The Ontological Analysis of Pahlavi Texts and Deducing their Training Doctrines

Subject Areas : شاهنامه

Sheida Riazi Heravi ¹ , Masoud Safaei Moghaddam ² , Mohammad Jafar Pakseresht ³ , Shahram Jalilian ⁴

1 - Ph.D. Student in Philosophy of Education, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz.
2 - Professor of Philosophy of Education, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz.
3 - Professor of Philosophy of Education, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz.
4 - Professor of History, Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz.

Received: 2020-07-08 Accepted : 2020-07-08 Published : 2020-05-21

Keywords: Ontology, educational implications, Pahlavi scripts,

Abstract :

Dualism in the theology of Mazda Yasna is a fundamental concept which is philosophically significant. Dualism in Zoroaster's Gathas is started with a fight between Sepand Mainyu and Angra Mainyu and then is organized in the form of a confrontation between Ahura Mazda and Ahriman throughout the Late Avesta. In Pahlavi scripts, dualism is interwoven with the ontology, and Zoroaster’s dualistic worldview is shaped in the form of creation and evolution of the universe based upon the struggle between Ahura Mazda and Ahriman. This struggle continues for four periods and it finally ends in Ahura Mazda’s victory and Ahriman’s defeat. In this research, firstly, the principles in the ontology of Pahlavi scripts were explored based on the traditional reports about creation. Then, the existing training implications in this ontology were extracted through an analytical-inferential method. Elevating the spiritual intelligence and wisdom, doing good deeds, developing the ability of ethical judgement based upon the existing dialectic in the universe, considering the unity of human being with the universe, and protecting the nature and natural phenomena are among the training implications inferred from the ontology of Pahlavi scripts.