An Inquiry into the Concept of Zand

Abstract
The concept of Zand occupies an ambiguous and multifaceted position within the Zoroastrian tradition. Conventionally, the term Zand refers to the translation of Avestan texts into the Pahlavi language carried out by religious scholars. However, this definition hardly captures the full complexity and interpretive depth inherent in the notion. Over the past three centuries, numerous Western scholars have sought to examine both the explicit and implicit dimensions of Zand, producing an array of interpretations and raising fundamental questions regarding its etymology, its usage within Avestan and Pahlavi texts—particularly in the interplay between Manthra and Zand—its conceptual definition, semantic evolution, the existence of an exegetical tradition among Zand interpreters, the sacredness attributed to Zand texts, their possible oral or written modes of transmission, the influence of foreign intellectual traditions, and the nature of Zand as a translation or commentary on the Avesta.
This paper undertakes a comprehensive synthesis of these varied scholarly perspectives, critically examining their foundations and interrelations in order to construct a coherent and refined understanding of the concept of Zand. Through this comparative and analytical approach, the study aims to clarify the boundaries and meaning of Zand and to dispel the conceptual ambiguities that have long surrounded it.
Keywords: Zoroastrian tradition; Avesta; Zand; exegetical studies; Zand scholarship