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Ahura Mazda

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions | 1997 | | Copyright

Ahura Mazda. The Wise Lord (or possibly more correctly ‘The Lord Wisdom’), God in Zoroastrianism. Zoroaster was convinced he had seen Ahura personally and had been called by him. This injected into the foundations of Zoroastrianism a concept of a personal God. In the Gāthās, Ahura is referred to as the creator of all things, of the heavens, of humanity, both materially and spiritually. In the developed Zoroastrian tradition, the emphasis is on Ahura Mazda's goodness and knowledge, but not on his omnipotence, for he is restricted by the activities of the wholly independent evil Angra Mainyu. The first creations of Ahura were the Amesa Spentas, the heavenly forces. Beneath them in the heavenly hierarchy are the yazatas, or worshipful beings. In modern Zoroastrian exegesis, the Amesa Spentas are often compared to the archangels and angels of Judaism and Christianity. Ahura Mazda is the Good Creator (Bundahisn) who will ultimately triumph over evil (Frasokereti). In that battle he has his helpers (hamkars) chief among whom are humans.

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JOHN BOWKER. "Ahura Mazda." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN BOWKER. "Ahura Mazda." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-AhuraMazda.html

JOHN BOWKER. "Ahura Mazda." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-AhuraMazda.html

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Ahura Mazda

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable | 2006 | | Copyright

Ahura Mazda the creator god of Zoroastrianism, the force for good and the opponent of Ahriman; also called Ormazd. The name is Avestan, and means literally ‘wise deity’.

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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Ahura Mazda." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Ahura Mazda." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-AhuraMazda.html

ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "Ahura Mazda." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-AhuraMazda.html

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Ahura Mazda and Armaiti, heaven and earth, in the Old Avesta Magazine article from: The Journal of the American Oriental Society; 4/1/2002
	Etudes avestiques et mazdeennes, volume 1: Le Ratauuo vispe mazista (Yasna... Magazine article from: The Journal of the American Oriental Society; 10/1/2008
	Asura in Early Vedic Religion. Magazine article from: The Journal of the American Oriental Society; 10/1/1993