«فامّا المنطق، فاوّل من اشتهر به فی هذه الدولة (العباسیة) عبدالله ابن المقفع الخطیب الفارسی کاتب ابی جعفر المنصور فانه ترجم کتاب ارسطاطالیس المنطقیة الثلاثة التی فی صورة المنطق...»
"And Logic, the first who established it during this (Abbasid) period, was 'Abdallah ibn al-Muqaffa' (Rōzveh), the Persian orator and scribe of Abī Ja'far al-Manṣūr, he translated the triad book of Aristotle on Logic."
-Ṣāʿid al-Andalusī (1029-1070 AD), Ṭabaqāt al-'Umam (Categories of the Nations), Chapter 12: The Science between Arabs.
"And Logic, the first who established it during this (Abbasid) period, was 'Abdallah ibn al-Muqaffa' (Rōzveh), the Persian orator and scribe of Abī Ja'far al-Manṣūr, he translated the triad book of Aristotle on Logic."
-Ṣāʿid al-Andalusī (1029-1070 AD), Ṭabaqāt al-'Umam (Categories of the Nations), Chapter 12: The Science between Arabs.
...tarāzēnīdārīh ī rašn ī rāst, ped tarāzūg ī mēnōgān kē ēc kustag ōgrā nē kuned nē ahlavān rāy ud nē-z durvandān, nē xvadāyān rāy ud nē-z dahyubedān; cand mōy-ē tāg bē nē varded, ud āzarm nē dāred, ud hān ī xvadāy ud dahyubed abāg hān ī xvardagdum mardōm ped dādestān rāst dāred.
—Mēnōg Xrad 2. 119-122
"The measurement (of deeds) of Rašn the Just: With the spiritual scales that is not biased towards any direction, not for the righteous, not for the lieful, and neither for the sovereigns rulers, (the scales) which does not stray even as much as a few strands of hair and shows mercy to no one, and counts equal in judgement the sovereigns and rulers to the most insignificant of people."
Art: "Rašn" by twitter.com/Malichvs
—Mēnōg Xrad 2. 119-122
"The measurement (of deeds) of Rašn the Just: With the spiritual scales that is not biased towards any direction, not for the righteous, not for the lieful, and neither for the sovereigns rulers, (the scales) which does not stray even as much as a few strands of hair and shows mercy to no one, and counts equal in judgement the sovereigns and rulers to the most insignificant of people."
Art: "Rašn" by twitter.com/Malichvs
Fragments on ancient Iranian psychology, pt. 1:
u-š mardōm ped panz bazišn frāz dād: tan ud gyān ud ruvān ud ēvēnag ud fravahr. ceōn tan hān ī gētīg; ud gyān hān ī abāg vād peyvast ēsted, vēn āvarišn ud barišn; ud ruvān hān ī abāg bōy andar tan, ǝšnaved ud vēned ud gōbed ud dāned. ēvēnag hān ī ped xvaršēd pāyag ēsted. fravahr hān ī pēš ohrmazd xvadāy (ēsted). ped hān cim ēdōn brihēnīd kū andar ebgadīh mardōm mīrend, tan ō zamīg, ud gyān ō vād, ud ēvēnag ō xvaršēd, ud ruvān ō fravahr peyvanned.
—Bundahišn 34
And he (Ohrmazd) created man in five divions: body (=tanū), breath-soul (=vyāna), soul (=urvan), religion/vision (=daēnā), and pre-existent soul (=fravaṣi). As, the body is that which is the (small) world of life (=microcosm); the breath-soul is that which is joined with air, the inhaling and exhaling of breath; the soul is that which, with the consciousness (=baoδah), is in the body, and (through it) hears, sees, speaks, and knows; the vision (=daēnā) is that which resides at the sun station (of skies); the pre-soul (=fravaṣi) is that which is in the presence of Ohrmazd, the lord. It was fashioned for this reason: In the period of Assault, (as) men die, the body joins the earth, the vyāna the air, the daēnā the sun, and the urvan the fravaṣi.
