Page:History of Zoroastrianism.djvu/377

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344
HERESIES

spirit. Bodily uncleanliness means spiritual pollution, and wantonly weakening the body is a sin. Monastic life is unknown to the Zoroastrians of all periods. Christianity had entered Iran under the Parthian rule, and monasteries of both the sexes flourished in the Assyrian Church during the Sasanian period. Far from exerting any influence upon the Zoroastrians, they were looked upon with great aversion by them.

Celibacy, a virtue with Mani, a vice with Zoroaster. Manichaeism extols celibacy as the greatest virtue. For those initiated in the higher orders Mani advocated celibacy. When the ardent longing for the love of God swallows up all other desires and becomes the controlling factor of the devout, he is enjoined to take a vow of continence. He should not enter into matrimonial alliance if he desires to serve God whole-heartedly. Marriage is declared incompatible with sanctity; it is accounted impure and defiling. Mani forbids sexual intercourse as the worst type of uncleanliness.[1] Virginity is the highest form of life. Body being the formation of Ahriman, the propagation of lineage and breeding of families are evil.[2] Marriage prolongs the life of mankind, and so retards the union of the human species with God.

All this is in direct antagonism to the teachings of Zoroaster. In no period of the history of his religion was celibacy ever held a virtue. Those practising it were not considered more holy and held in higher reverence, as among the Manichaeans, but their action was strongly reprehended. Even the priests were not to be celibates, for it is a cardinal point of the faith of every true Zoroastrian that he shall marry and rear a family.[3] Ormazd prefers the man who lives a life of marital happiness to the one who lives in continence.[4] Whoso does not marry and propagate lineage hinders the work of Renovation, and is wicked.[5] Marriage is doubly an obligation, being a religious duty to the Church, a civic duty to the State. Hence both the Church and the State encouraged married life in Iran. It is considered a highly meritorious form of charity to help a poor man to marry.[6] Herodotus remarks that the Persian kings gave

  1. ↑ Al-Biruni, p. 190.
  2. ↑ Sg. 16. 40, 41.
  3. ↑ Dk, vol 9, p. 609, 634, 637, 639; Gs. 123, 155.
  4. ↑ Vd. 4. 47.
  5. ↑ Dk, vol. 11, bk. 6. 92, p. 6, 7.
  6. ↑ Vd. 4. 44.
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