Author: Sam Merchant, ZAGNY Youth
Good Life Essay
Zoroastrianism as well as American Isshinryu Karate make me who I am today. Whether it’s how I live day-to-day or my goals for the future, these two philosophies reinforce each other and only drive me to be a better individual. My Parents, my Sensei, my Teachers, my friends, have all helped me thus far. Now finished with my basic religion studies and finished with the beginner stage as a black belt, I’m in a curious position. As I refine my knowledge in both areas, similar messages and morals echo constantly. For two schools of thought that were created a world apart from each other, there are amazing similarities between them.
In my martial art, from day one my Sensei has told me to be the best I can, so I can make a difference in the world. He’s told us that he wants us to be outstanding young ladies and gentlemen. In the first and last sections of our Student Creed it states, “First, I will improve my self confidence and carry myself in a proper manner so that I will have a positive impact on my community and those around me… Lastly, I will use the skills I learn in karate to help protect myself, my family, and those unable to help themselves, and never to hurt another.” The Zoroastrian philosophy I learned has a similar concept, we are given free will to make a choice, to choose good deeds and to help others.
From the moment I wake up I’m ready to help however I can. This doesn’t mean I’m going to put myself in harms way. “The best fight is the one you can walk away from without throwing a single punch.” -Sun Tzu. As written in The Art of War. Even as a black belt, by no means do I consider myself a master of my art. I probably never will! There’s simply too much knowledge to uncover and comprehend. It would take the rest of my days to uncover everything, if I did nothing but eat, sleep, breath karate. Similarly in Zoroastrianism, there’s philosophy about every aspect of life. Well that’s what to be expected from a religion that’s been around since the 6th Century BCE. Zoroastrianism does not have a set of specific directives or commandments. Instead we have a broad principle and worldview from which we need to figure out what works in each situation. In this way it is relevant to all situations.
Every day of my life, I pray, I wear my Sudreh and Kushti and do the daily routine of a Zarathushti, but does this make me a proper Zoroastrian? As a Zoroastrian I’m obligated to help others in need and try to make a beneficial impact in any way I can. How we live defines us as Zoroastrians, even more than rituals we may perform. Simple gestures such as smiling and holding a door can make a world of a difference in a stranger’s life. Doing these random acts of kindness make me feel like I made a difference. If someone is having a hard time doing a task in the road, I usually offer to help. Do I have to? No, but I want to. It is my firm belief that just blindly following the customs of a faith is not what one must get out of religion. I believe that a person must know what their religion stands for, and act to pursue those goals. Zoroastrianism aims to make the world perfect. Not by force, but by good deeds, actions, and results. Causing positive change does not require violence or power. Zoroastrianism is for everyone, not just the rich, not just the poor. “All women and men have the freedom to choose between good and evil and an individual has the responsibility to make an informed decision. All women and men are equal and are equally entitled to the light of knowledge and wisdom” Asho Zarathushtra. Karate is similarly classless. As Master Gichin Funakoshi, the father of modern-day karate wrote: “It is important that karate can be practiced by the young and old, men and women alike. That is, since there is no need for a special training place, equipment, or an opponent, a flexibility in training is provided such that the physically and spiritually weak individual can develop his body and mind so gradually and naturally that he himself may not even realize his own great progress.”
As a religion, Zoroastrianism stands to make every action of each individual person’s life a battle for betterment. An individual has a choice, right or wrong. The choice is not always so straightforward. To make the “good” choice, an individual must weigh all the consequences of their decision. To make a difference in the world, one must start small. “If everyone cleaned their own doorstep, the whole world would be clean.” -Mother Theresa. Zoroaster stated that even the smallest kindnesses to a dog, cow, or goat would not go unnoticed. God is always watching so even when no one is watching, God is. A true judge of character is how a person acts when no one is watching. A Samurai virtue (Bushido) we told the karate students about this past month was Honesty. What you do when no one’s watching. Is it different than how you know you’re supposed to behave? Every group of kids we explain this to always come up with similar results. Parents telling us that suddenly their kids do things without being asked. Even this small of a topic for kids, yields results. More than ten times in the two years I’ve taught karate, I’ve been told by parents that their kid is having so much fun, and also holding doors for others, and helping around the house. One mom told me how her son had been so helpful around the class, his teacher had made a new award to give her helper. She said how all the other kids in the class wanted to help so they could get the award too! Even without being Zoroastrians, they all make decisions using a similar scale. These kids will do the same to others as I have done to them. This simple concept of honesty and helping others carries a long way.
Karate helps me to make the most of myself. Since the day I was born, I was told to try to make something of myself. To be someone who mattered. My parents told me stories about Parsis in India. JRD Tata, a Parsi who gave workers a say in the matters of the company. From cars to power sources to medicines, today the Tata name expands to nearly every field. With the example of this great man, I was inspired to try to make the most out of my own abilities and my own life.
As a martial arts student, and as a Zoroastrian, I have a duty to myself and those around me. I want to have the best impact on the world in every way I can. I chose to write about two of the most important parts of my life to give my perspective on what makes me, me. As my friends and family will account, since the day I began karate I’ve done nothing but improve. Just to perfectly set me up for this, my parents put me in religion classes at our local Zoroastrian Community center, where I essentially learned all the morals and ethics that my karate would resurface in my mind. All these morals, topics, biases, teachers, students, friends, classmates, competitors, strangers I’ve come across, all shaped who I am today and will continue to shape me into the man I want to be. A man who follows both principals, Zoroastrianism and Karate.
Works Cited
"Master Gichin Funakoshi." Master Gichin Funakoshi. N.p., 23 Oct. 1997. Web. 20 Aug. 2013.
The Good Life An Introduction to the Religion of Zarathustra. New Rochelle: Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York, 1994. Print.
Peterson, Susan Lynn, and Joe Reynolds. Legends of the Martial Arts Masters. Boston: Tuttle Pub., 2003. Print.
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