u-š mardōm ped panz bazišn frāz dād: tan ud gyān ud ruvān ud ēvēnag ud fravahr. ceōn tan hān ī gētīg; ud gyān hān ī abāg vād peyvast ēsted, vēn āvarišn ud barišn; ud ruvān hān ī abāg bōy andar tan, ǝšnaved ud vēned ud gōbed ud dāned. ēvēnag hān ī ped xvaršēd pāyag ēsted. fravahr hān ī pēš ohrmazd xvadāy (ēsted). ped hān cim ēdōn brihēnīd kū andar ebgadīh mardōm mīrend, tan ō zamīg, ud gyān ō vād, ud ēvēnag ō xvaršēd, ud ruvān ō fravahr peyvanned.
—Bundahišn 34
And he (Ohrmazd) created man in five divions: body (=tanū), breath-soul (=vyāna), soul (=urvan), religion/vision (=daēnā), and pre-existent soul (=fravaṣi). As, the body is that which is the (small) world of life (=microcosm); the breath-soul is that which is joined with air, the inhaling and exhaling of breath; the soul is that which, with the consciousness (=baoδah), is in the body, and (through it) hears, sees, speaks, and knows; the vision (=daēnā) is that which resides at the sun station (of skies); the pre-soul (=fravaṣi) is that which is in the presence of Ohrmazd, the lord. It was fashioned for this reason: In the period of Assault, (as) men die, the body joins the earth, the vyāna the air, the daēnā the sun, and the urvan the fravaṣi.
Perse/pol/is
Fragments on ancient Iranian psychology, pt. 1: u-š mardōm ped panz bazišn frāz dād: tan ud gyān ud ruvān ud ēvēnag ud fravahr. ceōn tan hān ī gētīg; ud gyān hān ī abāg vād peyvast ēsted, vēn āvarišn ud barišn; ud ruvān hān ī abāg bōy andar tan, ǝšnaved ud…
... pt. 2:
mardōm xvadīh mādayān bōyumand ruvān.
—Dēnkird iii, M 379
The essence of man is its soul that possesses consciousness.
ruvān ast ox [xvadāy] ī abar tan, cōn kadagxvadāy kadag, ud asvār asp, rāyēnīdār ī tan; ud gyān ud bōy ud fravahr hāmis vaxš ī pediš, ud andar-šān abzārumand ruvān.
—Dēnkird iii. M 241
The soul (urvan) is the lord [master] over the body: like a household's master over the house, and like a cavalier over the horse; it is the governor of a person. The breath-soul (vyāna), consciousness (baoδah), and fravaṣi-nature are all the spirits in it, and within them the pundit is the soul (urvan).
*The term fravaṣi-nature (fravahr-cihr) points not to the Avestan fravaṣi/ ethereal pre-existent soul, but to a kind of physical wind inside the body, comparable to the Indian samāna. Cf. ibid:
gyān vād ī az fravahr-cihr uštānēnīdag ped uštānīh, uštānumand-dāštār ast ī tan.
breath-soul is the wind from fravahr-cihr that, animated by the animation, maintains the body animate.
mardōm xvadīh mādayān bōyumand ruvān.
—Dēnkird iii, M 379
The essence of man is its soul that possesses consciousness.
ruvān ast ox [xvadāy] ī abar tan, cōn kadagxvadāy kadag, ud asvār asp, rāyēnīdār ī tan; ud gyān ud bōy ud fravahr hāmis vaxš ī pediš, ud andar-šān abzārumand ruvān.
—Dēnkird iii. M 241
The soul (urvan) is the lord [master] over the body: like a household's master over the house, and like a cavalier over the horse; it is the governor of a person. The breath-soul (vyāna), consciousness (baoδah), and fravaṣi-nature are all the spirits in it, and within them the pundit is the soul (urvan).
