Everything that is created was first a Thought. So let your Thoughts be Good. Good Thoughts are those that are in harmony with the Wisdom in Creation. Let your Good Thoughts be known through Good Words. For that's when Creation first comes into being. (Yasna Ha 28.11)
Pre-Islamic religion based in modern-day Iran and India and focused on the teachings of the prophet Zoroaster, or Persian Zarathushtra. Zoroastrianism is well-known for its focus on dualism: right and wrong, good and evil, female and male. The religion is either monotheistic or ditheistic depending on its sect, but always focuses on praising the "Ahura Mazda, the Wise Lord, who created the universe and established asha (order, right, and truth)."
Iannone, A. (2001). Zoroastrianism. In Dictionary of World Philosophy. Routledge.
Zoroastrianism is a religion based heavily on the prophet Zoroaster. "Zoroaster is the westernized version of ‘Zarathushtra’, the prophet of ancient Persia, who may have lived c. 1200 BCE, when Persia was emerging from the Stone Age. From the age of 30, Zoroaster had a series of visions that inspired him to preach a new message, which became the recognized teaching of a small kingdom in north-east Persia. In time it spread throughout Persia, where it became the official religion for 1,000 years."
Dowley, T. (2018). Zoroastrianism. In Atlas of World Religions. Lion Hudson.
Dualism: A perpetual conflict between good vs evil permeates Zoroastrian thought. The primary defining aspect of this pre-Islamic religion is its focus on the constant tension between Asha and Dhruj, roughly translated as "righteousness and order" and "falsehood and chaos", and the battle between the good god Minthra and the evil spirit Ahriman.
Equality and Charity: Zoroastrianism touts a strong emphasis on charitable giving ("Good Deeds") and emphasizes the spiritual equality of women and men.
Judgment Day - Heaven & Hell: Later inspiring the Abrahamic religions, Zoroastrians often believe that there will be a judgment day in which God will determine whether a soul ascends to Heaven (not clearly defined in the Gathas) or must spend time in Hell.
Monotheism: Although considered as a ditheistic religion by some scholars and smaller sects, Zoroastrians typically believe in one all-powerful god, Ahura Mazda.
Threefold Path of Asha: Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds
Duchesne-Guillemin, J. (2023, November 8). Zoroastrianism. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Zoroastrianism
Ahriman, or Angra Mainya meaning destructive force, is "the power of darkness, leader of demons, twin and implacable opponent of Ahura Mazda, lord of light." He is the source of all dhruj.
Ahriman shared "the womb of the primeval being Zurvan Akarana" with Ahura Mazda. While in the womb, "he overheard Zurvan Akarana saying 'the firstborn will be greatest' - and at once ripped the womb apart and jostled into the world ahead of Ahura Mazda. He created and ruled all the destructive forces in the universe, and used storms, disease and death to try to force Ahura Mazda's human worshippers to abandon light and worship him instead." Now, he is immortalized as being in constant opposition to Ahura Mazda and asha.
McLeish, K. (1996). Ahriman. In Bloomsbury Dictionary of Myth. Bloomsbury.
The most venerated spirit in Zoroastrianism, or the god of Zoroastrianism. The Ahura Mazda is the ultimate, supreme being of the universe; they are the "creative force" from which the universe was first made and continues to exist. The Ahura Mazda "lives" in opposition to Angra Mainyu, or Ahriman - the destructive force of the universe.
"Asha denotes righteousness, justice, and the divine/natural law that governs the universe and creation. It entails progress toward self-realization and perfection." Asha comes from Ahura Mazda. All human beings are created; thus they are subject to asha, and it is their duty to uphold asha during their lifetime.
http://www.zoroastrian.org.uk/vohuman/Article/Asha,%20God's%20Willl.htm
Druj is the polar opposite of asha and is typically defined by what asha is not. For purposes of this definition, druj can be noted as chaos; uncreation; lies, falsehood, or deceit; illusion. Druj comes from the chaotic spirit Ahriman and is in constant tension with asha and thus all of creation.
https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/druj
"Dualism in Zoroastrianism is the existence of, yet complete separation of, good and evil. This is recognised in two interconnecting ways:"
https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/zoroastrian/beliefs/dualism
Avesta: Zoroastrianism primary holy text (full text available)
Fenzana: Federation of Zoroastrianism Associations of North America
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