Mani (prophet)

Lore & Background

Mani was born near Seleucia-Ctesiphon, possibly in the town of Mardinu or Abrumya. His father Pātik was a member of the Jewish Christian Elcesaite sect, and his mother was of Parthian descent, related to the Arsacid dynasty. At ages 12 and 24, Mani had visionary experiences of a 'heavenly twin' that called him to leave his father's sect and preach a new gospel. He later traveled to India, where he studied Hinduism and Buddhism, before returning in 242 to present himself to Shapur I, to whom he dedicated his only Persian work, the Shabuhragan. Shapur favored his teachings but did not convert.

Reader's Guide

Mani's significance lies in founding Manichaeism, a syncretic religion that combined Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and other traditions into a rigid dualistic system of good and evil. His teachings spread widely in late antiquity, supported by a church structure divided into elects and auditors. The discovery of the Codex Manichaicus Coloniensis in 1969 provided the most reliable source on his life, confirming him as a historical individual. Mani's legacy includes a canon of works, such as the Shabuhragan and the Book of Giants, and his death, depicted by followers as a crucifixion, became a central narrative. Despite persecution, Manichaeism influenced later religious thought, though many accounts of his life are legendary or polemical.

Did You Know?

• Mani's name may derive from Babylonian-Aramaic Mânâ, meaning 'luminescence'.
• He wrote seven major works in Syriac and one in Middle Persian.
• The Cologne Mani-Codex, discovered in 1969, is considered the most reliable source on his life.
• Mani claimed to be the Paraclete promised in the New Testament, according to al-Biruni.