*The term fravaṣi-nature (fravahr-cihr) points not to the Avestan fravaṣi/ ethereal pre-existent soul, but to a kind of physical wind inside the body, comparable to the Indian samāna. Cf. ibid:
gyān vād ī az fravahr-cihr uštānēnīdag ped uštānīh, uštānumand-dāštār ast ī tan.
breath-soul is the wind from fravahr-cihr that, animated by the animation, maintains the body animate.
"Their customs: The men shave their hair short, and wear white fur hats, and shirts [open at the top] so that the head passes through and the two sides of them close down but open. They have also head-coverings and capes with finely woven border.
The women’s clothes consist of big shirts, and they drape over their shoulders a large cape. Their hair is rolled up in a bun in front, but their hair is left loose behind. They adorn themselves with gold and silver flowers. They also wear strings of variegated pearls hanging down on their shoulders." (transl. R. Asha)
—Wèi-Shū ('Book of Wèi [dynasty]'), a classic Chinese historical text written by Wèi Shōu in 554 AD, describing the dress and appearance of Iranians (波斯: Bōsī < Pārs).
The women’s clothes consist of big shirts, and they drape over their shoulders a large cape. Their hair is rolled up in a bun in front, but their hair is left loose behind. They adorn themselves with gold and silver flowers. They also wear strings of variegated pearls hanging down on their shoulders." (transl. R. Asha)
—Wèi-Shū ('Book of Wèi [dynasty]'), a classic Chinese historical text written by Wèi Shōu in 554 AD, describing the dress and appearance of Iranians (波斯: Bōsī < Pārs).
This error (in history) is a result of how -specially from 17th century onwards- the so called 'historical' literature has risen a thick curtain with an ugly and distorted image of ancient Iranians between historians and historical reality; this renders their judgement incorrect and prevents them from observing the truth as it is. I will present now an example that demonstrates the point more than whatever I can write about the bias and ruffle written history of the East: In this form of 'historiography' the lightness of judgement triumphs over imagination and leads it to aberration and ineptitude by subjugating it to prejudice and bias that have no excuse, if any, but pure ignorance. Only after the Battle of Mycale (which took place in 479 B.C., and Aeschylus' 'Persians' was composed in 472 B.C.), in the eyes of one of the greatest and perhaps most noble characters of ancient Greece, Aeschylus, who had fought in the Battle of Marathon and his brother Cynaegirus is counted as one of the heroes of that/
/battle, the soldiers of Xerxes are still skillful archers and terrific riders who strike horror in the enemy with their bravery:
'For the whole populace of the Asian nation has come and murmurs against its youthful King, nor does any courier or horseman arrive at the city of the Persians, who left behind them the walled defence of Susa and Ecbatana and Cissa's ancient ramparts, and went forth, some on horseback, some in galleys, others on foot presenting a dense array of war.
Such are Amistres and Artaphrenes and Megabates and Astaspes, marshals of the Persians; kings themselves, yet vassals of the Great King, they press on, commanders of an enormous host, skilled in archery and horsemanship, formidable to look upon and fearful in battle through the valiant resolve of their souls.'
-The Persians, 11-29, (transl. Smyth)
25 centuries afterwards, in our times, these same soldiers are regarded as nothing but 'a flock of Asians whose backs have been bent under the whip.':
'Herodotus finishes his Histories after the battles of Platea and Mycale. The play has ended; the Greek has defeated the Barbarian... When the book finishes, a picture is illustrated in one's mind where one heavily-armed Greek hoplite makes battle with a flock of Asians whose backs have been bent under the whip.'
-Henri Berguin, L'Enquête de Hérodote d' Halicarnasse, Paris (1934), Vol. I, XIII
It can be said that the difference observed between these two remarks is the difference between historical reality and written 'historiography.'
