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Manichaeism (/ ˌ m æ n ɪ ˈ k iː ɪ z əm /; [4] in Persian: آئین مانی Āʾīn-ī Mānī; Chinese: 摩尼教; pinyin: Móníjiào) is a former major world religion, [5] founded in the 3rd century CE by the Parthian [6] prophet Mani (216–274 CE), in the Sasanian Empire. [7]
The seal of Mani, the oldest known Manichaean art. Manichaeism has a rich tradition of visual art, starting with Mani himself writing the Book of Pictures. [1]One of Mani's primary beliefs was that the arts (namely painting, calligraphy, and music) were of the same esteem as the divine spirit (Middle Persian: Mihryazd), believing that the creation of art was comparable to god's creation of ...
The adaptation of Manichaeism to the Zoroastrian religion appears to have begun in Mani's lifetime however, with his writing of the Middle Persian Shabuhragan, his book dedicated to the Sasanian emperor, Shapur I. [8] In it, there are mentions of Zoroastrian divinities such as Ahura Mazda, Angra Mainyu, and Āz.
Shapur was not converted to Manichaeism and remained Zoroastrian, but he favored Mani's teachings, which mixed Christianity, Buddhism and Zoroastrianism, and took him into his court. [9] [29] Mani is said to have performed miracles, including levitation, teleporting and healing, which helped him to gain converts in the Iranian elite. [30]
The "three Persian religions" include: Zoroastrianism (xiān-jiào 祆教); The Christian Church of the East (jǐng-jiào 景教); Manichaeism (míng-jiào 明教); Zoroastrianism was first introduced to China during the early Northern and Southern dynasties period, while Christianity and Manichaeism were both introduced to the Central Plains during the Tang dynasty.
The four primary prophets of Manichaeism in the Manichaean Diagram of the Universe, from left to right: Mani, Zoroaster, Buddha and Jesus. Manichaeism considered Zoroaster to be a figure in a line of prophets of which Mani (216–276) was the culmination. [86]
Manichaeism, founded by Mani, was influential from North Africa in the West, to China in the East. Its influence subtly continues in Western Christian thought via Saint Augustine of Hippo, who converted to Christianity from Manichaeism, which he passionately denounced in his writings, and whose writings continue to be influential among Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox theologians.
In Manichaeism, Jesus (Romanization of Parthian and Pahlavi: Yyšw '[Yišō]) [1] is considered one of the four prophets of the faith, along with Zoroaster, Gautama Buddha and Mani. [2] He is also a "guiding deity" who greets the light bodies of the righteous after their deliverance. [3]