Definition of manichaeism Manichaeism

Man•i•chae•ism

We found 3 definitions of manichaeism from 3 different sources.

What does manichaeism mean?

Noun
manichaeism - a religion founded by Manes in the third century; a synthesis of Zoroastrian dualism between light and dark and Babylonian folklore and Buddhist ethics and superficial elements of Christianity; spread widely in the Roman Empire but had largely died out by 1000
		Manichaeanism
		religious belief, religion, faith a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny; "he lost his faith but not his morality"

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Manichaeism (in Modern Persian "Āyin e Māni") was one of the major Iranian Gnostic religions. Originally it came from Sassanid Persia. Most of the original writings of the founding prophet Mani (Syriac, c. AD 210–276) have been lost, but many translations and fragmentary texts have survived. Manichaeism was big between the third and seventh centuries. At its height was one of the most widespread religions in the world. Manichaean churches and scriptures existed as far east as China and as far west as the Roman empire. Manichaeism appears to have died out before the sixteenth century in southern China.

The original six sacred books of Manichaeism were written in Syriac Aramaic. They were soon translated into other languages to help spread the religion. As they spread to the east, the Manichaean writings passed through Middle Persian, Parthian, Sogdian, and ultimately Uyghur and Chinese translations. As they spread to the west, they were translated into Greek, Coptic, and Latin. The spread and success of Manichaeism were seen as a threat to other religions, and it was widely persecuted in Christian, Zoroastrian, and later, Islamic areas.