Rationalism in Zoroastrianism

By Dalai Lama, Karan Billimoria and Kersee Kabraji

As a Strong believer in the moral value of all major religions and as an advocate of interfaith understanding and religious harmony, I congratulate Mr Kabraji on his effort. His Holiness Dalai Lama
Zoroastrianism is the oldest of the revealed world-religions, and it has probably had more influence on mankind, directly and indirectly, than any other single faith. Mary Boyce, Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices
Zarathushtra was the greatest of all the pioneer prophets who showed the path of freedom to men, the freedom of moral choice, freedom from blind obedience to unmeaning injunctions freedom from multiplicity of shrines which draw our worship away from the single-minded chastity of devotion.
Though surrounded by the believers in magical rites, he proclaimed in those dark days of unreason that Religion has its truth in its moral significance, not in external practices of imaginary value; that it is to upholdman in his life of good thoughts, good words and good deeds Rabindranath Tagore in the Religion of Man
-Believe not what you hear; - believe not legends; - believe not gossip, - believe not what you are habituated to listening to since childhood;
- believe not because it comes from the lips of the elders;
- but apply it to your own study, examine it, ponder on it and believe only what your intelligence accepts.
Gautama Buddha in Kalmo Satta
(The same philosophy as Zarathushtra proclaimed nearly 600 to 800 years earlier?)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing India
• Release date: Jul 8, 2015
• ISBN: 9781482850055

Dalai Lama

Mr. Kersee Kabraji is a mechanical and electrical engineer by training. Has worked in marketing, manufacturing, and general management areas in engineering companies in India for over forty-five years. He considers himself to be a rational and logical person and also a student of Zarathushtra’s Gathas. In this booklet, he explains how zoroastrianism is basically a rational philosophy of life.

Book preview

Copyright © 2015 Kersee Kabraji. All rights reserved.

ISBN

978-1-4828-5004-8 (sc)

978-1-4828-5005-5 (e)

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www.partridgepublishing.com/india

11/07/2015

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About the Author Mr. Kersee Kabraji is a Mechanical and Electrical engineer by training. Has worked in marketing, manufacturing and general management areas in engineering companies in India for over 45 years. He considers himself to be a rational and logical person and also a student of Zarathushtra’s Gathas. In this booklet he explains how Zoroastrianism is basically a rational philosophy of life.

CONTENTS

Foreword By His Holiness Dalai Lama

Foreword By Lord Karan Billimoria

Preface by Kersee Kabraji

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1 Zarathushtra

Chapter 2 Philosophy Of Gathas – Main Aspects Of Zarathushtra’s Teaching

Chapter 3 Zarathushtra’s Messages In The Gathas

Chapter 4 What The Gathas Are Silent About

Chapter 5 Some Quotes On Zarathushtra And Zoroastrianism

Chapter 6 The Declaration Of Cyrus The Great

Chapter 7 Conclusion

Appendix

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THE DALAI LAMA

FOREWORD

Mr. Kersee Kabraji’s booklet, Rationalism in Zoroastrianism, which explains the teachings and principal ideas of Zoroastrianism, is a welcome addition to knowledge about this ancient religion.

Zoroastrianism is widely credited with being the first monotheistic religion. The Zoroastrian teaching that human beings are fundamentally good, although free will gives us a choice between positive actions that leads to peace and negative actions that lead to misery, are ideas we can all learn from.

Personally, I have admiration for the Parsee community in India, who are followers of Zoroastrianism, as they have been able to preserve their religious and cultural identity despite various challenges.

As a strong believer in the moral value of all major religions and as an advocate of interfaith understanding and religious harmony, I congratulate Mr. Kabraji on his effort.

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February 27, 2015

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FOREWORD by Lord Karan Billimoria

‘Rationalism in Zoroastrianism’ is a welcome new publication by Kersee Kabraji. His booklets explain the teachings of Zarathushtra in a clear, simple and concise manner.

In 2006, I became the first-ever Zoroastrian Parsi to be appointed to the House of Lords. Indeed, so unusual was my appointment that the Clerk of the Parliaments asked me to bring my own copy of the Avesta so that I could be sworn in properly!

However, I was not the first Zoroastrian to become a Parliamentarian in the United