—Amir Mahdi Badi' (1916-1994), late Iranian historian and researcher, "Et Grecs et les Barbares - Tome I, Une erreur de l'histoire", Paris (1963)
'For the whole populace of the Asian nation has come and murmurs against its youthful King, nor does any courier or horseman arrive at the city of the Persians, who left behind them the walled defence of Susa and Ecbatana and Cissa's ancient ramparts, and went forth, some on horseback, some in galleys, others on foot presenting a dense array of war.
Such are Amistres and Artaphrenes and Megabates and Astaspes, marshals of the Persians; kings themselves, yet vassals of the Great King, they press on, commanders of an enormous host, skilled in archery and horsemanship, formidable to look upon and fearful in battle through the valiant resolve of their souls.'
-The Persians, 11-29, (transl. Smyth)
25 centuries afterwards, in our times, these same soldiers are regarded as nothing but 'a flock of Asians whose backs have been bent under the whip.':
'Herodotus finishes his Histories after the battles of Platea and Mycale. The play has ended; the Greek has defeated the Barbarian... When the book finishes, a picture is illustrated in one's mind where one heavily-armed Greek hoplite makes battle with a flock of Asians whose backs have been bent under the whip.'
-Henri Berguin, L'Enquête de Hérodote d' Halicarnasse, Paris (1934), Vol. I, XIII
It can be said that the difference observed between these two remarks is the difference between historical reality and written 'historiography.'
—Amir Mahdi Badi' (1916-1994), late Iranian historian and researcher, "Et Grecs et les Barbares - Tome I, Une erreur de l'histoire", Paris (1963)
"In a book of the Persians, I read that Ardashir advised his son thus: ...Whatever qualities that exist in a king, he should not have these five:
1-He should not be a liar, for if he's a liar he promises good that he doesn't hope for, and promises evil he does not fear.
2-He should not be miserly, for if he is miserly none shall advise him, and ruleship cannot be fixed except with advice.
3-He should not be wrathful, for if he is wrathful with such power (he holds), the people will die and perish.
4-He should not be envious, for if he is, he honors and esteems no one no one of the people, except for the nobles.
5-He should not be a coward, for if he is, he will lose his border territories and the enemy will dare to attack him."
—Ibn Qutaybah Dinavari, ‘Uyūn al-Aẖbār ('Chosen Narratives'), Beirut (1988), vol. I pp. 67.
1-He should not be a liar, for if he's a liar he promises good that he doesn't hope for, and promises evil he does not fear.
2-He should not be miserly, for if he is miserly none shall advise him, and ruleship cannot be fixed except with advice.
3-He should not be wrathful, for if he is wrathful with such power (he holds), the people will die and perish.
4-He should not be envious, for if he is, he honors and esteems no one no one of the people, except for the nobles.
5-He should not be a coward, for if he is, he will lose his border territories and the enemy will dare to attack him."
—Ibn Qutaybah Dinavari, ‘Uyūn al-Aẖbār ('Chosen Narratives'), Beirut (1988), vol. I pp. 67.
Aspects of Self-knowledge in Iranian view.
https://frazanaganhandarz.wordpress.com/2021/09/28/aspects-of-self-knowledge-in-iranian-view/
https://frazanaganhandarz.wordpress.com/2021/09/28/aspects-of-self-knowledge-in-iranian-view/
Frazānagān Handarz - Counsel of the Wise
Aspects of Self-knowledge in Iranian view
Delphic motto γνῶθι σεαυτόν ‘know thyself’ on a Roman mosaic, excavated in the monastery of San Gregorio, Rome. The Bahman-nāma ‘Book of Bahman’, composed in New Persian ver…
"Rückblickend fragen wir uns: Welches war nun die besondere, bleibende Leistung dieses Großen der Geshichte? Wir stellen fest: Kyrus hat als erster ein Weltreich begründet. Vor ihm gab es wohl Großreiche wie das der Assyrer, aber kein Weltreich wie das der Perser unter seiner Führung."
