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A Homily on the Two Principles of The Shabuhragan




Dear brothers and sisters of the Light,


Let me begin by acknowledging the depth of the sacred teachings we are about to explore. The Manichaean text, the Shabuhragan, an ancient manuscript, emphasized the dualistic cosmology, focusing on the principle of good and evil, light and darkness. It invites us to delve deep into our understanding of these two realities, two fundamental principles of life: the Light and the Darkness.


The Manichaean faith traces its roots back to the third century and its founder, Mani, sermonized a holistic, integrative spiritual path where it treated good and evil as eternal, irreducible entities. The Shabuhragan elucidates upon this concept heavily, offering insights to enrich our understanding of the contrasting path we tread in life.


First, the Principle of Light stands for all that is good within us and the universe at large. It embodies benevolence, truthfulness, love, and all virtues that purify the soul. The Light is portrayed as a sovereign, creative force, from which all good emanates and to which it eventually returns. This concept aligns with the sense of morality within us, urging us to embrace goodness and radiate it in our interactions with the world.


Yet, where there is Light, Darkness inevitably exists. Darkness, according to the Manichaean lens, is not merely an absence of Light but a potent, sentient principle. While it signifies evil, deceit, hatred, and all forms of vice, it is not presented as a complete negation of value. Instead, it stands as a warning and an opportunity for change, often leading us to make transformative choices.


As we navigate through life, we encounter both Light and Darkness, sometimes in intermingling forms. We face moments of joy, love, and truth, the embodiments of the Light, and other times we may face despair, deceit, or vice – the elements of the Darkness. Yet, the wisdom of the Manichaean faith, as encapsulated in the Shabuhragan, is that we shouldn't merely seclude ourselves within the Light, but to face and transcend the Darkness.


Instead of getting trapped in the binary choices of good versus evil, the Manichaean text invites us to recognize that, in reality, our lives will always be interwoven with both principles. Therefore, our goal should not be to abolish Darkness completely, but rather to illuminate it with the Light. The struggle between good and evil is not an external battle, but an internal one, fought within the dimensions of our soul.


Our lives, then, are a journey of transformation -- a journey of constantly striving to kindle the light within us to overpower the darkness. Indeed, this struggle is not a destination but a pursuit, an ongoing endeavour to manifest our highest virtues and enlighten the darkness through wisdom and compassion.


To conclude, the teachings of the Shabuhragan remind us of the dual nature of our experience - Light and Darkness. They both exist within us and around us. Our journey, therefore, should be to understand these principles and act wisely, with the intention to shed light on the darkness.


It acts as a mirror through which we can see ourselves, urging us to acknowledge the dualities within us, to rise above them and to carve our path towards enlightenment by embracing the Light. Through the practices of prayer, fasting, giving of alms, and living after the principles of the faith, we can slowly overcome the Darkness and make our ascension up through the column of glory and back to the aeon of Light. Guided by such wisdom, we can surely make our lives, and the world around us, a testament to the principle of Light and an opportunity to gain victory over the cosmic battle with the Kingdom of Darkness.



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