Comparative Review of Chance and Action Concepts in AdviCes of Sixth Dinkard and Shahnameh of Ferdowsi

Chance and Action and their status and effect in earthly and heavenly lives of human are omit significant discussions in Pahlavi books and advices, particularly Sixth Dinkard. This book which is the sixth volume of a 9-volume series of Dinkard is the most comprehensive Pahlavi advise letter (Andarznameh) and is considered as an encyclopedia of mazdayasna; it is possible that some parts of this book have been in form of written one and some other parts have been verbal and it is possible that it has been rewritten in third century. In Shahnameh of Ferdowsi, which is the abstract and summary of Old Persian Culture and benefits from heritage of thoughts and deep thinking of pre-Islam era, chance and action have obvious and clear representation; therefore, by comparing these two works one can come to useful information about the background of Old Iran Advising Literature, particularly those that are origins of Shahname of Ferdowsi. In this article we have used comparison and content analysis to review the concept and status of chance and action in Sixth Dinkard and Shahnameh of Ferdowsi. The results of the current study show that some of advices in these two books - regarding chance and action- imply totally similar meanings. These similarities reach to their climax in historical part of Shahnameh which is under direct effect of Pahlavi sources. The differences of Sixth Dinkard and Shahname of Ferdowsi idepend on the nature and kind of every work and the purpose of its writing.