The Coming of Mani

Fifty years of his reign had passed, with no equal to him in all his time. A gifted speaker came from China, a painter whose like the world had never seen. Skilled with his hand and successful in his craft, a proud man named Mani. He claimed his painting made him a prophet, superior to all who brought faith to the world. He came from China and sought an audience with Shapur, asking the king to join him in his prophethood. The eloquent man spoke his piece, but the ruler grew suspicious of his words. His mind sharpened, he summoned the priests and spoke with them at length. He said: this eloquent man from China has made me doubt his creed. Question him and hear him out; see whether you come to believe his talk. They said: this man worships mere images, he is no match for the learned priests. Give him a while, hear him, call him in; when he faces us, how will his tongue loosen? The king ordered the chief priest brought before Mani, and the priest spoke with him beyond all measure. Mani was left speechless mid-argument by the priest's words drawn from the ancient faith. He said to him: you image worshipper, why do you raise a reckless hand against God? The One who made the high heavens, and made within them place and time, in whom light and darkness both reside, whose essence is above every essence, night and day, the turning lofty sky, your shelter and your harm come from Him. All is the work of the Creator, nothing else; no one but Him can make this creation. Why do you trust an image as your proof and refuse to hear the counsel of the prophets? All things have partners and equals, but God is one; you have no purpose but to serve Him. If you can make this painted image move, then it is fitting you prove it by a living thing. Don't you know your proof will not hold? No one accepts such reasoning as sound. If Ahriman were God's equal, the dark night would shine bright as day. Night and day would stay balanced all year long, with no increase or decrease in their turning. The world's Creator cannot be grasped by thought, for He is above both time and place. These are nothing but the words of madmen; in this no one will stand beside you. He said much else besides this, all of it joined with knowledge and humanity. Mani was left helpless before his words; his flourishing marketplace withered away. Then the king grew furious with Mani, and fortune's turning wheel closed in on him. He ordered that they seize him and cast him out in disgrace from the court. He said: this image worshipping man has no place to sit within this house. Since the world's turmoil and peace rest with Him, this man's skin must be stripped from head to foot. Then the hide, stuffed with straw, so that no one seeks this rank again. They hung it at the city gate, and then before the wall of the hospital. A whole world called down blessings on the king, and scattered dust upon the slain man.