1. Introduction
Among the Manichaean Middle Iranian manuscript fragments discovered in the Turfan Oasis, Xinjiang, China, and preserved at the Berlin Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW) and Berlin State Library – Prussian Cultural Heritage, Middle Persian M586 is among the hymns in honour of the church leaders and patrons, previously published by Claudia Leurini in Reference Leurini2017. In her Catalogue 41, Mary Boyce has considered this fragment a segment of a “hymn for a church-leader”. On the last line of its recto side, the last phrases of the hymn for the “great assembly” (qlʾn hnzmn) are preserved. Such texts usually praise the “Light Soul” (gryw rwšn) or the “Living Soul” (MP gryw zyndg, Pth. gryw jywndg), whose Middle Persian and Parthian manuscript fragments were published by Desmond Durkin-Meisterernst in 2006.
Recently, I realized that fragment M1218, identified by Boyce as part of a funeral hymn (Catalogue 68),Footnote 1 is indeed a piece of the same manuscript page from which M586 was separated. In other words, the two fragments form parts of a single sheet and, therefore, M586 and M1218 can definitely be combined. Like pieces of a puzzle, they fit perfectly together and touch each other on continuous line numbers (5), (6), and (18). To complete the entire text of the page, however, we still need at least one more fragment. The calligraphy of the manuscript page shows that its text was written by an adroit scribe.
The identification and reconstruction of the newly identified fragment M1218, together with M586, provides a clearer picture of their context. From this small remaining portion, it can be realized that at least one part of the sheet pertains to the redemption and ascension of the “Light Soul” (gryw rwšn) from the body of one of the Electi (wcydgʾn), possibly a church-leader (sʾlʾr), which is then presumably an installation hymn in honour of the new leader. In the newly identified fragment, the hymn “From Jacob the brave” (ʾc yʾkwb nrymʾn) appears (for the title, see § 3.2, n. on l. 18). Jacob is one of the greatest angels in the Manichaean pantheon, and all the information we have about him comes from the eastern Manichaeans.
Below, I reconstruct the two aforementioned fragments and present a unified text. I will then mention some codicological points and consider several linguistic and/or textual views.
2. Reconstruction of M586 + M1218
2.1. Description
The find-signature of M1218, i.e. T I α, visible on its verso, shows that this fragment was discovered during the first German expedition at ruin α in Kočo. The sheets are made of paper. There is no particular difference between them, unless M586 appears slightly soiled. The colour difference in the image of the assembled fragments is due to photographic reproduction. This manuscript page, which was once part of an unknown codex, contains four short hymns.Footnote 2
2.2. Dimensions and measurements
The dimensions and measurements are set out below, and the fragments M586 and M1218 are shown in Figures 1 and 2.
M586 + M1218R (1–11)
Figure 1 Long description
An ancient manuscript fragment displaying handwritten text arranged in a column format. The text appears to be in a script with visible lines and some red markings. The paper is aged and torn, with irregular edges and missing sections. The text is partially legible, with some lines more distinct than others. The fragment shows signs of wear and historical aging.
M586 + M1218V (12–22)
Figure 2 Long description
Two fragments of an ancient manuscript are shown. The upper fragment has text written in a dark script on a brown background, with some parts missing. The lower fragment also contains text in a similar script on a lighter background, with visible wear and tear. Both fragments are enclosed within red lines, indicating the text area. The script appears to be arranged in horizontal lines, with some characters and symbols visible.
2.3. Diplomatic edition
2.3.1. Bibliographical references
(MP) M586 + M1218 [= T I α; unpublished]
Ed. M586r2 (here as continuous line number 2) in Catalogue 41; M1218v2 (continuous line numbers 19) in ibid., 68; M1218v1 (continuous line number 18) in Durkin-Meisterernst Reference Durkin-Meisterernst2006: 195, n. 370 (here as M1218r1). Edition and translation of M1218v2–5 (continuous line numbers 19–22) in ibid., and its parallel M827 in ibid., 132 f., lines 1371–4. Whole text of M586 in Leurini Reference Leurini2017: 147–8, lines 1334–53; M586r1–4 = M827r1–4 in Shokri-Foumeshi Reference Shokri-Foumeshi2024: 312, lines 483–6.
