* These three angels are personifications of the Avesta terms vohii-man6, ‘good thought,’ sraosha, ‘listening, obedience,’ and areta, ‘righteous.’ The coming of Vohfiman (‘the good spirit’ of § 17) and of Srésh is mentioned in the Gathas (Yas. XLIII, 16,¢ d).
Chapter Iii, 10-109. 19
ously rushing unto true propitiation from tne heart,
and keeping selfishness away from the desires;
the lodgment of Srdésh in the words is owing to
him who is intelligent dezg a true speaker, and
him who is unintelligent being a listener to what
2s true and Zo the high-priests; axzd the lodgment
of Ard in the actions is declared to be owing to
promoting that which is known as goodness, and
abstaining from that which oxze does not know.
15. And these three benefits! which have been
recited are sent down (faréstak6) in two ways
that the ancients ave mentioned, which are ¢hat
deliberately taken and ¢hat they should deliber-
ately leave, whose means are wisdom and proper
exertion.
16. And his (man’s) high-priest is he whose
instigation is to keep him truly zz accordance with
the revelation (dind) of the sacred beings, and is
the origin of his pure meditation which is truly
through goodness like Vohfiman’s. 17. As the
religious of the ancients ave religiously said, that
of him who keeps the goodness of Vohfiman lodg-
ing in the thoughts the true way is then that of
the good spirit. 18. The Mazda-worshipper under-
stands the will of the creator in the true way, and
grows and acquires by performing what is desirable
for the creator, which obtains the benefit of the
renovation,
19. A more concise reply is this, that a righteous
man is the creature by whom is accepted that
occupation which is provided for him, and is fully
1 The lodgments of the three angels.
# Meaning, probably, the deliberate adoption of good conduct
and relinquishment of evil (compare Chap. VII, 7).
C 2
20 DADISTAN-1 DINIK.
watchful in the world as to his not being deceived
by the rapacious fiend. 20. And as a determiner,
by wisdom, of the will of the creator—one who is
himself a propitiator and understander, and a pro-
moter of the understanding of goodness—and of
whatever fertains to him (the creator), 4e is a giver
of heed thereto; and it is necessary for him to be
thus, so that such greatness axd goodness may also
be his more securely in the spiritual exzstence.
CHAPTER IV.
1. The third question is that you ask thus: For
what reason does this greatness’ of a righteous
man exist?
2. The reply is this, that z¢ is for the performance
of what is desirable for the creator by the Mazda-
worshipper; because he strives unhesitatingly that
the way for the performance of what is desirable
for the creator may be the propitiation? which is
his desire, and that desired propitiation? becomes
perfect through sound wisdom. 3. The wisdom by
which he understands about the desire of the
heavenly angels is not appointed (vakht), but is
the true, pure religion which is knowledge of® the
spirits, the science of sciences, the teacher of the
* Referring to Chap. II, 1, and not to Chap. III, 20; otherwise it might be supposed that the questions were contrived to suit the replies.
2 Or, perhaps, ‘ understanding.’
* K35 has ‘obedience to’ by inserting a medial stroke in
danisn6, which converts it into sinvisnd, but is probably a
mistake.
CHAPTER III, 20—IV, 6. aI
teaching of the angels, and the source of all knowledge.
4. And the progress, too, of the pure religion
of the Mazda-worshippers is through the righteous
man, as is shown of him in revelation thus: ‘I
created, O Zarattist the Spitaman! the righteous
man who is very active!, and I will guard his
hands from evil deeds; I wz// also have him con-
veyed unto those who are afterwards righteous
and more actively wise?. 5. And at the same
time the religion of me who created him is his
desire, avd it is the obtainment of a ruler which -
is to be changed by the well-organised renovation
of the universe >,’
6. As through wisdom is created the world of
righteousness, through wisdom is subjugated every
evil, and through wisdom is perfected every good;
and the best wisdom is the pure religion whose
progress is that achieved by the upholders of
religion, the greatness of the best men of the
righteous, in whose destiny z¢ zs, such as that
which was shown about Gaydémard, Zaratist, and
Séshans *.
1 Mrq4 and J here insert ‘I will guard his mind from evil thoughts, 47s tongue from evil-speaking.’
? In the future existence.
§ Mr4 and J have ‘and it is the obtainment of a ruler who is a wise upholder of religion, from time to time, even unto the change of the last existences by the well-organised renovation of the universe. But the additional words appear to have been suggested by the word ‘ruler’ being taken literally, whereas it seems to have been figuratively applied to the religion which is to rule the righteous till the future existence.
* In Chap. I, 9-13.
22 DADISTAN-! DINiK.
1. The fourth question is that which you ask
thus: Of this destruction (zadam) and terror which
ever happen to us from the retribution! of the
period, and are a cause of the other evils and
defects of the good religion, what kind of opinion
exists? And is there a good opinion of us among
the spirits, or not?
2. The reply is this, that it is said in the revela-
tion of the Mazda-worshippers that the impediments
(ras-bandih), through which ¢heve is vexation in
righteousness, are because its doctrine is this, that,
regarding the difficulty, anxiety, and discomfort
which occur through good works set going, it is
not desirable to account ¢hem as much difficulty,
trouble, and discomfort. 3. Whereas it is not
desirable to account ¢Hem as anxiety and difficulty,
it is then declared by it? thereof, that, as its
recompense, so much comfort azd pleasure will
come to the soul, as that no one is to think of that
difficulty and discomfort which came upon him
through so many such good works, because he is
steadfast to maintain the good religion, and utters .
thanksgivings (va stayed6d). 4. And as regards
the discomfort *, which the same good religion of
ours kas had, it comes on from the opponents of the religion.
* Reading padasan, but by a slight alteration M14 and J have padakhshahan, ‘monarchs,’ which is equally suitable.
