Avesta

Comprehensive Theosophical Dictionary

Terms (+) • Literature (+) • Persons (+) • Periodicals (+) • Sources

H A L P S

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Avesta

(Zend.)

Lit., “the Law”. From the old Persian Âbastâ, “the law”. The sacred Scriptures of the Zoroastrians. Zend means in the “Zend‐Avesta” — a “commentary” or “interpretation”. It is an error to regard “ Zend” as a language, as “it was applied only to explanatory texts, to the translations of the Avesta”(Darmsteter) (TG).

The bibliography recommends The Zend-Avesta in the Sacred Books of the East series: parts I-II translated by James Darmesteter and part III by L. H. Mills (volumes IV, XXIII and XXXI). (BCW 2:522).

The English Zend-Avesta in Oxford's Sacred Books of the East comprises James Darmesteter's translations of the Vendidad and of the Sirozahs, Yashts, and Nyayis, followed by L. H. Mills's translation of the Yasna, Visparad, and related texts. (BCW 3:496).

Some links:

• Quotes: H. P. Blavatsky, Zirkoff, Boris
• CTD article in Russian: Авеста

DATA

To show: ; sortable: Avesta
Lifetime:
Shortly: Lit., “the Law”. From the old Persian Âbastâ, “the law”. The sacred Scriptures of the Zoroastria...