TRUTH, HARMONY, AND THE GOOD LIFE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF AVESTAN AND DAOIST PHILOSOPHY

This study explores the idea of perfection and the good life in the Zend Avesta through a comparative engagement with Daoist thought. In Zoroastrianism, human life is understood as a progressive journey from imperfection toward perfection through moral discipline, purity, and participation in cosmic order. The paper examines how the Avestan tradition develops this vision through the ethical principles of good thoughts, good words, and good deeds, along with virtues associated with truth, harmony, responsibility, and spiritual refinement. The study further analyses the role of free will, social ethics, environmental responsibility, and religious practices in shaping the ideal human condition.In dialogue with Daoist perspectives on harmony, natural order, simplicity, and self-cultivation, the paper highlights both convergences and differences between the two traditions. While Zoroastrianism emphasizes active moral participation in the triumph of good over evil through the principle of Asha, Daoism stresses alignment with the Dao through balance, spontaneity, and harmonious living. Despite their distinct metaphysical and ethical orientations, both traditions present human perfection as a transformative process connecting individual life with cosmic order.The study argues that a comparative reading of Avestan and Daoist ideals contributes to a broader understanding of religious ethics, self-cultivation, and the search for meaningful existence.