Manichaeism

=== Organization ===
The Manichaean Church was divided into the Elect, who had taken upon themselves the vows of Manichaeism, and the Hearers, those who had not, but still participated in the Church. The Elect were forbidden to consume alcohol and meat, as well as to harvest crops or prepare food, due to Mani's claim that harvesting was a form of murder against plants. The Hearers would therefore commit the sin of preparing food, and would provide it to the Elect, who would in turn pray for the Hearers and cleanse them of these sins.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-personal.umich.edu/~rdwallin/syl/GreatBooks/202.W99/Augustine/AugManich.htm |title=Augustine and Manichaeism |website=www-personal.umich.edu |access-date=5 April 2020}}</ref>

The terms for these divisions were already common since the days of [[early Christianity]], however, it had a different meaning in Christianity. In Chinese writings, the Middle Persian and Parthian terms are transcribed phonetically (instead of being translated into Chinese).<ref>G. Haloun and W. B. Henning, ''The Compendium of the Doctrines and Styles of the Teaching of Mani, the Buddha of Light'', Asia Major, 1952, pp. 184–212, p. 195.</ref> These were recorded by [[Augustine of Hippo]].<ref name="Arendzen-1910-1"/>
* The Leader (Syriac: <span lang="syr">[[wikt:ܟܗܢܐ|ܟܗܢܐ]]</span> {{ipa|/kɑhnɑ/}}; Parthian: ''yamag''; {{zh|c=閻默|p=yánmò}}), Mani's designated successor, seated as Patriarch at the head of the Church, originally in [[Ctesiphon]], from the ninth century in [[Samarkand]]. Two notable leaders were [[Mār Sīsin]] (or Sisinnios), the first successor of Mani, and [[Abū Hilāl al-Dayhūri]], an eighth-century leader.
* 12 [[Apostles (Manichaeism)|Apostles]] (Latin: ''magistrī''; Syriac: <span lang="syr">[[wikt:ܫܠܝܚܐ|ܫܠܝܚܐ]]</span> {{ipa|/ʃ(ə)liħe/}}; Middle Persian: ''možag''; {{zh|c=慕闍|p=mùdū}}). Three of Mani's original apostles were Mār Pattī (Pattikios; Mani's father), [[Akouas]] and [[Mar Ammo]].
* 72 [[Bishop]]s (Latin: ''episcopī''; Syriac: <span lang="syr">[[wikt:ܐܦܣܩܘܦܐ|ܐܦܣܩܘܦܐ]]</span> {{ipa|/ʔappisqoppe/}}; Middle Persian: ''aspasag'', ''aftadan''; {{zh|c=薩波塞|p=sàbōsāi}} or {{zh|c=拂多誕|p=fúduōdàn}}; see also: [[seventy disciples]]). One of Mani's original disciples who was specifically referred to as a bishop was Mār Addā.
* 360 [[Presbyter]]s (Latin: ''presbyterī''; Syriac: <span lang="syr" dir="rtl">[[wikt:ܩܫܝܫܐ|ܩܫܝܫܐ]]</span> {{ipa|/qaʃʃiʃe/}}; Middle Persian: ''mahistan''; {{zh|c=默奚悉德|p=mòxīxīdé}})
* The general body of the Elect (Latin: ''ēlēctī''; Syriac: <span lang="syr" dir="rtl">[[wikt:ܡܫܡܫܢܐ|ܡܫܡܫܢܐ]]</span> {{ipa|/m(ə)ʃamməʃɑne/}}; Middle Persian: ''ardawan'' or ''dēnāwar''; {{zh|c=阿羅緩|p=āluóhuǎn}} or {{zh|c=電那勿|p=diànnàwù}})
* The Hearers (Latin: ''audītōrēs''; Syriac: <span lang="syr">[[wikt:ܫܡܘܥܐ|ܫܡܘܥܐ]]</span> {{ipa|/ʃɑmoʿe/}}; Middle Persian: ''niyoshagan''; {{zh|c=耨沙喭|p=nòushāyàn}})