Manicheism

The Manicheism is a Religion, now disappeared, whose founder was the mésopotamien Mani at the 3rd century.

It is a Syncrétisme inspired by the Zoroastrisme, Bouddhisme and Christianisme, the latter fought it with vehemence.

By derivation and tendentious simplification of the term, one qualifies today Manichéen a thought or an action without nuances, even simplistic, where the good and the evil are clearly definite and separate.

The base of the Manicheism

the legend of the Manicheism is a great cosmic legend, a suprasensible legend of nature.

It is told how, one day, the spirits of darkness wanted to give the attack to the kingdom of the light. They arrived indeed to the border of this kingdom nitescent and wanted to make the conquest of it. But they could not anything against the kingdom light being given its suprasensibility. The spirits of the kingdom of the light then took part of their own kingdom and mixed it with the material kingdom with darkness.

Thanks to this mixture of part of the kingdom of the light with the kingdom of darkness, it there had, says one, to some extent in the kingdom of darkness like a leaven, a kind of substance causing the fermentation which plunged the kingdom of darkness in a dance whirling chaotic by what it accepted a new element, namely death - depending for the man of a kind of transsubstantiation.

That takes place so much and so that the kingdom of darkness is consumed constantly even and thus carries to him in him the germ of its own destruction - or for the man, of a transmutation into lights passing by the formidable coruscation of death.

The major thought which lies in this account is that the kingdom of darkness must be surmounted by the kingdom of the light, not by the punishment, but by softness; not while being opposed to the Evil, but while mingling with him; in order to rédimer Evil as tel.

The base of the Manicheism is to divide the Univers into two:

on a side the well and the kingdom of the light
and other the Badly and the kingdom of darkness

According to the Manicheism, the light and darkness coexisted without never mixing. But following a catastrophic event, darkness invaded the light. From this conflict was born the Homme, his spirit belongs to the kingdom of the light and its body (matter), belongs to the kingdom of darkness - what transforms death either of destructive process but of process of rise supreme.

This fight between the good and the evil is the base of the Manicheism. So that a man once can his death been able to reach the kingdom of the light, it is necessary that it gives up all that is material - death is a kind of eucharistie.

Complete philosophy

The gasoline even of philosophy manichéenne is based on two dogmatic concepts: the division of the world in three times and two entities. These theories result from the myth founder imagined by Mani.

Initially, the division of the world in two entities. On a side, Mani places the Darkness, controlled by Satan or “the Prince of darkness” and other, the Light, controlled by God. This so drastic concept applies obviously to the world of the ideas. Indeed, in the law manichéenne, there is no grey area, an act is well or bad, quite simply.

Then, the division of the world in three times. It is closely dependant with the preceding one.

In place of the first time, former moment. It is characterized by absolute and not mixed division world between Darkness and the Light. These last almost seem to be unaware of their mutual existence. Since Darkness (nor the Light besides) cannot be destroyed, the former state is regarded as a perfect state of the world.

In place of the second time, moment median or present. This one starts with the creation of humanity (see myth founder). He is characterized by an unstable mixture of Darkness and Light.

In place of the third time, posterior moment. It is in any point identical to the former moment: the human hearts (coming from the gasoline of paramount man) rest with the kingdom of the Light in immense a luminous “carma” representing the paramount man.

These divisions of the world cause which the Manichean constantly tries to reach an ideal: it must restore division between Ténèbres and Light. According to the myth founder, the human heart is made Light and its body, Darkness. The relation with God thus finds of it very close friend, that with Satan also, unfortunately. The believer puts in context the ideal first Manichean while following it: he must separate his spirit from his body, maximize the expansion of that one and reduce that of this one. With this intention, it will follow precise rules as much as possible reducing any form of materialism and sensuality in its life. He will consider also the matter as something the bad one but will not destroy it since it contains the light in the case of the living beings and contains the weapons of the paramount man in the case of the nonbiological elements like water, air etc

If the Manichean causes a rupture between his spirit and his body, he hopes to reach the kingdom of the Light and to melt his luminous particle with the others in immense a " karma" (Mani was strongly influenced by various preexistent religions with his like Buddhism). If not, it will reappear in another body and will have to continue its advance until dissociation is made.

Life of the Manicheans

Two groups of Manicheans existed:

elected officials: who spent their time preaching, practiced the celibacy and were vegetarians. After their death, the elected officials were ensured to reach the kingdom of the Light;
listeners: they were to serve the elected officials, could marry (but it was disadvised to them having children) and practiced Jeûne S every week. After their death, the listeners hoped to be réincarnés as elected officials.

