In your hard hitting editorial "Come rain or shine” (Parsiana, February 7, 2017) you have separated reason and facts from conditioned religious beliefs. The reference to Dastur (Dr) Maneckji Dhalla is most appropriate. Dhalla, high priest in Karachi for over 45 years, was born into a poor priestly family and deeply conditioned to follow the Zoroastrian rituals practiced at that time. But after going abroad and making an in-depth study of Zoroastrianism, Dhalla concluded that Zarathushtra never gave ceremonies and rituals the predominant position they hold today. He affirmed that ceremonies are not the be-all and end-all of the religion. Heavenly bliss cannot be gained by performing after death ceremonies alone. Only a virtuous and helpful life can lead the soul to a higher dimension. Dhalla penned his knowledge in the classic Homage Unto Ahura Mazda.
In an article in The New York Times of November 12, 2005, the Dalai Lama (pictured) wrote: "One night while looking at the moon through a telescope I realized that there were shadows on its surface. I corralled my two main tutors to show them, because this was contrary to the ancient version of cosmology I had been taught, which held that the moon was a heavenly body that emitted its own light. But through my telescope the moon was clearly just a barren rock, pocked with craters. If the author of that fourth century treatise were writing today, I’m sure he would write the chapter on cosmology differently. If science proves some belief of Buddhism wrong, then Buddhism will have to change. In my view, science and Buddhism share a search for the truth and for understanding reality. By learning from science about aspects of reality where its understanding may be more advanced, I believe that Buddhism enriches its own worldview.”
We are the inheritors of a wonderful religion with its middle-of-the-road philosophy which describes a way of life. Yet we fight, not about the essence, but about traditions and rituals. I have personally seen the best of friends parting company and criticizing one another simply because they differ in their religious beliefs. This goes against the concepts of tolerance and a good mind (vohu mana) which form the basis of our religion. Can we not live peacefully and not impose our beliefs on others? The early Zoroastrians who landed in India carried on the tradition of dakhmenashini by building dakhmas which served their purpose at a time when bodies were being eaten by vultures. However, when vultures began to disappear because of increasing urbanization and the lethal effect of the drug diclofenac used to alleviate pain, the bodies started rotting and stinking.
There are Parsis who opt to be cremated or buried. One sees no problem here. Each individual can choose his own method. The problem comes in when fundamentalists insist that for a Zoroastrian there is no alternative to the dakhma. Some even advocate that prayers should not be said for those who choose an alternate method of disposal.
Zoroastrianism is a progressive religion, one of choice. There are no thou shalts and thou shalt nots. It is up to the individual to choose the right path. If the assumption that each Parsi’s body must be confined to a dakhma were true, the body of every Parsi who dies abroad or in a place where there is no dakhma must be brought to Bombay to be consigned. This is absurd. No dead person has come back to tell us that his or her soul has had a smooth passage while crossing the bar just because his or her body was consigned to a dakhma.
I request humdins to stop fighting about a ritual and live in harmony. Let us follow the philosophy of "to each his own.” YAZDI B. KOHIAR
yazdikohiar@yahoo.co.uk