Manichaeism

=== Outline of the beings and events in the Manichaean mythology ===
Beginning with the time of its creation by Mani, the Manichaean religion has had a detailed description of deities and events that took place within the Manichaean scheme of the universe. In every language and region that Manichaeism spread to, these same deities reappear, whether it is in the original Syriac quoted by Theodore bar Konai,<ref name="Konai"/> or the Latin terminology given by Saint Augustine from Mani's ''[[Fundamental Epistle|Epistola Fundamenti]]'', or the Persian and Chinese translations found as Manichaeism spread eastward. While the original Syriac retained the original description that Mani created, the transformation of the deities through other languages and cultures produced incarnations of the deities not implied in the original Syriac writings. Chinese translations are especially syncretic, borrowing and adapting terminology common in [[Chinese Buddhism]].{{sfnp|Ma|Wang|2018}}

==== The World of Light ====
* ''The [[Father of Greatness]]'' (Syriac: {{lang|syr|ܐܒܐ ܕܪܒܘܬܐ}} ''Abbā dəRabbūṯā''; Middle Persian: ''pīd ī wuzurgīh'', or the Zoroastrian deity ''[[Zurvan|Zurwān]]''; Parthian: ''Pidar wuzurgift, Pidar roshn''; {{zh|c=無上明尊|l=Unsurpassed Divinity of Light}} or {{lang|zh|薩緩}} {{lit|Zurvan}})
** ''His Four Faces'' (Greek: {{lang|el|ὁ τετραπρόσωπος πατήρ τοῦ μεγέθους}}; {{zh|c=四寂法身|l=Four Silent [[Dharmakaya]]s}}){{sfnp|Ma|Wang|2018}}
*** ''Divinity'' (Middle Persian: ''[[Yazata|yzd]]''; Parthian: ''bg'''; {{zh|c=清净}})
*** ''Light'' (Middle Persian and Parthian: ''rwšn''; {{zh|c=光明}})
*** ''Power'' (Middle Persian: ''zwr''; Parthian: ''z'wr'''; {{zh|c=大力}})
*** ''Wisdom'' (Middle Persian: ''whyh''; Parthian: ''jyryft''; {{zh|c=智慧}})
** ''His Five [[Shekhinah|Shekhinas]]'' (Syriac: {{lang|syr|ܚܡܫ ܫܟܝܢܬܗ}} ''khamesh shkhinatei''; Chinese: {{nowrap|{{linktext|五|種|大}} ''wǔ zhǒng dà'',}} {{lit|five great ones}}):<ref>Chart from: E. Waldschmidt and W. Lenz, Die Stellung Jesu im Manichäismus, Berlin, 1926, p 42.</ref>{{sfnp|Ma|Wang|2018}}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: 40px;"
|-
! scope="col" | Shekhina:
! scope="col" | Reason
! scope="col" | Mind
! scope="col" | Intelligence
! scope="col" | Thought
! scope="col" | Understanding
|-
|Syriac
|<span lang="syr" dir="ltr">{{linktext|ܗܘܢܐ}} ''hawnā''</span>
|<span lang="syr">{{linktext|ܡܕܥܐ}} ''madde{{okina}}ā''</span>
|<span lang="syr">{{linktext|ܪܥܝܢܐ}} ''reyānā''</span>
|<span lang="syr" dir="ltr">{{linktext|ܡܚܫܒܬܐ}} ''maḥšavṯɑ''</span>
|<span lang="syr" dir="ltr">{{linktext|ܬܪܥܝܬܐ}} ''tar{{okina}}iṯā''</span>
|-
|Parthian
|''bām''
|''manohmēd''
|''uš''
|''andēšišn''
|''parmānag''
|-
|Chinese
|{{nowrap|{{linktext|相}} ''xiāng'',}} {{grey|"phase"}}
|{{nowrap|{{linktext|心}} ''xīn'',}} {{grey|"heart-mind"}}
|{{nowrap|{{linktext|念}} ''niàn'',}} {{grey|"mindfulness"}}
|{{nowrap|{{linktext|思}} ''sī'',}} {{grey|"thought"}}
|{{nowrap|{{linktext|意}} ''yì'',}} {{grey|"meaning"}}
|-
|Turkic
|qut
|ög
|köngül
|saqinç
|tuimaq
|-
|Greek
|νοῦς (Nous)
|ἔννοια (Ennoia)
|φρόνησις (Phronēsis)
|ἐνθύμησις (Enthymēsis)
|λογισμός (Logismos)
|-
|Latin
|mens
|sensus
|prudentia
|intellectus
|cogitatio
|}
* ''The Great Spirit'' (Middle Persian: ''Waxsh zindag, Waxsh yozdahr''; Latin: ''Spiritus Potens'')