So that the kingdom of the light triumphs over darkness, it is necessary that all the elected officials and the listeners reach the kingdom of the light. Actually, it is not really a triumph which the Manicheans seek, but a return at the original state, the separation of the good and evil. Because according to the Manicheism, it is impossible to triumph over the evil, because the evil is indestructible. The only means of being completely in the kingdom of the light, it is to flee darkness.

Rules

The basic principles of the Manichean are to refute the sexual intercourse, not to kill and out of not blasphémer. The Manicheans do not have any permission, if is not to respect the rites and the rules which are imposed to them. As one can note it, the rules of this religion are at the same time simple and rigorous.

The classes of the listeners live by respecting the “Ten Commands” of Mani. These commands touch the social life as religious as much Manicheans. On the other hand, the lifestyle of the two classes is different. They must request four times per day, that is to say for each of the four positions of the sun, to fast as to contribute to alms corresponding approximately to a seventh of the goods which it has. The Manicheans must also keep themselves of speaking about temptations, those being strictly taboos. Through these interdicts, the listener will aim to reach a state which will make it perfect at the time of its reincarnation. He will be then Élu.

The rules of the Elected officials, much more strict, are divided mainly into three seals: that is to say “that of the hand, the mouth and the center”. The “seal of the hand” is the restriction of the gestures being able to break the life such hunting and the war. The “seal of the mouth” represents the discipline of the word and that of the food mode. This one is summarized with grasses. The “seal of the center” represents the sexual abstinence of the Elected official. The goal of those is to incarnate the perfection in order to show the example with the monks of the lower classes. This perfection is the last stage preceding the access to the “Carma” by the kingdom of the Light.

In the Manicheans, a child is born Élu or listener. It is not possible to become it during the years. The choice is done compared to the ancestors and to the families. The only way of changing class, according to the religion, is réincarner as an Elected official in a later life.

The rewards of the alive monk within this religion are in fact the rise in the hierarchy. On the other hand, to pass from listener to Élu could not be done differently than while being réincarnant. Penitences, contrary to the rewards, constitute the loss of a rank or a privilege in the hierarchy manichéenne.

As you will be able to note it, the relation which the Manichean with God (the Light) maintains makes via the prayer and from a point of view of holiness. With this intention, the Manicheans must quite simply comply with the rules with the letter.

Rites

The Manicheans believe in the Light, the image of God and his servants. These entities are at the same time very close to their body and far from their reality. Indeed, the Manicheans affirm that the Light is imprisoned in them, but cannot represent it. The prayer constitutes one of the average privileged people of the Manichean to reach the Light.

The daily prayer is practiced individually while the confession takes place in front of the Elected officials. Apparently, no object is necessary to the achievement of the rites. The Elected officials let themselves push the hair, get dressed in white, retranscribe and study the writings of Mani, sing seven anthems per day, teach, isolate themselves with full moon and request seven times per day like during the major part of the night. The majority of the Elected officials are also wandering.

The listeners, on their side, memorize the writings of Mani, sing when they can, request four times per day and fast the week in order to prepare with the confession of Monday. Indeed, a confession takes place each Monday, while an other of greater scale takes seat at the end of the month. During this one, the Manicheans are sorry great. Also, with some recoveries during the year, the listeners have to separate their tangible properties by offering them to the Church. This practice is named alms. The Elected officials, having made wish of poverty, get rid systematically of their goods.

The rites are fundamentally positive except for the celebration of Bêma, that is to say the New Year's Day in the Manicheans celebrated in summer (the feastday of Mani). Indeed, a one month fast almost whole (26 days) precedes it and put in deficiency certain nutritive elements the Elected officials and the Listeners, already restricted by dietary habits low in proteins.

With regard to the symbols, the Manicheism has only very little of it. This deficiency rests partly on the fact that one of the ten commands Manicheans states clearly that the representation of God is proscribed. Despite everything, four obvious and known symbols of do everything part of the Manicheism. The first two symbols are those of the Light and the Darkness represented by contrasting colors of black and white. The third, is the cross of Jesus Christ, borrowed from Christianity. Nevertheless, it does not have the same significance exactly. It means the incarnation of Jesus under human form to establish the link between the man and God. The suffering of Christ seems regarded as the fruit of an illusion in the Manicheans. The fourth is the snake, representing the flesh, bad thing.

Manicheism in the history

The Manicheism was created by Mani, during the 3rd century.

