Mani (in Persian مانی), born in western Persia (approximately 210-276 A.D.), was a religious preacher and the founder of Manichaeism, an ancient gnostic religion that was once prolific but now considered extinct. Although the original writings of the founding prophet Mani have been lost, significant portions remain preserved in Coptic manuscripts from Egypt and in later writings of fully-developed Manichaeism in China. Persia or Persian most often refer to: Persia The Persians, an ethnic group, also called Tajiks Persian language Persian (Pokémon) See also Iranian, Iranian peoples, Iranian languages and Aryan. ... Persia and Persian can refer to: the Western name for Iran. ... Events Caracalla is Roman Consul Births Dexippus, Greek historian Mani, founder of Manichaeism (approximate date) Deaths Sauromates II King of Bosporus Claudius Galen, Greek scholar Monoimus, Arab gnostic (approximate date) Zhou Yu, Chinese strategist Categories: 210 ... Events Sassanid Shah Bahram II succeeded Bahram I. Probus became Roman Emperor. ... Manichean priests, writing at their desk, with panel inscription in Sogdian. ... Gnosticism is a blanket term for various religions and sects most prominent in the first few centuries A.D. General characteristics The word gnosticism comes from the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis (γνῶσις), referring to the idea that there is special, hidden mysticism (esoteric knowledge) that only a few possess. ... In numerous religions, including Abrahamic religions, Jah religions, Sikhism, and many forms of Paganism, a prophet is an intermediary with a deity, particularly someone who claims to speak for the deity or interprets the deitys will or mind. ... Manichean priests, writing at their desk, with panel inscription in Sogdian. ...

Mani was of Iranian parentage. Mani's father, Pattig, was from Hamadan and his mother, Maryam, was of the family of the Kamsaragan, who claimed kinship with the Parthian royal house, the Arsacids. Mani first encountered religion in his early youth while living with a Jewish ascetic group known as the Elkasites. After receiving a revelation in his mid-twenties that came from his Syzygos— the accompanying heavenly Twin— he came to a belief that salvation is possible through education, self-denial, vegetarianism, fasting, and chastity. He later claimed to be the Paraclete promised in the New Testament, The Last Prophet and Seal of the Prophets, finalizing a succession of men guided by God, which included figures such as Seth, Noah, Abraham, Shem, Nikotheos, Enoch, Zoroaster, Hermes, Plato, Buddha, and Jesus. During his lifetime, Mani’s earliest missionaries were active in Persia, Palestine and Syria and in Egypt. Pattig or Patteg (April 14, 216 - ?) was the father of the prophet Mani. ... Ganj nameh, Darius the Great inscriptions (5th century BC) This page is about city of Hamedan. ... Reproduction of a Parthian warrior as depicted on Trajans Column The Parthian Empire was the dominating force on the Iranian plateau beginning in the late 3rd century BCE, and intermittently controlled Mesopotamia between ca 190 BCE and 224 CE. Origins Bust of Parthian soldier, Esgh-abad Museum, Turkmenia. ... Elkasites were members of an ancient Jewish sect, whose name was taken from its founder, Elxai. ... For information on the last book of the New Testament see the entry on the Book of Revelation. ... Vegetarianism is a dietary practice characterized by the exclusion of all body parts of any animal and products derived from animal carcasses (such as lard, tallow, gelatin, and cochineal), from ones diet. ... The New Testament, sometimes called the Greek Testament or Greek Scriptures is the name given to the part of the Christian Bible that was written after the birth of Jesus. ... Muslims believe that Muhammad was the last Prophet and Messenger of the monotheistic Abrahamic tradition, and that the Quran is the last revelation of God. ... Seal of the Prophets (Khatam-an-Nabi) is a title given to Muhammad by a verse in the Quran (33:40). ... Seth or Shet (שֵׁת Placed; appointed, Standard Hebrew Šet, Tiberian Hebrew Šēṯ, Arabic ÔíË), in the Book of Genesis of the Hebrew Bible, is the third son of Adam and Eve mentioned by name, and brother of Cain and Abel. ... Noah or Nóach (Rest, Standard Hebrew נוֹחַ Nóaḥ, Tiberian Hebrew × Ö¹×—Ö· Nōªḥ; Arabic نوح Nūḥ), son of Lamech and the grandson of Methuselah, built an ark to save his family and a selection of the worlds animals from the Deluge, the global flood. ... Abraham (אַבְרָהָם Father/Leader of many, Standard Hebrew Avraham, Tiberian Hebrew ʾAḇrāhām; Arabic ابراهيم IbrāhÄ«m) is the patriarch of Judaism, recognized by Christianity, and a very important prophet in Islam. ... Shem (שֵׁם Name; renown; prosperity, Standard Hebrew Šem, Tiberian Hebrew Šēm; Greek Σημ, Sēm) was one of the sons of Noah in the Bible. ... In the Book of Genesis, Enoch or Hanoch (חֲנוֹךְ Initiated; dedicated; disciplined, Standard Hebrew Ḥanoḫ, Tiberian Hebrew Ḥănôḵ) is a name shared by two individuals named in the Genealogies of Genesis and subsequent Jewish, Christian, and Islamic writers. ... Zartosht, as popularly depicted by Iranian artists. ... Hermes bearing the infant Dionysus, by Praxiteles Hermēs (Greek: Έρμης: pile of marker stones), in Greek mythology, is the god of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of orators, literature and poets, of athletics, of weights and measures and invention and commerce in general... Statue of a philosopher, presumably Plato, in Delphi. ... A stone image of the Buddha. ... This 11th-century portrait is one of many images of Jesus in which a halo with a cross is used. ...

