What does the term "Manichaean" mean?

Answer 1

Manichaeism was one of the major ancient religions of Iranian origin. Because Manichaeism is a faith that teaches dualism, in modern English the word "manichean" has come to mean dualistic, presenting or viewing things in a "black and white" fashion. It originated in 3rd Century Babylon which was a province of Persia at the time.

Answer 2

Main Entry: Man·i·chae·an
Variant(s): or Man·i·che·an /"ma-n&-'kE-&n /; or Man·i·chee /'ma-n&-"kE/
Function: noun
Etymology: Late Latin manichaeus, from Late Greek manichaios, from Manichaios Manes died ab A.D. 276 Persian founder of the sect
1 : a believer in a syncretistic religious dualism originating in Persia in the third century A.D. and teaching the release of the spirit from matter through asceticism
2 : a believer in religious or philosophical dualism
- Manichaean or Manichean adjective
- Man·i·chae·an·ism or Man·i·che·an·ism /"ma-n&-'kE-&-"ni-z&m/ noun
- Man·i·chae·ism or Man·i·che·ism /'ma-n&-(")kE-"i-z&m/ noun

Answer 3

Manichaeism (in Modern Persian آیین مانی Āyin e Māni) was one of the major ancient religions of Iranian origin. Though its organized form is mostly extinct today, a revival has been attempted under the name of Neo-Manichaeism. However, most of the writings of the founding prophet Mani (Syriac, ܡܐܢܝ) have been lost. Some scholars argue that its influence subtly continues in Western Christian thought via Saint Augustine of Hippo, who converted to Christianity from Manichaeism, which he passionately denounced in his writings, and whose writing continues to be enormously influential among Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox theologians.

Manichaeism originated in 3rd Century Babylon (a province of Persia at the time), and reached, over the span of the next ten centuries, from North Africa in the west, to China in the East. The original texts of Manichaeism were composed in Syriac-Aramaic. As they spread to the east, the writings of the religion passed through Middle Persian, Parthian, Sogdian, and ultimately Uyghur Turkish and Chinese translations. As they spread to the west, they were translated into Greek, Coptic, and Latin. As Manichaeism passed through time, location, and language, it also adapted new religious deities from the surrounding religions into the Manichaean scriptures. Thus, as the original Aramaic texts were translated into Iranian languages, the names of the Manichaean deities (or angels) were often transformed into the names of Zoroastrian yazatas. Thus Abbā dəRabbūṯā ("The Father of Greatness" - the highest Manichaean deity of Light), in Middle Persian texts might either be translated literally as pīd ī wuzurgīh, or substituted for by the name of the deity Zurwān. Likewise, the Manichaean primal figure Nāšā Qaḏmāyā "The Original Man" likewise was rendered "Ohrmazd Bay", after the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda. This development continued to Manichaeism's ultimate meeting with Chinese Buddhism, where, for example, the original Aramaic "karia" (the "call" from the world of Light to those seeking rescue from the world of Darkness), becomes identified in the Chinese scriptures, with Guan Yin (觀音, literally, "hearing the voice", the Buddha of Compassion in Chinese Buddhism).

Because Manichaeism is a faith that teaches dualism, in modern English the word "manichean" has come to mean dualistic, presenting or viewing things in a "black and white" fashion.


SOoooo long story short it means your boring.

Answer 4

It refers to Manichaism, an ancient Iranian religion.

See Wikipedia for the full story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manichaean

Answer 5

a believer in a syncretistic religion dualism orienting in pursia.