==== The first creation ====
* ''The Mother of Life'' ({{lang-syr|ܐܡܐ ܕܚܝܐ}} ''imā dəḥayyē''; {{lang-pal|mʾdrʾy zyndgʾn}}; {{zh|c=善母佛|l=Good Mother Buddha}})
* ''The First Man'' ({{lang-syr|ܐܢܫܐ ܩܕܡܝܐ}} ''Nāšā Qaḏmāyā''; {{lang-pal|[[Ahura Mazda|Ohrmazd Bay]]}}, the Zoroastrian god of light and goodness; Latin: ''Primus Homo'')
** ''First Enthymesis'' ({{lang-pal|hndyšyšn nxwysṯyn}}; {{zh|c=先意|l=First Understanding}})
** ''His five Sons'' (the five Light Elements; {{lang-xpr|panj rōšn}}; {{lang-pal|[[Amesha Spenta|Amahrāspandān]]}}; {{zh|c=五明子}}){{sfnp|Ma|Wang|2018}}
*** ''Ether'' ({{lang-xpr|ardāw}}; {{lang-pal|frâwahr}}; {{zh|c=氣}})
*** ''Wind'' (Parthian and {{lang-pal|wād}}; {{zh|c=風}})
*** ''Light'' (Parthian and {{lang-pal|rōšn}}; {{zh|c=明}})
*** ''Water'' (Parthian and {{lang-pal|āb}}; {{zh|c=水}})
*** ''Fire'' (Parthian and {{lang-pal|ādur}}; {{zh|c=火}})
** His sixth Son, the ''Answer-God'' ({{lang-syr|ܥܢܝܐ}} ''{{okina}}anyā''; Parthian and {{lang-pal|[[Xroshtag and Padvaxtag|xroshtag]]}}; {{zh|c=勢至}} ''[[Mahasthamaprapta|Shì Zhì]]'' "The Power of Wisdom", a Chinese [[bodhisattva]]). The answer sent by the ''First Man'' to the ''Call'' from the World of Light.
* ''The Living Self'' (Parthian and {{lang-pal|grīw zīndag}}, {{lang|pal|grīw rōšn}}; {{zh|c=明性|l=Light Nature}}) The ''[[Anima mundi#Manichaeism|anima mundi]]'' made up of the five Light Elements, identical with the [[Suffering Jesus]] who is crucified in the world.

==== The second creation ====
* ''The Friend of the Lights'' ({{lang-syr|ܚܒܝܒ ܢܗܝܖܐ}} ''ḥaviv nehirē''; {{zh|c=樂明佛|l=Enjoyer of Lights}}){{sfnp|Ma|Wang|2018}} Calls to:
* ''The Great Builder'' ({{lang-syr|ܒܢ ܖܒܐ}} ''ban rabbā''; {{zh|c=造相|l=Creator of Forms}}) In charge of creating the new world that will separate the darkness from the light. He calls to:
* ''The Living Spirit'' ({{lang-syr|ܪܘܚܐ ܚܝܐ}} ''ruḥā ḥayyā''; {{lang-pal|[[Mithra|Mihryazd]]}}; {{zh|c=淨活風|p=Jìnghuófēng}}; {{lang-la|Spiritus Vivens}}; {{lang-gr|Ζων Πνευμα}}). Acts as a [[demiurge]], creating the structure of the material world.
** ''His five Sons'' ({{lang-syr|ܚܡܫܐ ܒܢܘܗܝ}} ''ḥamšā benawhy''; {{zh|c=五等驍健子|l=Five Valiant Sons}})
*** ''The Keeper of the Splendour'' ({{lang-syr|ܨܦܬ ܙܝܘܐ}} ''ṣfat ziwā''; {{lang-la|Splenditenens}}; {{zh|c=催光明使|l=Urger of Enlightenment}}). Holds up the ten heavens from above.
*** ''The King of Glory'' ({{lang-syr|ܡܠܟ ܫܘܒܚܐ}} ''mlex šuvḥā''; {{lang-la|Rex Gloriosus}}; {{zh|c=地藏}} ''[[Kṣitigarbha|Dìzàng]]'' "Earth Treasury", a Chinese [[bodhisattva]]).
*** ''The Adamas of Light'' ({{lang-syr|ܐܕܡܘܣ ܢܘܗܪܐ}} ''adamus nuhrā''; {{lang-la|Adamas}}; {{zh|c=降魔使|p=Jiàngmó shǐ}}). Fights with and overcomes an evil being in the image of the King of Darkness.
*** ''The Great King of Honour'' ({{lang-syr|ܡܠܟܐ ܪܒܐ ܕܐܝܩܪܐ}} ''malkā rabbā dikkārā''; [[Dead Sea Scrolls]] {{lang-arc|מלכא רבא דאיקרא}} ''malka raba de-ikara''; {{lang-la|Rex Honoris}}; {{zh|c=十天大王|p=Shítiān Dàwáng|l=Ten Heavens Great King}}). A being that plays a central role in [[The Book of Enoch]] (originally written in Aramaic), as well as Mani's Syriac version of it, the [[Book of Giants]]. Sits in the [[Seven Heavens|seventh heaven]] of the ten heavens (corresponding to the [[celestial spheres]], the first seven of which house the [[classical planets]]) and guards the entrance to the world of light.
*** ''Atlas'' ({{lang-syr|ܣܒܠܐ}} ''sebblā''; {{lang-la|[[Atlas (mythology)|Atlas]]}}; {{zh|c=持世主|p=Chíshìzhǔ}}). Supports the eight worlds from below.
** His sixth Son, the ''Call-God'' ({{lang-syr|ܩܪܝܐ}} ''qaryā''; {{lang-pal|[[Xroshtag and Padvaxtag|Padvaxtag]]}}; {{zh|c=觀音}} ''[[Guanyin]]'' "watching/perceiving sounds [of the world]", the Chinese Bodhisattva of Compassion). Sent from the Living Spirit to awaken the First Man from his battle with the forces of darkness.

