The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (89 page)

, the unity of witnessing consciousness, a single awareness.

 
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Ahriman
(source of evil)
:

see
ANGRA MAINYU
.

 
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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
G
th
s
, 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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Ai
.

1
Love in
Mo Tzu's
system, usually in the form chien ai, universal love. Universal love is in a different category from
jen
, being more related to utilitarian considerations: altruism has benefits running in both directions.
2
In Japanese Buddhism, ai (lust as well as love) is fundamental desire which may go in either of two opposite directions. It may become self-interested and self-satisfying, or, it may be self-denying and disinterested in the pursuit of the good of another, and is thus supremely the love of a
buddha
or
bodhisattva
, a transfigured love.

 
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AIC
:

see
AFRICAN INSTITUTED CHURCHES
.

 
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