Manichaeism
Sign in to saveManichaeism (; in ; ) was a major world religion founded in the third century CE by the Parthian Iranian prophet Mani (216–274) in the Sasanian Empire. It taught an elaborate dualistic cosmology describing the struggle between a good spiritual world of light, and an evil material world of darkness. Through an ongoing process in human history, light is gradually removed from the world of matter and returned to the world of the divine.
AI overview
Manichaeism was a major world religion founded in the third century CE by the Iranian prophet Mani, based on a dualistic belief that the spiritual world of light constantly struggles against an evil material world of darkness. The religion taught that through human history, light gradually separates from matter and returns to the divine realm.
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Key facts
- Religion.name
- Manichaeism
- Religion.image
- Seal_of_Mani_(cleaned_up)._Seal_with_figure_of_Mani,_possibly_3rd_century_CE,_possibly_Irak._Cabinet_des_Médailles,_Paris.jpg
- Religion.imagewidth
- 225
- Religion.alt
- Sealstone of Mani
- Religion.caption
- Sealstone of Mani, rock crystal, possibly 3rd century CE, Iraq. Cabinet des Médailles, Paris. The seal reads "Mani, messenger of the messiah", and may have been used by Mani himself to sign his letters.
- Religion.type
- Universal religion
- Religion.main_classification
- Iranian religion
- Religion.scripture
- Manichaean scripture
- Religion.theology
- Dualistic
- Religion.area
- Historical: Europe, East Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, North Africa, Siberia
- Religion.language
- Middle Persian, Classical Syriac, Parthian, Classical Latin, Classical Chinese, Old Uyghur language, Tocharian B, Sogdian language, Greek
Article
57 sectionsContents
- Terminology
- History
- Life of Mani
- Influences
- Spread
- Roman Empire
- Central Asia
- South Siberia
- China
- Tibet
- Iran
- Arab world
- Bactria
- Syncretism and translation
- Persecution and suppression
- Later movements associated with Manichaeism
- Legacy in present-day
- Teachings and beliefs
- General
- Cosmogony
- Cosmology
- Outline of the beings and events in the Manichaean mythology
- The World of Light
- The first creation
- The second creation
- The third creation
- The World of Darkness
- The Manichaean Church
- Organization
- Religious practices
- Prayers
- Primary sources
- Originally written in Syriac
- Originally written in Middle Persian
- Other books
- Non-Manichaean works preserved by the Manichaean Church
- Later works
- Critical and polemic sources
- Patristic depictions of Mani and Manichaeism
- ''Acta Archelai''
- View of Judaism in the ''Acta Archelai''
- Central Asian and Iranian primary sources
- Coptic primary sources
- Chinese primary sources
- Greek life of Mani, Cologne codex
- Figurative use
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Works cited
- Further reading
- External links
- Outside articles
- Manichaean sources in English translation
- Secondary Manichaean sources in English translation
- Manichaean sources in their original languages
- Secondary Manichaean sources in their original languages
Manichaeism (; in ; ) was a major world religion founded in the third century CE by the Parthian Iranian prophet Mani (216–274) in the Sasanian Empire. It taught an elaborate dualistic cosmology describing the struggle between a good spiritual world of light, and an evil material world of darkness. Through an ongoing process in human history, light is gradually removed from the world of matter and returned to the world of the divine.
Mani's teachings were intended to integrate, succeed, and surpass the "partial truths" of various prior faiths and belief systems, including Platonism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Marcionism, Hellenistic and Rabbinic Judaism, Gnosticism, Ancient Greek religion, Babylonian religion, other ancient Mesopotamian religions, and the Greco-Roman mysteries. Some forms of Manichaeism viewed Mani as the final prophet after Zoroaster, the Buddha, and Jesus. The canon of Manichaean scripture included seven works attributed to Mani, written originally in the Syriac language. Manichaean sacramental rites included prayers, almsgiving, and fasting. Communal life centered on confession and the singing of hymns.