Manichaeism vs. Zoroastrianism — What's the Difference?

The belief in two opposing forces, light and darkness.

The belief in a single god, Ahura Mazda.

Incorporating elements from various religions.

A strong focus on living according to good thoughts, words, and deeds.

Strict lifestyle practices to distance from materiality.

The sacred scripture containing Zoroaster's teachings.

Spiritual leader or visionary who establishes a religion.

The cosmic struggle between good and evil.

The ultimate release from the material world.

Symbolic reverence for fire as a representation of purity.

Manichaeism (; in New Persian آیینِ مانی Āyīn-e Mānī; Chinese: 摩尼教; pinyin: Móníjiào) was a major religion founded in the 3rd century AD by the Parthian prophet Mani (AD 216–274), in the Sasanian Empire.Manichaeism taught an elaborate dualistic cosmology describing the struggle between a good, spiritual world of light, and an evil, material world of darkness. Through an ongoing process that takes place in human history, light is gradually removed from the world of matter and returned to the world of light, whence it came.

Zoroastrianism or Mazdayasna is one of the world's oldest continuously practiced religions, based on the teachings of the Iranian-speaking prophet Zoroaster (also known as Zaraθuštra in Avestan or Zartosht in Modern Persian). Zoroastrianism has a dualistic cosmology of good and evil and an eschatology which predicts the ultimate conquest of evil by good.

The syncretic, dualistic religious philosophy taught by the Persian prophet Mani, combining elements of Zoroastrian, Christian, and Gnostic thought and opposed by the imperial Roman government, Neoplatonist philosophers, and orthodox Christians.

The religious system founded by Zoroaster and set forth in the Avesta, teaching the worship of Ahura Mazda in the context of a universal struggle between the forces of light and of darkness.

A dualistic philosophy dividing the world between good and evil principles or regarding matter as intrinsically evil and mind as intrinsically good.

The religious system of Zoroaster, the legislator and prophet of the ancient Persians, which was the national faith of Persia; mazdeism. The system presupposes a good spirit (Ormuzd) and an opposing evil spirit (Ahriman). Cf. Fire worship, under Fire, and Parsee.

The doctrines taught, or system of principles maintained, by the Manichæans.

System of religion founded in Persia in the 6th century BC by Zoroaster; set forth in the Zend-Avesta; based on concept of struggle between light (good) and dark (evil)

A religion founded by Manes the third century; a synthesis of Zoroastrian dualism between light and dark and Babylonian folklore and Buddhist ethics and superficial elements of Christianity; spread widely in the Roman Empire but had largely died out by 1000

The Avesta is the primary scripture of Zoroastrianism.

Yes, Manichaeism drew inspiration from Zoroastrian teachings.

Manichaeism is not strictly monotheistic due to its dualistic worldview, while Zoroastrianism is considered monotheistic.

Yes, both believe in the concept of a final judgment after death.

Ahura Mazda is the supreme god representing truth and light.

Yes, to separate light from the darkness of the material world.

"Good thoughts, good words, good deeds" is a core ethical principle.

Manichaeism emphasizes freeing light from darkness and escaping the material world.

Fire is central in Zoroastrian rituals but less emphasized in Manichaeism.

Manichaeism is nearly extinct, while Zoroastrianism has a small but active following.

Manichaeism is mostly extinct, with only traces remaining.

Both are dualistic, but Manichaeism’s dualism is more absolute.

Mani blended elements of Christianity, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism.

Manichaeism views the material world as evil, while Zoroastrianism sees it as fundamentally good.

Some scholars believe elements of Zoroastrianism influenced early Christian ideas.