—Walther Hinz, Darius und die Perser (1976), Baden-Baden, pp. 120.
Looking back, we ask ourselves: What was the great, long-lasting achievement of this great historical figure? We deduce: Cyrus was the first to found a world-empire. There had been great empires like that of Assyrians before him, but none were a world-empire, like that of Persians lead by Cyrus.
Happy Cyrus the Great day!
—Walther Hinz, Darius und die Perser (1976), Baden-Baden, pp. 120.
Looking back, we ask ourselves: What was the great, long-lasting achievement of this great historical figure? We deduce: Cyrus was the first to found a world-empire. There had been great empires like that of Assyrians before him, but none were a world-empire, like that of Persians lead by Cyrus.
Happy Cyrus the Great day!
"ولکنا وان کنا اهل فناء، فان علینا ان نعمل للبقاء ونحتال له الی امد الفناء."
Though we are people doomed to perdition, we must strive for survival and find ways to deceive destruction until its proper time arrives.
—Letter of Tōsar (Priest of Ardašēr Pābagān) to Gušnasp (King of Tabaristān), Al-Tanbīh wa-l-išrāf, A. Mas'udī, ed. A. Ṣāwī, Baqdad (1967), pp.86.
Though we are people doomed to perdition, we must strive for survival and find ways to deceive destruction until its proper time arrives.
—Letter of Tōsar (Priest of Ardašēr Pābagān) to Gušnasp (King of Tabaristān), Al-Tanbīh wa-l-išrāf, A. Mas'udī, ed. A. Ṣāwī, Baqdad (1967), pp.86.
Two articles on ancient Iranian psychology, written by R. Asha and translated by yours truly.
On the breath-soul / life-wind in Iranian doctrine:
https://frazanaganhandarz.wordpress.com/2021/12/25/iranian-psychology-1-the-life-wind/
The physical winds and humors of the body:
https://frazanaganhandarz.wordpress.com/2021/12/25/iranian-psychology-2-frava%E1%B9%A3i-nature/
On the breath-soul / life-wind in Iranian doctrine:
https://frazanaganhandarz.wordpress.com/2021/12/25/iranian-psychology-1-the-life-wind/
The physical winds and humors of the body:
https://frazanaganhandarz.wordpress.com/2021/12/25/iranian-psychology-2-frava%E1%B9%A3i-nature/
Frazānagān Handarz - Counsel of the Wise
Iranian Psychology (1): The Life-Wind
The two articles translated in this series are from the edition of the New Persian Zoroastrian psychiatric text named Rāsta by Raham Asha. You can find the articles in PDF format in the titles:Intr…
“To Drink Wine is to Stand by Peace” – Select Admonitions from the Sixth Book of Dēnkird.
https://frazanaganhandarz.wordpress.com/2022/03/13/to-drink-wine-is-to-stand-by-peace-select-admonitions-from-the-sixth-book-of-denkird/
https://frazanaganhandarz.wordpress.com/2022/03/13/to-drink-wine-is-to-stand-by-peace-select-admonitions-from-the-sixth-book-of-denkird/
Frazānagān Handarz - Counsel of the Wise
“To Drink Wine is to Stand by Peace” – Select Admonitions from the Sixth Book of Dēnkird
Beginning of Madan’s edition of the sixth book of Dēnkird The sixth book of the compendious book of Dēnkird is a handarz collection, that is, ‘admonition, instruction, precept’ fr…
Extracts from the article:
xrad andar kār, ud xēm andar pādixšāyīh, ud dōst<īh> andar vidang pēdāg.
-24
Wisdom manifests in action, character during sovereignty, and friendship during hardship.
may xvārišnīh ēd ka abar āštīh ēsted.
-108
To drink wine is this: they stand by peace.
harv kē xvāhed, vinded.
-137
Whoever seeks, finds.
hān kē nēst, agar dāned kū: “ne hēm”, hēh.