2.3.2. A note on the reconstruction of the hypothetical manuscript page
Our codicological study may verify that the unpublished manuscript page M72 (see Figure 3) belongs to the same codex as the manuscript page M586 + M1218, from which it was once separated. Consequently, we can ascertain the dimensions of the incomplete manuscript page and position the hypothetical lines M586r*1–*3 and M586v*1–*3 onto the reconstructed page. Akin to page M72, the estimated height of our hypothetical manuscript page could be approximately 12.5 cm (see Table 1).
Dimensions and measurements of M72 in comparison with M586 + M1218
Table 1 Long description
The table compares the dimensions and measurements of M72 with M586+M1218. M72 has a height of 12.5 cm and a width of 6.9 cm, while the width of one folio is 6.5 cm. In contrast, M586+M1218 features an outer margin of 1.9 cm and a script height of 0.1 cm. The distance between lines in M72 ranges from 0.55 to 0.65 cm, averaging 0.6 cm, which is the same as the distance in M586+M1218. The inner margin of M72 is 0.8 cm, and the length of one line is 3.85 cm. These measurements highlight the differences in size and layout between the two items.
M72r (left) and M586 + M1218v (right)
Figure 3 Long description
Two fragments of ancient manuscripts are shown, each containing lines of text. A ruler is placed vertically between the fragments, indicating scale. The fragments are irregularly shaped and show signs of aging, such as frayed edges and discoloration. The text is enclosed within red rectangles on each fragment, highlighting the written areas.
2.3.3. Transliteration and translation
3. Commentaries
3.1. Parallel texts
In The Hymns to the Living Soul (2006: xxxviii), Durkin-Meisterernst briefly shows some of the most important features of the parallel texts in the Middle Iranian hymns, two attestations of which can be seen in at least two places in our short text. Here, formulae appearing on continuous line numbers 1–4 are precisely equal to those of M827r1–4.
In fact, some strophe-like hymns have been recombined in various ways, and we can therefore find text parallels of such short hymns in various manuscripts. The above-mentioned parallels can also be compared with six pieces of evidence, as shown in Table 2.Footnote 5
Examples of recombination of blessing phrases
Table 2 Long description
This table compiles examples of blessing phrases from various texts, highlighting themes of joy, prosperity, and eternal happiness. Each entry includes a phrase in its original language, followed by an English translation. The phrases often encourage recipients to live joyfully, prosper, and be happy in the presence of good fortune or divine favour. Comparisons between entries reveal a consistent emphasis on renewal and imperishable joy, suggesting a cultural or spiritual significance attached to these blessings. The table does not provide quantitative data but rather qualitative insights into the language and sentiment of blessings across different texts.
Blessing formulae in four models
Table 3 Long description
The table presents various blessing phrases from different models, focusing on themes such as joy, prosperity, and eternal happiness. Each entry includes a unique blessing formula, often invoking happiness, prosperity, and eternal life. Some entries emphasize receiving blessings from a king or religious community, while others focus on personal joy and peace. The blessings are expressed in different contexts, with some mentioning specific figures or concepts like the 'herdsman of the light flock.' Overall, the table illustrates a consistent theme of well-being and spiritual prosperity across different models.
In such texts, the phrases (1) šʾd bʾš ʾwd wštyr “be happy and prosper”, (2) šʾd zyw ʾwd wštyr “live joyfully and prosper”, and (3) šʾd bʾš wʾr ʾwd wštyr “be happy, rejoice and prosper”, or (4) wʾr ʾwd wštyr … šʾd bʾš “rejoice and prosper … be happy” (all in the form impv.2.sg or subj.2.sg.), as well as the exceptional case, wʾrʾy ʾwd wštyrʾy “may you rejoice and prosper”, which is sometimes accompanied by prmynʾy “be glad” (all in the form impv.2.sg or subj.2.sg.), were formulated by Iranian Manichaeans, as shown in Table 3.
