undecaying and immortal, unalarmed, undistressed, and undisturbed.”

“Thou shouldst not become presumptuous through life; for death comes upon thee at last, and the perishable part falls to the ground.”

“Purity is for man, next to life, the greatest good.”

“I lay hold on all good thoughts, words, and works. I abandon all evil thoughts, words, and works.”

“All these three are to be preserved in conversation: good thoughts, good words, and good deeds in one's own thinking, speaking, and doing.”

“Of heaven the first part is that of good thoughts (hûmatô), the second is that of good words (hûkhtô), and the third is that of good deeds (hûvarstô).”