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Manichaean scripture
Manichaean scripture includes nine main books: the Seven Treatises of Manichaeism, all personally written by Mani in Syriac, the Shabuhragan written by Mani in Middle Persian, and the Arzhang, a series of illustrations painted by Mani.
The Kephalaia are not scriptural but rather a secondary literature on Manichaeism commenting on the scripture.
Seven Treatises of Manichaeism, sometimes also referred to as the Manichaean Heptateuch, are seven scriptures personally written by the founder of Manichaeism, Mani.
Recognizing the shortcomings of the religions that preceded him, Mani was determined to create a world, unified religion. In Mani's view, the unity of religious thought in the past could only be achieved when the founders were alive. However, these founders did not write books themselves, and when they died, their disciples went their own way, leading their own religions into division and confusion. Mani said of Manichaeism "The religion I have chosen is ten times greater than any previous religion. First, unlike the previous religions, which were limited to one country and one language, my religion will be popular in every country, in all languages, and spread to the ends of the earth. Secondly, previous religions existed only when they had pure leaders, and once the leaders died, their religion immediately fell into chaos and their precepts and writings were neglected. But my religion, however, thanks to its living classics, its preachers, bishops, friars, and laymen, and thanks to its wisdom and writings, will endure to the end."
In the Manichaean Compendium these seven scriptures are compared to ships: Power, make seven of them for sailing."
For various reasons, none of the seven scriptures have been found in their entirety. Existing fragments of scriptures in Coptic, Middle Persian, Parthian, Sogdian, Uighur and other languages have been discovered, but their specific ownership needs to be further studied.
In the Christian literature[which?], there is another saying[where?] of the "Four Sutras of Manichae", which is not mentioned[by whom?] in the accounts of Manichaeism or other religions. There are many errors[clarification needed] and it is not enough[vague] to believe.[clarification needed] For example Kephalaia is not scriptural but rather a literary genre[citation needed].
The Shabuhragan (Persian: شاپورگان Shāpuragān), which means "[the] book of Shapur", was a sacred book of the Manichaean religion, written by the founder Mani (c. 210–276 CE) himself, originally in Middle Persian, and dedicated to Shapur I (c. 215–272 CE), the contemporary king of the Sassanid Persian Empire. The book was designed to present to Shapur an outline of Mani's new religion, which united elements from Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Buddhism [citation needed]. Original Middle Persian fragments were discovered at Turpan, and quotations were brought in Arabic by Biruni: It is the only work of Mani's not written in Syriac This book is listed as one of the seven treatises of Manichaeism in Arabic historical sources, but it is not among the seven treatises in the Manichaean account itself.
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Manichaean scripture
Manichaean scripture includes nine main books: the Seven Treatises of Manichaeism, all personally written by Mani in Syriac, the Shabuhragan written by Mani in Middle Persian, and the Arzhang, a series of illustrations painted by Mani.
The Kephalaia are not scriptural but rather a secondary literature on Manichaeism commenting on the scripture.
Seven Treatises of Manichaeism, sometimes also referred to as the Manichaean Heptateuch, are seven scriptures personally written by the founder of Manichaeism, Mani.
Recognizing the shortcomings of the religions that preceded him, Mani was determined to create a world, unified religion. In Mani's view, the unity of religious thought in the past could only be achieved when the founders were alive. However, these founders did not write books themselves, and when they died, their disciples went their own way, leading their own religions into division and confusion. Mani said of Manichaeism "The religion I have chosen is ten times greater than any previous religion. First, unlike the previous religions, which were limited to one country and one language, my religion will be popular in every country, in all languages, and spread to the ends of the earth. Secondly, previous religions existed only when they had pure leaders, and once the leaders died, their religion immediately fell into chaos and their precepts and writings were neglected. But my religion, however, thanks to its living classics, its preachers, bishops, friars, and laymen, and thanks to its wisdom and writings, will endure to the end."
In the Manichaean Compendium these seven scriptures are compared to ships: Power, make seven of them for sailing."
For various reasons, none of the seven scriptures have been found in their entirety. Existing fragments of scriptures in Coptic, Middle Persian, Parthian, Sogdian, Uighur and other languages have been discovered, but their specific ownership needs to be further studied.
In the Christian literature[which?], there is another saying[where?] of the "Four Sutras of Manichae", which is not mentioned[by whom?] in the accounts of Manichaeism or other religions. There are many errors[clarification needed] and it is not enough[vague] to believe.[clarification needed] For example Kephalaia is not scriptural but rather a literary genre[citation needed].
The Shabuhragan (Persian: شاپورگان Shāpuragān), which means "[the] book of Shapur", was a sacred book of the Manichaean religion, written by the founder Mani (c. 210–276 CE) himself, originally in Middle Persian, and dedicated to Shapur I (c. 215–272 CE), the contemporary king of the Sassanid Persian Empire. The book was designed to present to Shapur an outline of Mani's new religion, which united elements from Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Buddhism [citation needed]. Original Middle Persian fragments were discovered at Turpan, and quotations were brought in Arabic by Biruni: It is the only work of Mani's not written in Syriac This book is listed as one of the seven treatises of Manichaeism in Arabic historical sources, but it is not among the seven treatises in the Manichaean account itself.