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Thus, Manichaeism became widespread and flourished throughout the Sasanian Empire for thirty years. An apologia for Manichaeism ascribed to ibn al-Muqaffa' defended its phantasmagorical cosmogony and attacked the fideism of Islam and other monotheistic religions. The Manichaeans had sufficient structure to have a head of their community.
Zoroastrianism is often compared with Manichaeism. Nominally an Iranian religion, Manichaeism was heavily inspired by Zoroastrianism [citation needed] because of Mani's Iranian origin, and it was also rooted in prior Middle-Eastern Gnostic beliefs. [216] [223] [217] Manichaeism adopted many of the Yazatas for its own pantheon.
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.
Ancient Iranian lands had a diversity of spiritual beliefs, and the religions included Zoroastrianism, Mazdakism, Manichaeism, Yazdanism, Mandeanism, and others. Ancient Mitanni was centered in modern-day Kurdistan, and from excavations it was discovered to have a history of Zoroastrian practices.
While the division along the lines of Zoroaster/astrology and Ostanes/magic is an "oversimplification, the descriptions do at least indicate what the works are not"; they were not expressions of Zoroastrian doctrine, they were not even expressions of what the Greeks and Romans "imagined the doctrines of Zoroastrianism to have been". [105]
[T]he Mandaeans may well have become the inventors of – or at least contributors to the development of – Gnosticism ... and they produced the most voluminous Gnostic literature we know, in one language... influenc[ing] the development of Gnostic and other religious groups in late antiquity [e.g. Manichaeism, Valentianism]. [7]: 109
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]