-184
That which is in-existent, if it knows thus: “I shan’t exist”, then it would exist.
hazār mard ō mard-ē ped gōbišn ēdōn nē šāyend vurravēnīdan cōn mard-ē ō hazār mard ped kunišn.
-E15
A thousand men cannot make one man believe by their words in such manner that a single man can make one thousand men (believe) by action.
xrad andar kār, ud xēm andar pādixšāyīh, ud dōst<īh> andar vidang pēdāg.
-24
Wisdom manifests in action, character during sovereignty, and friendship during hardship.
may xvārišnīh ēd ka abar āštīh ēsted.
-108
To drink wine is this: they stand by peace.
harv kē xvāhed, vinded.
-137
Whoever seeks, finds.
hān kē nēst, agar dāned kū: “ne hēm”, hēh.
-184
That which is in-existent, if it knows thus: “I shan’t exist”, then it would exist.
hazār mard ō mard-ē ped gōbišn ēdōn nē šāyend vurravēnīdan cōn mard-ē ō hazār mard ped kunišn.
-E15
A thousand men cannot make one man believe by their words in such manner that a single man can make one thousand men (believe) by action.
Elementary Pārsīg (Middle Persian/ Pahlavi) Course - Spring 2022
"This course, pārsīg ī āsān / "Easy Pārsīg" consists of 80 hours (60 hours of lesson teaching + 20 hours of writing and speaking workshop) is conducted in three sections of 20 hours, with online and recorded sessions, and will be conducted for a Persian-speaking (or familiar with Persian) audience, starting from this spring with the first sessions taking place on April 18th / Farvardin 29th."
For more information and enrollment:
https://frazanaganhandarz.wordpress.com/2022/04/01/elementary-parsig-middle-persian-pahlavi-course-spring-2022/
"This course, pārsīg ī āsān / "Easy Pārsīg" consists of 80 hours (60 hours of lesson teaching + 20 hours of writing and speaking workshop) is conducted in three sections of 20 hours, with online and recorded sessions, and will be conducted for a Persian-speaking (or familiar with Persian) audience, starting from this spring with the first sessions taking place on April 18th / Farvardin 29th."
For more information and enrollment:
https://frazanaganhandarz.wordpress.com/2022/04/01/elementary-parsig-middle-persian-pahlavi-course-spring-2022/
Frazānagān Handarz - Counsel of the Wise
Elementary Pārsīg (Middle Persian/ Pahlavi) Course – Spring 2022
Phrases and words from the ancient Aryans (ērān).
Perse/pol/is pinned «Elementary Pārsīg (Middle Persian/ Pahlavi) Course - Spring 2022 "This course, pārsīg ī āsān / "Easy Pārsīg" consists of 80 hours (60 hours of lesson teaching + 20 hours of writing and speaking workshop) is conducted in three sections of 20 hours, with online…»
عید آمد و کار ِ ما نکو کرد آخر
خمّار، شراب در سبو کرد آخر
افسار ِ نماز و پوزهبند ِ روزه
عید از سر ِ آن خران فرو کرد آخر
The fest (of fiṭr) finally came and made good our affairs
The cupbearer finally poured wine into the ewers
The bridle of prayer and the muzzle of fasting
The fest put down from those donkies' heads.
-Ascribed to Omar Khayyām (Lala Ismail Library, Mss. 487, ca. 1340 A.D., Fol. 68v.)
خمّار، شراب در سبو کرد آخر
افسار ِ نماز و پوزهبند ِ روزه
عید از سر ِ آن خران فرو کرد آخر
The fest (of fiṭr) finally came and made good our affairs
The cupbearer finally poured wine into the ewers
The bridle of prayer and the muzzle of fasting
The fest put down from those donkies' heads.
-Ascribed to Omar Khayyām (Lala Ismail Library, Mss. 487, ca. 1340 A.D., Fol. 68v.)