[1176]. Augustine, de Moribus Manichaeorum, c. X. Cf. Baur, Das Manichäische Religionssystem, pp. 248 sqq. Chavannes et Pelliot, op. cit. 1ère ptie, p. 547, n. 1, examine the question whether these are borrowed from Buddhism as F. W. K. Müller and Cumont assert, and incline to the view that Manes took them from Zoroastrianism.
[1177]. The word vusanti does not seem to be explained by Prof. von Le Coq. Has it any connection with the Sanskrit vasanta “spring”? In that case, the 50 days fast may have been continuous like the Christian Lent and the Mahommedan Ramadan. But it seems more likely that it refers to the weekly fast on Sunday which, the Fihrist notwithstanding, seems to have been incumbent on all the Manichaeans, Elect and Hearers alike. So Chavannes et Pelliot, op. cit. 2me ptie, p. 111, n. 2. See n. 4, p. [349] infra.
[1178]. Prof. von Le Coq says (J.R.A.S. 1911, p. 307) that this word is as yet unexplained and may belong to another language than Turkish. One is almost tempted to see in it a corruption of the Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement of the Jews. Judaism is the last religion from which the Manichaeans would have consciously borrowed; but the Jews have always taken their goods where they found them, and it may well be that both Jews and Manichaeans were here drawing from a common source.
[1179]. Is this the Tertius Legatus or another?
[1180]. Augustine, c. Faust. Bk II. c. 5. Cf. Chavannes et Pelliot, op. cit. 1ère ptie, p. 539, and n. 1.
[1181]. Chavannes et Pelliot, op. cit. 1ère ptie, p. 573, n. 3.
[1182]. So Baur, op. cit. This was doubtless true in the West and in lands where they were exposed to severe persecution.
[1183]. This explains its translation from its original Pahlavi into the language of the converts and each copy bearing the name of the owner.
[1184]. See Cumont, Cosmog. Manich. p. 56, for authorities. Cf. also de Stoop, op. cit. p. 22. As has been many times said above, every religion and sect at the time accused the others of these filthy practices, without our being able to discern any proof of the justice of the accusation in one case more than in another. In any case, St Augustine, here the chief authority, could not have known of it at first hand, as he had never been more than a Hearer, and he himself says (contra Fortunatum, Bk I. App.) that while he had heard that the Elect celebrated the Eucharist, he knew nothing of the mode of celebration. Cf. Neander, Ch. Hist. II. p. 193.
[1185]. All contemporary authorities are agreed that they were forbidden to drink wine.