Mazdeyasni means the praise of the wisdom

Mazdayasnian insight is the ultimate knowledge of self-understanding and worldview. Essentially, Mazdayasnian (mazd = Mazda, and yasni = to praise, to venerate) means the praise of wisdom—what the Hellenes later translated as φιλοσοφία (philosophia: philo = friend, sophia = wisdom), or “lover of wisdom.” Mazdayasnian insight is the veneration and honoring of wisdom as an entity that is everywhere and, as the saying goes, closer to every living being—who is itself a part of existence—than the jugular vein.

As the greatest part of the existence, this “Existence-that possesses-great wisdom” is considered the one and only God, which, notably, has no connection whatsoever with theology or with notions of a deity or a heavenly power. Whatever exists, together with the wisdom that envelops it, is God. However, this God is not meant for worship, submission, or servitude. Worship implies humbling oneself before a sacred heavenly deity so as to be protected from calamities, to have one’s sins forgiven, and to be granted divine mercy.

Ahuramazda, God, is not just a deity and is not just in the heaven

As mentioned, in Mazdayasnian insight, "Ahu-ra-Mazda"—or God—is not merely a deity confined to the heavens; rather, it is everything and everywhere. In other words, it is the Existence itself—everything that exists. We ourselves are also a part of it, of God. As assistants to the “Existence-that possesses-great wisdom,” to God, we are extensions of it, meant to remedy its deficiencies and take steps along the path of its evolution. Therefore, it is we who are the agents of alleviating calamities and shortcomings and of creating mercy.

Sin and reward

Furthermore, sin and virtue, in the sense of a transaction of punishment and reward with a heavenly deity, are merely a primitive interpretation by primitive humans who needed protection against many dangers—far more than those that threaten modern humans. They required encouragement to perform good deeds and deterrents to avoid evil acts. In Mazdayasnian insight, there is no reckoning that would give rise to sin and reward. Through constructive action, a person reaches the intended destination, achieves mental balance, and becomes psychologically fulfilled, whereas imbalance of mind and thirst for illusory needs lead to corruption and, consequently, inner distress.

Ahuramazda is not holy

Likewise, the Mazdayasnian God is not sacred. It is something of the nature of existence itself—the world, nature, all living beings, including all humans—a totality that currently appears to suffer from immaturity and other shortcomings. Everything that exists is included within it: aspects that we presently judge as good and aspects that we presently judge as bad. This includes both poles of total wisdom, or Mazda—constructive wisdom (Spenta) and destructive wisdom (Evil). In other words, it is simply existence.

For us beginning of the evolution of Existence starts from ourselves

In any case, to strive for the evolution of existence, one must first begin with oneself—the closest part of existence to oneself—so as to be in balance, both mentally and physically. This means there is no alternative but to begin with our own development so that, subsequently, we may also bring joy and happiness to beings within existence. This is another form of creation, slightly different from what is usually understood as bringing something from non-existence into existence.

Creation

As Dr. Khosrow Khazaie (Pardis), founder of the Zoroastrian Foundation of Europe in Brussels, puts it: just as a painter transforms pre-existing materials—paint and canvas—into art and creates a work, the harmony and orderly evolution of Existence, the Existence that has always been and will always be (although it changes form to form), is a work created by the wisdom inherent in this existence (which also changes form to form). Therefore, a distinction must be made between creating an entity out of nothing and creating an emergent work from what already exists. The Mazdaean creation mentioned in the Gathas of Zarathustra is of the second kind.

Mazda, the wisdom of the Existence

We know that physical laws operate within this existence, to which existence itself is subject, and the outcome of these laws is a harmony (Ashaa) that drives existence toward evolution. These physical laws represent an inherent and static wisdom. These laws, embedded within the fabric of existence, are themselves Mazda.

These laws testify to wisdom. Our perception of this wisdom is understood in two perpetually opposing aspects: constructive (Spenta) and destructive (Evil). This dual perception, which depends on the knowledge that has so far been revealed to us, reflects the way any entity becomes comprehensible to us only in comparison with its opposite. Without darkness, light would be meaningless, and vice versa. However, both our knowledge and our understanding—and thus the nature, boundaries, and scope of the opposing poles we perceive—are variable and continually evolving.

Conclusion

In summary, Mazdayasnian insight does not subscribe to theology, nor does it recognize an omnipotent heavenly being sitting above to protect humans and fulfill their needs. Instead, it views human beings as extensions of existence—agents and executors who can accelerate the evolution of existence in the domains they are currently able to influence, rather than helpless beings dependent on grace.

Mazdayasnian insight neither believes in a reckoning that deposits sins and rewards into an account, nor does it regard creation as bringing something out of nothing. Rather, it sees creation as an evolving work of order and harmony produced by inherent laws within that which has always existed and will continue to exist. Mazdayasnian insight recognizes nothing as sacred; everything is simply existence—a single, unified whole.

Nor is there any compulsion to accept the ideas of Mazdayasnian insight through the pretext of sin and reward or heaven and hell. Mazdayasnian insight regards humans as capable and honorable in their capacity for thought, and therefore sufficiently autonomous and free to choose their own path—because at its core, it is the veneration of wisdom.