* Sacred fire (see Chap. XXXI, 7).
° Over the Kinvad bridge (see Chap. XXI, 5).
® Reading raf, instead of 14, ‘not,’ here, and wzce versa further on in the sentence, as in Mr4.
’ That is, in good works. Mr4 omits the word ‘less.’
* The construction of this quotation is suggestive of its being a literal translation from the Avesta.
Chapter Lxxxi, I18—Lxxxii, 5. 243
and shall take his money, du¢ has not performed the
ceremonial, what is then the decision; and what is
then the decision aout the man who ordered the
ceremonial ?
2. The reply is this, that the merit of a cere-
monial not performed is not set going, and does not
come to the soul of the undertaker who shall take
money for it, zor even ¢o that of the orderer who
gave money for it. 3. But, as zo him who is the
orderer, since his mental meritoriousness is so stead-
fast that he gave his money, the efficacy (tiibdn) of |
the good work, mentally his own, fas not stayed
away from him, because he gave money authorisedly
for the good work; the decision, then, aéou¢ him is
such as about him to whom harm occurs in perform-
ing a good work for the religion. 4. It is said that
the angels so recompense him that he does not con-
sider it as any other harm; and as much as the good
money given! for the sacred feast? azd ceremonial
is then the pleasure whzch comes unto his soul, as
much as would have been possible to arise in the
world from that money.
5. And he who shall take his money, and did not
perform his ceremonial, is just as though he had
abstracted from the angels * and the righteous guar-
dian spirits, avd destroyed, as much propitiation as
would have been possible from that ceremonial;
and he is, therefore, overwhelmed by it‘, and expi-
ates 7/ in the soul.
1 Mr4 has ‘the money given by him,’ which may be correct.
® See Chap. XLVII, 1.
* K35 has ‘the good.’
* Or, we might perhaps read ‘thereby it is his overwhelming (astarid6),’ supposing astarid6 to be a technical term implying a
244 DADISTAN-? DINiK.
CHAPTER LXXXIII.
1. As to the eighty-second question azd reply, that
which you ask is thus: Is it necessary for a priestly
man ! ¢hat he should undertake all the religious rites
and other ceremonials, or in what way is it ?
2. The reply is this, that a priestly man should
necessarily undertake all the religious rites avd other
ceremonials, because the deciding and advising per-
formers of the ceremonial, ‘ese same priestly men, well
understand the merit ov demerit, the propriety ov im-
propriety, of the ceremonial. 3. When the undertaker
and conductor of all the religious rites is a priestly
man, ove is more hopeful of ¢#ezr progress in merit.
4. As to the priestly man who shall undertake
all the religious rites, if 4e de living comfortably
(hd-zivisnd) on a share of our house-rulership?,
flogging, as appears probable from a passage in Farh. Okh. p. 34, ll. 1, 2, which, when restored to its form in the oldest MSS., runs as follows:—Astaridano 4skarih astaraspan snas pavan vinds, which may be translated ‘the manifestation of “ overwhelming ” is the blow of horsewhips for sin;’ assuming that astarasp is equiva- lent to asp6 astar, the usual translation of Av. aspahé astraya, ‘with a horsewhip.’
1 The term magavdég-gabra probably means strictly ‘a man of a priestly family,’ as distinguished from a priest appointed from the laity, an appointment that seems to have been occasionally made in former times (see Bd, Introd. p. xxxiii, note 1). According to the Nirangistan any virtuous man or woman can perform certain priestly duties under certain circumstances (see Sls. X, 35), but would not, of course, be magavdég, ‘priestly, or of priestly family.’
” Reading manpatih, instead of mag 6patth, ‘ priesthood,’ which words are often confounded in Pahlavi, being written very nearly alike. And assuming that hatom, ‘if my,’ stands for hatoman, ‘if our;’ M14 has atfikhsh, ‘without exertion,’ but hatés, ‘if his,’ would be a more probable emendation, as it occurs in the next section.
