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Mani: Difference between revisions
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Mani stated he received his religion as a “revelation,” as did Paul the apostle. At age 24 he was called by his heavenly “Twin” to found a religion and a church of his own. This “Twin,” also described as the “Living Paraclete,” came down and spoke to Mani, who later reported: | Mani stated he received his religion as a “revelation,” as did Paul the apostle. At age 24 he was called by his heavenly “Twin” to found a religion and a church of his own. This “Twin,” also described as the “Living Paraclete,” came down and spoke to Mani, who later reported: | ||
<blockquote>He revealed to me the hidden mystery that was hidden from the worlds and the generations: the mystery of the Depth and the Height: he revealed to me the mystery of the Light and the Darkness, the mystery of the conflict and the great war which the Darkness stirred up. | <blockquote>He revealed to me the hidden mystery that was hidden from the worlds and the generations: the mystery of the Depth and the Height: he revealed to me the mystery of the Light and the Darkness, the mystery of the conflict and the great war which the Darkness stirred up. He revealed to me how the Light [turned back? overcame?] the Darkness by their intermingling and how [in consequence] was set up this world...; he enlightened me on the mystery of the forming of Adam, the first man. He instructed me on the mystery of the Tree of Knowledge of which Adam ate, by which his eyes were made to see; the mystery of the Apostles who were sent out into the world to select the churches [i.e. to found the religions].... Thus was revealed to me by the Paraclete all that has been and that shall be, and all that the eye sees and the ear hears and the thought thinks. Through him I learned to know everything, I saw the All through him, and I became one body and one spirit [with him].”<ref>Mani, ''Kephalaia'' 14,29–15,24, quoted in Hans-Joachim Klimkeit, ''Gnosis on the Silk Road: Gnostic Texts from Central Asia'' (New York: HarperSanFrancisco, 1993), pp. 2–3.</ref></blockquote> | ||
Mani’s church was open to all, but members were divided into “hearers” and “elect” much in the manner of the mystery schools. Mani’s church was the “community of the righteous ones” the “Universal Church” which will be triumphant over the tribulations of the Great War at the end of days. | Mani’s church was open to all, but members were divided into “hearers” and “elect” much in the manner of the mystery schools. Mani’s church was the “community of the righteous ones” the “Universal Church” which will be triumphant over the tribulations of the Great War at the end of days. | ||
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== Teachings == | == Teachings == | ||
Mani was a prolific writer and the names of scriptures written by him are ''Living Gospel'', ''Treasure of Life'', ''Treatise'', ''Book of Mysteries'' (Secrets), ''Book of Giants'', ''Epistles'', and ''Psalms and Prayers''. These survive only in fragmentary form.<ref>Ibid., | Mani was a prolific writer and the names of scriptures written by him are ''Living Gospel'', ''Treasure of Life'', ''Treatise'', ''Book of Mysteries'' (Secrets), ''Book of Giants'', ''Epistles'', and ''Psalms and Prayers''. These survive only in fragmentary form.<ref>Ibid., pp. 91, 4.</ref> | ||
Mani’s aim was to unite the various creeds of his time into a single worldwide faith that shared the noblest elements found in each. These elements included the pre-existence of the soul in the Light-Realm before it was sent to earth to redeem the Light from the Darkness, the reincarnation of the soul that it may purify itself from the dark elements of Evil until it ascended back to the Realm of Light, wearing its Robe of Light, and the eventual extraction of all particles of Light from the Darkness. | Mani’s aim was to unite the various creeds of his time into a single worldwide faith that shared the noblest elements found in each. These elements included the pre-existence of the soul in the Light-Realm before it was sent to earth to redeem the Light from the Darkness, the reincarnation of the soul that it may purify itself from the dark elements of Evil until it ascended back to the Realm of Light, wearing its Robe of Light, and the eventual extraction of all particles of Light from the Darkness. | ||
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Mani did not teach the concept of an eternal hell. Evil is ultimately contained, densified and rendered inactive. All souls are possessed of a Light-Mind of which Jesus is the personification. | Mani did not teach the concept of an eternal hell. Evil is ultimately contained, densified and rendered inactive. All souls are possessed of a Light-Mind of which Jesus is the personification. | ||
An excerpt from the Manichaean scriptures describes the soul saying: “O Light-Mind, the Sun of my heart that gives my Soul the things of the Light, thou art my witness, that I have no comfort save in thee.” | An excerpt from the Manichaean scriptures describes the soul saying: “O Light-Mind, the Sun of my heart that gives my Soul the things of the Light, thou art my witness, that I have no comfort save in thee.” To which Jesus answers: “I am thy Higher Self, a security and seal; thou art my body, a garment I have put on in order to terrify the Powers, while I (myself) am thy Light, the original Effulgence!”<ref>Duncan Greenlees, ''The Gospel of the Prophet Mani'' (Adyar, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1956), pp. 221, 225.<ref> | ||