Neo-Manichaeism is a modern revivalist movement not considered directly connected to the ancient faith but is sympathetic to the teachings of Mani.

Until the later 20th century, the life and philosophy of Mani was pieced together largely from remarks by his detractors and from late productions. Then in 1969 in Upper Egypt a Greek parchment codex of ca AD 400, was discovered, which is now designated Codex Manichaicus Coloniensis (because it is conserved at the University of Cologne). It combines a hagiographic account of Mani's career and spiritual development with information about Mani’s religious teachings and contains fragments of his Living (or Great) Gospel and his Letter to Edessa. Mani presented himself as a saviour, the apostle of Jesus Christ’. During his lifetime, Mani’s first missionaries were active in Persia, Palestine, Syria and Egypt. In the 4th- century Manichaean Coptic papyri, Mani was identified with the Paraclete-Holy Ghost and he was regarded as the new Jesus. The University of Cologne (Universität zu Köln) is one of the oldest Universities in Europe and, with over 47,000 students, is one of the largest institutions of higher education in Germany. ... Hagiography is the study of saints. ...

Mani was an exceptionally gifted child and he inherited his father's mystic temperament. It is said that communications of a supernatural character came to him. He travelled far and wide including Turkistan , India, Iran etc. with many disciples to carry out evangelism. After forty years of travel he returned with his retinue to Persia and converted Peroz, King Shapur's brother to his teaching. Türkistan (also spelled Turkistan or Turkestan) is a region in Central Asia, largely inhabited by Turkic people. ...

Mani, being influenced by Mandaeanism, began preaching at a young age. According to biographical accounts preserved in the 10th-century encyclopedia, the Fihrist of Ibn al-Nadim, and by al-Biruni, during his youth, Mani received a revelation from a spirit whom he would later call the Twin, who taught him the divine truths of the religion. During this period, the large existing religious groups, most notably Christianity and Zoroastrianism, were competing for stronger political and social power. Mani also followed the holy books Puran and Kural. Although less in adherents than Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism won the support of high ranking political figures and with the aid of the Persian Empire, Mani would initiate missionary excursions. Note from India: Manda is a sanskrit word meaning among others, dull . After Mahabharata, there were many aryan tribes that left the shores of India and wandered worldwide - cf. ... Ibn al-Nadim (Abu al-Faraj Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Muhammad ibn Ishaq),(died September 17, 995 or 998) was the author of the Kitab al-Fihrist, was a a Arab Shiite scholar and bibliographer. ... Biruni - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament writings of his early followers. ... Faravahar, The depiction of the human soul before birth and after death. ... Faravahar, The depiction of the human soul before birth and after death. ... The Persian Empire is the name used to refer to a number of historic dynasties that have ruled the country of Persia (Iran). ...

Mani's first excursion was to the Kushan Empire in northwestern India (several religious painting in Bamiyan are attributed to him), where he is believed to have lived and taught for some time. He is related to have sailed to the Indus valley area of India in 240 or 241 AD, and to have converted a Buddhist King, the Turan Shah of India. On that occasion various Buddhist influences seem to have permeated Manichaeism: "Buddhist influences were significant in the formation of Mani's religious thought. The transmigration of souls became a Manichaean belief, and the quadripartite structure of the Manichaean community, divided between male and female monks (the "elect") and lay follower (the "hearers") who supported them, appears to be based on that of the Buddhist sangha" (Richard Foltz, "Religions of the Silk Road") Boundary of the Kushan empire, c. ... Bamiyan province is one of the thirty_four provinces of Afghanistan. ... The Indus (सिन्‍धु नदी) (known as Sindhu in ancient times) is the principal river of Pakistan. ... Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ... Sangha is a word in Indian languages that can be translated roughly as association or assembly. It is commonly used in several senses to refer to Buddhist groups. ...

After failing to win the favor of the next generation, and being disapproved of by the Zoroastrian clergy, Mani is reported to have died in prison awaiting execution by the Persian Emperor Bahram I, while alternate accounts have it that he was either flayed to death or beheaded. Bahram I, was king of Persia (AD 274-277). ... Michelangelos Last Judgment - Saint Bartholomew holding the knife of his martyrdom and his flayed skin Flaying is the removal of skin from the body. ... // Beheading—Facsimile of a Miniature on Wood in the Cosmographie Universelle of Munster: in folio, Basle, 1552. ...