CHAPTER LXXXITT, I—-LXXXIVv, I. 245
village-rulership, tribe-rulership, and province-ruler-
ship, and his needful support of religion remain
the consideration as to his living comfortably, and
he have no need for the stipend of all the religious
rites, then the rule for him is to distribute properly
that recompense of the sacred feast, which is to
be given for all the religious rites, among the solem-
nizers*, 5. If zt de needful for him, the priestly
man, as he is suitable, is not changed — whereby
good management is not attained—and 2z/ zt de
needful even for his consideration of all those
religious rites, his performance in the duty and
ministration is then an approval of worthiness azd
management. 6. When they shall act so, all those
religious rites are more meritoriously managed;
and one day the solemnizers are brought from the
fag-end (sar) into the rank of priestly manhood,
which is the stipend for all the religious rites that
they shall expressly take authorisedly, and are,
therefore, worthy of it®.
CHaPTER LX XXIV.
1. As to the eighty-third question and reply, that which you ask is thus: Is it desirable to give
1 See Chap. XLVII, 1.
2 That is, if the chief priest has already a sufficient income, he is not to appropriate the fees for such occasional ceremonies, but to distribute them among his assistants, who are the actual solemnizers.
* That is, when the chief priest requires the fees for his own support, the reward of his assistants must be the fact that they are rendering themselves competent to undertake the responsibility of the chief priest at some future time.
246 DApISTAN-I DINIK.
in excess the gift for the ceremonial whzch it is not desirable to diminish ?
2. The.reply is,sthis, that 27 is .proper<notase
diminish a gift where z¢ zs the gift! for a cere-
monial, and the reasons for it are many. 3. One
is this, that a gift is the money which in another
good work suffices for the accomplishment of the
good work, azd the good work of a righteous gift?
is a great good work, azd not to diminish 2z¢ is
sure worthiness among the explainers. 4. When
the sacred feast* avd the gift for the ceremonial are
supplied in excess, even that which is an excess of
gift is an excess of liberality to the performers of the
ceremonial, and has realized (frarast6) an excess of
good works that is commendable.
CuaPTER LXXXV.
1. As ¢o the eighty-fourth question and reply,
that which you ask is thus: As Zo a gift for the
ceremonial which they do not reduce, and while
they give z¢ in excess, in what manner is then its
great advantage, azd how and in how many modes
is 1t possible to occur?
2. The reply is this, that the advancement of the
ceremonial of the sacred beings is by so much as
the gift is more fully given; and the great advan-
tage of the good work is more, and its reasons many,
therefrom. 3. The desire of this wealth, which has
come for the sake of the good work, is an experience
* M14 omits the repetition of the words atgh dahisn6-t, * See Chaps el Voto. wee Ghana Natt
Chapter Lxxxiv, 2—Lxxxv, 7. 247
of the comfortable living of the angels, by whom the
solemnizers are aggrandized, and is proper apart from
ets great judiciousness ; to diminish z¢ is improper.
4. When the gift for the ceremonial is abundantly
given, the performers of the ceremonial, who, with
much trouble annoying them, ave solemnized the
Avesta and chanted the hymns (GAathas), and obtain
the stipend of their solemnizing from the remunera-
tion of the solemnization, are living comfortably,
thriving, and blessed. 5. And also the undertakers
of all the religious rites who, by means of the hope ©
of rightful religion, render ove certain as to the way
to the distant awful place!, and tempt the longers
for righteousness into the religion”, undertake all the
religious rites azd ceremonial of the sacred beings
for the sake of the stipend of proper diligence.
6. And reasoning thought is cognizant as regards
the advantageousness due to the undertakers and
solemnizers of all the religious rites, and a great
stipend is more obtained and observed for them
than for azy other profession. 7. The sons, too,
of priests and disciples strive for the words prayed’,
and are more eager for their prayers; and many,
likewise, shall engage for all the religious rites, and
become more diffusive of the religion (dind balis-
niktar); and, in like manner, the proper, more
attainable, azd more propitious path of the good
for saving the soul becomes wider‘.
* The place of account (see Chap. XX, 3). Or, it may be,
‘render one certain, in the course of time, regarding the awful
place (hell).’
* Mrq adds ‘and acquire good works.’
