Frasokereti

Frasokereti (Pahlavi, Frasogird). Literally, the ‘making fresh’ (or ‘restored’) in Zoroastrian eschatology. In Zoroastrian cosmology (Bundahisn) the world and humanity are created perfect but are assaulted by evil. Zoroastrianism is, however, an optimistic religion and teaches that evil will ultimately be eradicated. Frasokereti is the process by which the good is triumphant. There are two aspects to Zoroastrian eschatology: individual and cosmic. At death, every individual faces judgement by the balances whereby good thoughts, words, and deeds are weighed against the evil. At death, the soul is led by its daena (conscience), either to a heavenly existence or to the abyss of hell. However, this stay in hell (or heaven) is not eternal, for eternal punishment could not be corrective, as punishment should be. Zoroastrians, therefore, believe in a resurrection and a second judgement which forms part of the cosmic Frasokereti. This in turn is related to the teaching of the four ages.

The last of these is broken down into three periods, each of a thousand years, in which a saviour (sōs̆yant) is born. With evil expunged from the Good Creation all can finally dwell with God as the heaven and earth come together in what is the best of all possible worlds. Evil is defeated, and Ahura Mazda is now not only all-good, but also for the first time all-powerful.