It is theorized that the Manichees made every effort to include all known religious traditions. As a result they preserved many apocryphal Christian works, such as the Acts of Thomas, that would have been lost otherwise. Mani was eager to describe himself as a "disciple of Jesus Christ", but the orthodox church rejected him as a heretic. Mani declared himself, and was also referred to, as the Paraclete: a Biblical title, meaning "helper", which the Orthodox tradition understood as referring to God in the person of the Holy Spirit. The title was later applied to Muhammad, founder of the Islamic religion. There are many parallels to the teachings and story of Mani to the teachings and story of Muhammad, and it may be possible that Muhammad was influenced by Mani. Muhammad may have adopted many of Mani's concepts. Mani claimed to be the Paraclete and last of the Prophets, as Muhammad later would. Muhammad said that his prophethood was revealed to him by an angel as Mani had claimed about himself. And as Mani claimed to be the successor to prophets like Jesus and other prophets whose teachings he said were locally corrupted (or corrupted by his followers), so too did Muhammad later claim to be the successor to prophets whose teachings he said were locally corrupted. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Deuterocanonical books. ... The early 3rd century text called Acts of Thomas is arguably the most Gnostic of the New Testament apocrypha, portraying Christ as the Heavenly Redeemer, independent of and beyond creation, who can free souls from the darkness of the world. ... Heresy, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is a theological or religious opinion or doctrine maintained in opposition, or held to be contrary, to the ‘catholic’ or orthodox doctrine of the Christian Church, or, by extension, to that of any church, creed, or religious system, considered as orthodox. ... The Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost, in Trinitarian Christian belief, is God, the third Person of the Holy Trinity; the word Spirit commonly translates the Greek New Testament word pneuma. ... Muhammad is a common male name for Muslims. ... Islam   listen? (Arabic: al-islām) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions, and the worlds second largest religion. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Some fragments of a Manichaean book written in Turkish mention that in 803 the Khan of Uighur Kingdom went to Turfan and sent three Manichaean Magistrates to pay respects to a senior Manichaean cleric in Mobei. A Manichaean tp)tmn of the 8th century from Turfan written in Middle Persian mentions that most of the Khan's kinsmen were devoted to Manichaean faith. The Manichaean manuscripts found in Turfan were written in three different Iranian scripts, viz. Middle Persian, Parthian and Sogdian script. These documents prove that Sogdia was a very important centre of Manichaeism during the early mediaeval period and it was perhaps the Sogdian merchants who brought the religion to Central Asia and China. Khan (sometimes spelled as xan, han) is a title meaning ruler in Mongolian and Turkish. ... Uyghurs (also called Uighurs, Uygurs, or Uigurs) (Chinese: 維吾爾 or 维吾尔 in pinyin: wéiwúěr) are a Turkic ethnic group of people living in northwestern China (mainly in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, where they are the dominant ethnic group together with Han people), Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. ... Turfan (Uyghur: تۇرپان; Uyghur latin: Turpan; Modern Chinese 吐魯番, Pinyin: Tǔlǔfán; Ancient Chinese 高昌, Pinyin Gāochāng, Wade-Giles: Kao-chang) is an oasis city in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of the Peoples Republic of China. ...

During the early 10th century Uighur emerged a very powerful empire under the influence of Buddhism with some Manichaean shrines converted into Buddhist temples. However, there was no denying the historical fact that the Uighurs were worshippers of Mani. The Arabian historian AI-Nadim infor11s US that the Uighur Khan did his best to project Manichaeism in the Central Asian kingdom (of Saman). Chinese documents record that the Uighur Manichaean clerics came to China to pay tribute to the imperial court in 934. The envoy of Song Dynasty by the name of Wang visited Manichaean temples in Gaochang. It appears that the popularity of Manichaeism slowly declined after 10th century in Central Asia.

Some scholars and anti-Roman Catholic polemicists argue that its influence subtly continues in Christian thought, through Augustine of Hippo, who converted to Christianity from Manichaeism, and whose writings continue to be enormously influential among Catholic theologians. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... St. ...

See also

• List of founders of major religions
• Manichaeism
• Mandaeanism
• Gnosticism

The following figures are believed to have founded major religions or to have been the first codifiers or best known proponents of older traditions. ... Manichean priests, writing at their desk, with panel inscription in Sogdian. ... Note from India: Manda is a sanskrit word meaning among others, dull . After Mahabharata, there were many aryan tribes that left the shores of India and wandered worldwide - cf. ... Gnosticism is a blanket term for various mostly mystical religions and sects most prominent in the first few centuries A.D. // General characteristics The word gnosticism comes from the Greek word for knowledge, gnosis (γνῶσις), referring to the idea that there is special esoteric knowledge, a key to transcendent understanding, that...

External links

• Religious Syncretism: A Look at Manichaeism
• Manichaeist art - Washington University
• "Mani and Manichaeism in the J.R.Ritman Library"