* That is, they are more diligent in learning the prayers by heart.
* Referring to the Xinvad bridge (see Chap. XXI, 5).
248 DApISTAN-1 DINIK.
CuHaprer LXXXVI,
1. As to the eighty-fifth question azd reply, that
which you ask is thus: What is possible to become
the harm of a gift that is reduced ?
2. The reply is this, that since ¢hose things are to
be properly given which are for the religious rites
of the ceremonial1, and are the consideration of the
undertakers of all the religious rites, and are also
the stipend of some solemnizers, both? are living
comfortably dy the ceremonial. 3. The sons of the
disciples who wanted approval for the words prayed,
become so much the more to be ordered and to be
accepted; and the ceremonial of all the religious
rites becomes more progressive.
4. So, moreover, when they go to undertake
the well-operating activity of the ceremonial for a
diminution of remuneration azd gift, and owing to
undertaking azd ordering again*, by way of routine
(pavan dor r&s), they do not request so much
stipend, z¢ zs as though they should buy my linen
and should sell z¢ again for their own payment
(dadan6). 5. As ¢o the performers of the ceremonial,
likewise, who ave to acquire approval with much
trouble and words prayed, and obtain a remunera-
tion which, for the soul even, is as little for the
ceremonial as though oe were annoyed—whereby
" Mrq4 has merely ‘since the proper donation for the cere- monial.’ * That is, both the undertakers and solemnizers, the chief priest and his assistants. _* Referring to a priest who undertakes cerers>nies and then directs inferiors to perform them (see Chap. LAVI, 4, 6).
Chapter Lxxxvi, I-Lxxxvii, I. 249
living is difficult—they become sorry for enduring
the trouble, owing to lukewarmness (afsurd6-
minisnih) zz the same profession. 6. And even
the sons of the disciples shall sell linen for wages,
and they rejoice ¢hat it is possible to learn other
callings wzth less pains; and thus they make them
become lukewarm aud meditating retreat (av4z-
ahang) from the words of fresh paragraphs con-
tinually prayed!, from the approval requested of the
learned (Azan), azd from all the religious rites they |
should undertake for the contented.
7. As to those, moreover, who, through fervent-
minded undertaking of what is ordered, request less
for all the religious rites, axd have not obtained?
even that which is due fo them, it is not even as
though they ordered of them for the fiends*. 8. And
the disgrace, too, of the orderers of good works of
lukewarmness is the exaltation of the profession of
the disciples; and its deficient progress becomes
the paralysation of the ceremonial of the sacred
beings for saving the souls of the good from the
deadly ove (mar).
CHAPTER LXXXVII.
1. As to the eighty-sixth question and reply, that
which you ask is thus: How is it good when they
give a gift for the ceremonial ?
* Literally ‘ prayed and prayed.’
? Reading ay4ft, instead of the unintelligible ay4dt, as d has, no doubt, been written for f.
* Meaning that the orderers would act more liberally if they wanted a ceremony even in honour of the fiends.
250 pDADISTAN-I DINIK.
2. The reply is this, that as it is necessary, so
that the ceremonial of the sacred beings may be
more advanced, and such wealth may more come
on to the good work, for the proper stipends of the
undertakers azd solemrfizers—that they may become
less lukewarm as regards the accompanying pro-
prieties, and thereby diligent zz performing ¢hem—
and there is not in 7¢! an express connection mani-
fested with different work, and with that which has
proceeded from so many previous good Zeople, | deem
the introduction of z¢2 more expressly better.
CHAPTER LX XXVIII.
1. As to the eighty-seventh question and reply,
that which you ask is thus: As family householders
we of the good religion of Iran, before each celebra-
tion of all the religious rites with holy-water*® which
they have provided in the land‘ of Pars, have then
always given for it a gift of 4oo dirhams, ov 350
dirhams® af least. 2. And now if we should be
needy, when we deduct something from the 400
dirhams, or from the 350 dirhams, of the gift for
them, they would then not accept z¢ from us, and
speak thus: ‘Less than 400, or than 350, dirhams
we do not® accept.’ 3. Aut there are needy men
