A study on the role and position of friendship in Pahlavi advice books

Examining the Pahlavi advice books shows us that friendship is an individual trait before it is a social concept. This means that every person must first be characterized by the temperament of» friendship« by using good teachings, and then strive for friendship and gaining good friends. Understanding friendship and good friends is one of the basic concepts of Sassanid advices that plays an important role in understanding their thoughts correctly. Therefore, this research tries to give a clear answer to the question of what is the place of friendship in Sasanian advice books and how are these ideas organized? The findings of this study (which has been done by descriptive- analytical method) indicate that Pahlavi advice books, in both religious and empirical types, place great emphasis on friendship. Religious advice books, with the aim of spiritual salvation, are based on loving the soul and living as it pleases. Also, empirical-practical advices, in the light of achieving salvation and mental health, emphasizes the friendly relations of people and good living in the shadow of friendship. The Pahlavi friend-oriented advices express an idea that intends to destroy demons with the help of friendship and to continue the creation and upbringing of good people by establishing security and peace. Hence, the essence of the idea of friendship is » people-friendliness«, which has been interpreted as the law of Ahuramazda. In this way (which is not to the liking of demons), warnings are always given to stay away from the deceitful false friends, and to know the good friend of the selfish friend, the role of the righteous and consultation with them is spoken.