Mani had taught that the pre-existent souls who came to redeem the world from Darkness became tainted with the lust of the evil archons and thus had fallen into bodies. The Church Fathers refused to recognize or believe that angels who had fallen had taken on physical bodies. Mani’s exposure of the forces of darkness present and embodied in the world (fallen angels, archons, Watchers, giants) precipitated an intense persecution of this universal church and religion from those very forces themselves. | Mani had taught that the pre-existent souls who came to redeem the world from Darkness became tainted with the lust of the evil archons and thus had fallen into bodies. The Church Fathers refused to recognize or believe that angels who had fallen had taken on physical bodies. Mani’s exposure of the forces of darkness present and embodied in the world (fallen angels, archons, Watchers, giants) precipitated an intense persecution of this universal church and religion from those very forces themselves. | ||
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In their complicated myth of the creation of man, the Manichaeans believed that some of God’s light had been trapped in the bodies of demon-animals. This light was passed on to Adam and Eve, tainted by the passions of the demon-animals. And thus, according to scholar Hans-Joachim Klimkeit, it also passed on “greed, the lust for procreation, envy, hate, and other evil qualities.... These negative aspects together form what is called the ‘dark’ or ‘material soul,’” which overlays the true soul. The soul itself, of divine origin, is destined to shake off these evil qualities and “be restored to its pristine beauty, purity, and integrity.” | In their complicated myth of the creation of man, the Manichaeans believed that some of God’s light had been trapped in the bodies of demon-animals. This light was passed on to Adam and Eve, tainted by the passions of the demon-animals. And thus, according to scholar Hans-Joachim Klimkeit, it also passed on “greed, the lust for procreation, envy, hate, and other evil qualities.... These negative aspects together form what is called the ‘dark’ or ‘material soul,’” which overlays the true soul. The soul itself, of divine origin, is destined to shake off these evil qualities and “be restored to its pristine beauty, purity, and integrity.” | ||
The Manichaean system of salvation includes reincarnation. The Manichaeans taught that the elect were capable of returning to God in their current life. They were required to follow a rigid code as they struggled to separate all elements of the demon passions. The other group, the hearers, were given less strict commandments and could expect to be reborn as elect. Thus the hearers could expect a second chance at salvation since they were not destined to make it in this life. Like many sects of their day, the Manichaeans were exclusive. Everyone who was neither a hearer nor an elect was headed for damnation. The elect were vegetarians and, like Hindu ascetics, were forbidden meat, alcohol or sexual activity. | |||
== Influence on Augustine == | == Influence on Augustine == | ||
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== Legacy == | == Legacy == | ||
Mani | Mani described his religion with these words: | ||
<blockquote>The religion which I have chosen is greater and better than the other religions of the ancients ... | <blockquote>The religion (''dēn'') which I have chosen is greater and better than the other religions of the ancients.... My religion is such that it will manifest in all lands and in all languages and will be taught in distant lands.... My religion, by virtue of its living scriptures, (its) teachers, bishops, elect and auditors, and by its wisdom and deeds will endure to the end.... Those souls of the ancients who did not complete (good) works in their own religion will come to my religion, and for them it will truly become the door of salvation.... This revelation of the two principles and my living scriptures, my wisdom and my knowledge, are more encompassing and better than those of the former religions ... as all scriptures, (all) wisdom and (all) parables of the former religions [have been added] to my religion.<ref>Ibid., pp. 216–17.</ref></blockquote> | ||
We can see in | Klimkeit explains that Mani’s church considered itself to be “a community of the righteous ones (''ardāvān''). It constitutes ‘the Universal Church’ which will arise in triumph over the trials of the Great War at the end of days.”<ref>Ibid., p. 91.</ref> We can see in Mani’s writings a vision foreshadowing the spreading abroad of the teachings of the [[Great White Brotherhood]] throughout the world through [[Theosophy]], the [[I AM Movement]], and The Summit Lighthouse. | ||
Mani brings the following words of encouragement to all souls: “Be yourselves Refiners and Saviours for your Soul which abides in every place, that you may lead it to the dwelling of the Fathers of the Light. | Mani brings the following words of encouragement to all souls: “Be yourselves Refiners and Saviours for your Soul which abides in every place, that you may lead it to the dwelling of the Fathers of the Light.... You are the Sons of the Day and the Sons of Light; fight yet a little while, O Sons of Light, and you will be victorious.”<ref>Greenlees, ''Gospel of the Prophet Mani'', pp. iii, 203.</ref> | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||