The Physical World
The material world is good, created by Ahura Mazda.
Unlike traditions that see matter as evil, Zoroastrianism affirms the physical world as Ahura Mazda's good creation. It was corrupted by Angra Mainyu but will be restored. Embodied existence is positive.
The world is good; it is corruption that is evil.
This positive view of matter distinguishes Zoroastrianism from Gnosticism.
Teaching
Written about in
- What Zoroastrianism says about balance
Matter is not the problem. The world is a good creation that has been damaged, and the task is to repair it rather than escape it.
- What Zoroastrianism says about illness and the body failing
Zoroastrianism affirms matter as Ahura Mazda's good creation, corrupted by Angra Mainyu but not evil in itself. A failing body is therefore damage to something good, which forbids the comfort of deciding the body never mattered.