2 By revelation.
Chapter V,. I-Vi, 3. 23
5. Through the coming of religion we lave full
enjoyment (bara gik4arém), and owing to religion,
unlike bondsmen (abirddgénvar), we do not
become changeable among the angels; our spiritual
life (ahvéih) of praise then arrives in readiness,
and owing to the angels ¢/ere are joyous salutation,
spiritual life, and glory for the soul.
Cuapter VI.
1. The fifth question is that you ask thus: Why
does evil always happen more Zo the good than to
the bad?
2. The reply is this, that not af every time
and every place, azd not Zo all the good, does evil
happen more—for the spiritual welfare of the good
is certainly more—but in the world it is very much
more manifest!. 3. And the reasons for it are many;
one which is conclusive is even this, that the modes
24 DADISTAN-? DINIK.
and causes of z¢s occurrence are more; for the
occurrence of evil is more particularly appointed
(vakhtd) by two modes, one by the demons, the
appointers of evil, azd one by the vile, the doers
of evil; even to the vileness of creation and the
vile they cause vexation. 4. Moreover, incalculable
is the evil which happens to the vile from the
demons, and that to the good from the demons
and also from the vile, and the mode of its occur-
rence is in the same way without a demon.
5. This, too, is more particularly such as the
ancients #ave said, that the labour and trouble of
the good are much more in the world, and their
reward avd recompense are more certain in the
spiritual exzstence; and. the comfort and pleasure
of the vile are more in the world, and their pain
and punishment in the spiritual exzstence are more
severe. 6. And this, too, is ¢he case, that the good,
through fear of the pain and punishment of hell,
should forsake the comfort and ease in the. world,
and should not think, speak, or do anything im-
proper whatever. 7. And through hope for the
comfort and pleasure in heaven they should accept
willingly, for the neck!, much trouble azd fear in
the practice of virtue in thought, word, axzd deed.
8. The vile, through provision with temporary
enjoyment*—even that enjoyment of improprieties
for which eventually there is hell—then enjoy them-
pet ei
* The word can be read either garévan, ‘collar,’ or gardfin, ‘neck,’ and is the usual Paz. of the Huz. Aavarman (Chald. S73), ‘the neck,’ though ‘neck’ is often expressed by gardtin. The meaning is that the yoke of trouble and fear should be accepted. | * Mr4 and J have ‘through provision with the enjoyment of improprieties which is temporarily theirs.’
Chapter Vi, 4-Vii, 3. 25
selves therein temporarily, and lustfully on account
of selfishness; those various actions also, through
which ¢here would be a way to heaven, they do not
trouble themselves with.
9g. And in this way, in the world, the comfort
and pleasure of the vile are more, and the anxiety,
vexation, despondency, and distress of the good
have become more; the reason is revealed by
the stars’.
CuapTer VII.
1. The sixth question is that which you ask thus:
Why are we men produced for the world, and what
is it necessary for us to do therein ?
2. The reply is this, that even in the reply to an
accompanying question? z¢ is written that the crea-
tures are achieved for’ justice and the performance
of what is desirable for the creator; and to prepare
thoroughly well that which is unlimited and the
virtuous progress of the creatures, whose distress
is like fear, there is the unparalleled (abradarvat6)
renovation of the universe.
3. And that preparation arises from the complete
predominance of the creator azd the non-predomi-
nance of the fiend, as is said of it in revelation
thus: ‘In that time I become completely predomi-
nant, I who am Athaymazd; in nothing whatever
1 That is, it is dependent upon destiny.
* See Chap. III.
* Reading pavan instead of bara, two words which are often confounded by the copyists of MSS. because their Persian equiva- lents are nearly identical.
26 pDADISTAN-{ DIN?K.
is the evil spirit predominant.’ 4. And also about
the good procedure of the creature-creation 2¢ is
recounted thus: ‘Happy am I when the creatures
are so created by me, and according to any wish
whatever of mine they give the sovereignty to me,
and also come ¢o the sovereignty when I have
created z¢ for the performance of what is desirable
for the expression of what sovereignty is.
5. And it is necessary for us to become so in the
world as that the supreme sovereignty of the creator
may be kept more friendly to us, its own true ser-
vants. 6. The way to that true service is known
through wisdom, is believed (vavari-aitd, through
truth, azd is utilized through goodness; and the
path of excellence more particularly ads fo it.
7. And to set the good spirit rightly in the place
of thought z¢ zs deliberately taken avd they should
deliberately leave z#1, as it is said in revelation that
Atharmazd spoke out to Zaratist thus: ‘Thou
shouldst assist Vohiman with thy pure spiritual
faculties (ahvé6), so that they may make him fully
welcome; for when thou assistest Vohiman with
thy pure spiritual faculties, so that they make him
fully welcome, thou shalt thus fully understand the
two ways, ¢Za¢ which is good conduct, and ¢aé also
which is bad conduct.’
Cuapter VIII.
1. The seventh question is that you ask thus:
When a man is passing away, and after the occur-
rence of his passing away, how does the good work
* Compare Chap. III, 15. The ‘good spirit’ is Vohfiman.
Chapter Vii, 4—Viii, 5. 24
then go to him and assist him, which any others
may do for him who has gone out from the world,
on the third night in the dawn}, a¢ which he goes
out to the balance?? And zs zts greatness such as
though it be done by his own hand, or otherwise?
4. If he who Zas passed away did not order that
good work, and did not even bequeath z¢, but was
consenting to it by design, that which shall be done
in Azs lifedzme then reaches out in the three xzghis
(sathih) for the aggrandizement of his position ; dz
that which shall be done after 4zs passing away is
not in the account of the three mghts and the
balance, but reaches out, at the time the good work
is proceeded with, for the enjoyment of the soul.