Thanks to the protection of the Persian Emperor of Shapur I {{er}}, Mani could preach the Manicheism through all the the Middle East. Its religion was spread later through the North Africa and the Europe until in Gaulle and through the Asia until in China, where it was called the " Buddha of lumière".

Painter of great quality like its most skilful disciples and successors, Mani created a tradition of illustration of the Manuscrit S religious, which could well have its share in the birth of the Miniature Persian.

The Manicheism was introduced into the Roman Empire, in particular in Egypt and Roman Africa, and was the subject of a decree of persecution into 297, because of its innovation, opposed to the traditional Roman worship, and of its origin Persian, therefore coming from the enemies of the Romans. The decrees of religious tolerance of 311 and 313 (edict of Milan), mainly stated to stop persecution against the Christians, reflect fine at this period of persecution.

Saint Augustin was in the beginning a Manichean, before converting with Christianity. Later, he criticized the Manicheism savagely.

The Ouïgours of the Xinjiang, guards of the China of the Tang following the rebellion of Year Lushan which was completed in 762, converted with the Manicheism the their following the example of Khan Bögü, and their religion flowers in the Bassin of Tarim until worms the end of.

Until the 20th century, the Manicheism was a religion known mainly through the writings of its adversaries (like Saint Augustin). But the discovery of several manuscripts in Algeria and China made it possible to better know this religion.

Rudolf Steiner also speaks about Mani or Manes as about a large initiate whose principal task is to transform the evil into good.

Manicheism in China

Myth Founder

When the Manicheism is created, Mani knows that it must give answers to the existential questions of the population to gain the faithful ones. This is why, it assembles a history explaining bipolar philosophy manichéenne. This myth is that of creation, that telling the birth of the man and the matter. It is about a cosmogonic myth with preexistent substrate. Indeed, the creation of the world resides not only in the action of a higher god but also in that of supporting characters.

The myth founder starts during the former time of time (see philosophy). The Light (the kingdom of God) and Darkness or the Matter (kingdom of the Prince of darkness) are thus separate. Result of discontinuous chaos in the matter, part of the latter approaches the kingdom enough to the Light to see the glare of it. At once, the matter wishes to penetrate there. God then elects the paramount man - generated by the Mother of the Life, itself resulting from the center of God to protect his kingdom from Darkness. To help the man in his task, God provides it with five powerful auxiliaries: fire, water, wind, the light and the matter (ground).

Despite everything the efforts of the Light, Darkness overrides the original man. It is said that they are undoubtedly five archontes which faced the man, because of the fact that it has five weapons. The matter (Darkness) seizes then the man and locks up it in itself. Despaired, the man calls upon God who sends, to help it, the Spirit of life. This last tries to bring back the man towards the kingdom of the Light by the means of the sun, the moon, the plants which go up towards the sky, etc Before the operation is completed, the prince of darkness orders from two demons to link and thus to form a counterfeit of the paramount man to lock up there the last piece of light not aspired by the Spirit of life. The man is created; its body is bad, its spirit is good.

Critical augustinienne of the Manicheism

For Augustin, the Manicheism is directly resulting from the gnosticism. There is thus nothing really again in the sect Manicheans. Augustin was Manichean at one period of his life, he thus knows rather well the doctrines of Mani, by various testimonys and writings perhaps which did not arrive all to us.

Moreover, the gnosticism is directly in relation to the pagan religions or Cultes with mysteries.

Criticism of Augustin affirms that the Manicheans are obliged to return a worship towards Baal, which represents the Evil, i.e. Satan. Augustin thus affirms the supremacy of God trinitaire against Satan. Because in the Bible, it is written that Jesus is infinitely stronger than the Devil and than anything will not prevail against the Church of Jesus-Christ.

A short philosophical critic and rich person of the Manicheism are in the Confessions of Augustin, delivers VII, chapter 3. The argument against the Manicheans is the following:

The Manicheans pose two opposed substances, the Good and the Evil, and make them be fought. However, if God is incorruptible (with the metaphysical direction of the term, pure of any mixture, and incompetent to be mingled with another substance), the Evil does not have any means of fighting it. Therefore, is the Manicheans conceive that God is imperfect (what goes against the definition of God), that is to say God is quite incorruptible for the Manicheans, but it then started of itself a combat gained in advance against the Evil. That God is the author of a free aggression is as inaceptable as its imperfection. The conclusion is that the Manicheism is inapt to give a good design of God.

There are well others critical of the Manicheism in the work of Augustin, but this one has the advantage of being short, and easily accessible to the reader.

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