Tamil

words for a cairn, or sacrificial circle (see Manda). Mandara. The great stone or mountain with which Vishnu churned the “sea of milk” (see Vishnu), by means of the Vasika, or serpent rope (see Journal Rl. Asiatic Socy., xi, p. 133). Mandrakes. Sce Diidaim. Manes. The founder of the Manichwan sect. [See Gnostiks. This was one of the most important attempts to found an universal religion, and to reconcile the Christian, Buddhist, and Mazdean, with the Greek philosophy. It presented the same syneretic ideas found — later among Moslem Druzes, and among Sikhs. It failed in the East because Islam presented a much simpler system, and in the West because Christianity was already developing, in the time of Manes, a religion which aimed at reconciling the paganism of Italy and of Gaul with the ethics of Christ, thus presenting a simpler and more familiar faith.—Ep.] Manes was a notable philosopher and religious teacher, born about 216 a.c.; and he was crucified and flayed alive by the Persian Magi, under Babram I, in 277 a.c. His Persian name was Shuraik, rendered Cubricus in Latin. He was of high birth, and a native of Ekbatana; he became a great traveller, and a voluminous writer, having studied the religions of Trans-Oxiana, India, and W. China. He was carefully educated by his learned and pious father, at Ctesiphon; and they appear to have belonged to the Sabian or “ baptising” sect of Me so pot am i a (see Mandwans). He was thus well acquainted with Gnostik Christianity. As a boy he seems to have seen visions, and to have early shown a keenly critical spirit. In 242 a.c. he proclaimed a new religion at the court of Sapor I (see Prof. Harnack, Encyclop. Brit.). His “ Acta Archelai” became the Manichan Bible, with sundry added epistles. He taught the Mazdean dualism of the powers of light and darkne , as representing good and evil beings, and an asceticism which aimed at the control of all pa ions. The spirit of God is Light, according to Manes, radiant with the virtues of love, faith, fidelity, high mindedne , wisdom, meekne , knowledge, understanding, mystery, and insight. The first man was armed with five pure elements (apparently the five senses), but — deceived by Satan, and falling into the aby , till God redeemed him and set him in the sun. The second Adam was begotten by Satan in his own image (or, as Gnostiks said, by the Demiurge, who is the father of Satan, and also the Hebrew Yahveh); and Adam therefore was full of pa ion and sin, and seduced by Eve. But good spirits, or Aidns, were set to guard the race, and became incarnations of God: among these Christ was one, and sent to aid man in resisting sensual sin, and to teach the true Gnosis, or knowledge of God and of nature. This Christ—as Jesus—was not truly incarnate, but a phantom “impa ible,” and never suffering or dying when on the cro —a Gnostik belief which Muhammad appears also to have taken from the Sabians. Jesus was succeeded by Mani (Manes) himself, as the last and greatest of prophets, and of divine emanations—the Paraklete or “advocate,” and the amba ador of Light. Without such a redeemer none can see light, yet he too must be purified after death. 516