Zoroaster — "He who sows the ground with care and diligence acquires a greater stock of relig…"
He who sows the ground with care and diligence acquires a greater stock of religious merit than he could gain by the repetition of ten thousand prayers.
Get This Quote & Author's Image Illustrated On:
Click any product to generate a realistic preview. Up to 3 at a time.
* Initial load can take up to 90 seconds — revising the preview in another color is nearly instant.
Kitchen
Apparel
Other
More from Zoroaster
"Devotion, like fire, goeth upward."
"He who takes delight in the cattle and in the pasture, he is the one who serves Mazda."
"May the world be renewed, and may good triumph over evil."
"Indeed, the highest wisdom is to choose righteousness through good thought."
"May the Lie be cast down, and the Truth prevail."
About Zoroaster (c. 1500-1000 BCE (debated))
Iranian prophet who founded Zoroastrianism, the first major religion of cosmic dualism between good (Ahura Mazda) and evil (Angra Mainyu). Closely associated with The Buddha (near-contemporary Eastern moral-cosmological revolutionary). For an intellectual contrast, see Friedrich Nietzsche, German philosopher of 'beyond good and evil' — Nietzsche appropriated Zarathustra's name for Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883) precisely to invert the original's moral cosmology — the historical Zoroaster founded the good-versus-evil framework Nietzsche's character announces the end of.
Verification
Unverifiable
Found in 1 providers: gemini
1 source checked
Understanding this quote
What it means
Hard, careful work on the land counts for more in the eyes of the divine than endless ritual recitation. Productive labor that feeds people and improves the world is itself a form of devotion, outweighing thousands of spoken prayers. The saying elevates diligent action over empty piety, arguing that how you treat the earth and contribute to life is the truest measure of religious worth, not how many words you chant.
Relevance to Zoroaster
Zoroaster founded a faith built on the ethical triad of good thoughts, good words, and good deeds, with deeds ranked highest. His teachings treated agriculture as sacred, honoring the earth spirit Spenta Armaiti and condemning idleness. By exalting the careful farmer above the ritualist, he reflects his core break from older priestly traditions that relied on sacrifice and chant, reframing righteousness as tangible, life-sustaining work aligned with Ahura Mazda's creative order.
The era
Zoroaster lived in ancient Iran, likely between 1500 and 1000 BCE, as semi-nomadic Indo-Iranian tribes were shifting toward settled farming on the steppe and plateau. Neighboring cultures leaned heavily on elaborate animal sacrifice and hymn recitation performed by a priestly class. Cattle raiding, tribal violence, and famine threatened stability. Praising the diligent cultivator made sense in a world where settled agriculture meant survival, peace, and social order, not merely personal virtue.
AI-generated insights based on extensive research and information for context. Factual errors? Email [email protected].