==== The third creation ====
* ''The Third Messenger'' ({{lang-syr|ܐܝܙܓܕܐ}} ''izgaddā''; {{lang-pal|narēsahyazad}}, {{lang-xpr|hridīg frēštag}}; {{lang|la|tertius legatus}})
* ''[[Jesus the Splendour]]'' ({{lang-syr|ܝܫܘܥ ܙܝܘܐ}} ''Isho{{okina}} Ziwā''; {{zh|c=光明夷數|l=Jesus of Bright Light}} or {{lang|zh|夷數精和}} {{lit|Jesus the Essence of Harmony}}). Sent to awaken Adam and Eve to the source of the spiritual light trapped within their physical bodies.
* ''The Maiden of Light'' (Middle Persian and {{lang-xpr|qnygrwšn}}; {{zh|c=謹你嚧詵}}, a phonetic loan from Middle Persian)
* ''The Twelve Virgins of Light'' ({{lang-syr|ܬܪܬܥܣܪܐ ܒܬܘܠܬܐ}} ''trat{{okina}}esrā btultē''; {{lang-pal|kanīgān rōšnān}}; {{zh|c=日宮十二化女|p=Rìgōng shí'èr huànǚ|l=Sun Palace Twelve Maidens of Transformation}}).{{efn|These are apparently the 'twelve centuries clothed with flowers and full of melodies' (''duodecim saecula floribus convestita et canoribus plena'') at St Augustine, ''Contra Faustum'' 15.5<ref>Augustine, ''[https://archive.org/stream/corpusscriptoru27wissgoog#page/n435/mode/2up Contra Faustum 15.5]''</ref>}}{{sfnp|Ma|Wang|2018}} Reflected in the twelve constellations of the [[Zodiac]].
* ''The Column of Glory'' ({{lang-syr|ܐܣܛܘܢ ܫܘܒܚܐ}} ''esṭun šuvḥā''; {{lang-pal|[[Sraosha|srōš-ahrāy]]}}; {{zh|c=蘇露沙羅夷|p=Sūlù shāluóyí}} and {{lang|zh|盧舍那}}, ''{{lang|zh-Latn|Lúshěnà}}'', both phonetic from {{lang-pal|srōš-ahrāy}}). The path that souls take back to the World of Light; corresponds to the [[Milky Way]].
* ''The Great [[Nous]]''
** ''His five Limbs'' ({{zh|c=五體}}) (See "His Five Shekhinas" [[#The World of Light|above]].)
*** ''Reason''
*** ''Mind''
*** ''Intelligence''
*** ''Thought''
*** ''Understanding''
* ''The Just Judge'' ({{lang-xpr|d'dbr r'štygr}}; {{zh|c=平等王|l=Impartial King}}){{sfnp|Ma|Wang|2018}}
* ''The Last God''

==== The World of Darkness ====
* ''The [[Prince of Darkness (Manichaeism)|Prince of Darkness]]'' (Syriac: {{lang|syr|ܡܠܟ ܚܫܘܟܐ}} ''mlex ḥešoxā''; Middle Persian: ''[[Angra Mainyu|Ahriman]]'', the Zoroastrian supreme evil being)
** ''His five evil kingdoms'' Evil counterparts of the five elements of light, the lowest being the kingdom of Darkness.
** ''His son'' (Syriac: {{lang|syr|ܐܫܩܠܘܢ}} ''Ashaklun''; Middle Persian: ''Az'', from the Zoroastrian demon, ''[[Zahhak|Aži Dahāka]]'')
** ''His son's mate'' (Syriac: {{lang|syr|ܢܒܪܘܐܠ}} ''Nevro'el'')
** Their offspring – ''[[Adam and Eve]]'' (Middle Persian: ''[[Keyumars|Gehmurd]]'' and ''Murdiyanag'')
* ''Giants'' (Fallen Angels, also Abortions): (Syriac: {{lang|syr|ܝܚܛܐ}} ''yaḥtē'', "abortions" or "those that fell"; also: {{lang|syr|ܐܪܟܘܢܬܐ}}; {{lang|el|Ἐγρήγοροι}} ''[[Watcher (angel)#Grigori|Egrēgoroi]]'', "Giants"). Related to the story of the [[fallen angel]]s in the [[Book of Enoch]] (which Mani used extensively in [[The Book of Giants]]), and the {{lang|he|נפילים}} ''[[nephilim]]'' described in Genesis (6:1–4).