The second parallel appears on 19–20 which is the same as M1872IIv14–15.
3.2. Philological remarks
1–4 yʾwyd on line 3, which can also be found in M827r3,Footnote 18 is probably a Parthian term used in formulae. The blank space on line 4 was either intended for inserting a donor’s name, or it could simply indicate that the text ends at that point.Footnote 19
5 qlʾn hnzmn (“great assembly”) is attested on the Parthian M476Bi16 as klʾn ʾnjmn;Footnote 20 Cf. klʾn ʾmwrdn “great assembly” on M284aRii11;Footnote 21 and ʾmwrdn klʾn “id.” on S6v4.Footnote 22 Its Middle Persian form in red ink appears in the caption of the fragmentary, unpublished M4908A2 as [k]lʾn hnz[mn]. The Iranian technical term is attested in the following expressions:
(1) hnzmn ʾprydg “blessed assembly” (M801a/p8/18/ and p16/2–3).Footnote 23
(2) hnzmn Ꜥy bʾn ẅ prystgʾn “assembly of gods and messengers/apostles/angels” (M801a/p27/6–7).Footnote 24
(3) s(ʾrʾr Ꜥy hʾmʾ)q Ꜥyn hnzmn “leader of this entire assembly” (M4aIIv23– M4bIIr1).Footnote 25
(4) sʾrʾr Ꜥyg wyspʾn hnzmnʾn xw(bʾ)n “chief of all the congregations of the Good Ones” (M13Ir6–9).Footnote 26
(5) hnzmn Ꜥy xwbʾn “assembly of the Good”Footnote 27(M798aRi6).Footnote 28
6 SundermannFootnote 29 considers the Light Soul (gryw rwšn) the same as Living Soul (MP gryw zyndg, Pth. gryw jywndg, WMIr. translation of Syr. npšʾ ḥytʾ) by referring to attestations from M68bIv1–2, M1873Ir1, M7051[r?]4 as well as from our fragment M1218[v]2–3.Footnote 30 This seems to me to be confirmed by M1872, where both gryw zyndg (M1872IIv8, in caption)Footnote 31 and gryw rwšn (M1872Ir4–5 in plain text)Footnote 32 appear.
12–13 The phrase [wy](sp)whr (n)ʾz(wg) [Ꜥ](y) y(z)dʾn “the graceful prince of the Gods” referring to the Light Soul is comparable with the following texts:
(1) wys(pwh)r nʾ(zw)g šhryʾrʾn przynd “graceful prince son of sovereigns” (M729IIrii11–12).Footnote 33
(2) wyspwhr šhryʾrʾn [przyn](dʾ) “prince son of sovereigns” (M897r15–16).Footnote 34
(3) wyspw(h)[r] Ꜥyg yzdʾn šhryʾr[ʾn] przynd “the prince of the gods (yazdān), the rulerʼs son” (M827r4–6).Footnote 35
(4) wyspwhr Ꜥy yzdֵn šhryʾrʾnʾʾ przynd “id.” (M5751Ai8–10).Footnote 36
If “the prince of the Gods” here in the damaged context is not addressed to the Light Soul, but to the leader of the community, then he, like Mani [M8Rii11, cf. M232V3–4: cyhr Ꜥyg yzdygyrd], should also be by cyhr “God-nature”, just like the Sassanid emperors, who have had čihr az yazdān “the race of Gods”.Footnote 37
14 Wahman-ŠahryārFootnote 38 seems to be the same as whmn šhryʾr nrymʾn “Wahman the brave ruler” in M1873Ir3–4Footnote 39 and as whmn nrymʾn šhryʾr Ꜥy dyn ywjdhr “Wahman Narīmān, sovereign of the Holy Church” in M11r13–15.Footnote 40 This suggests that there was a relationship between these fragments and M1872.Footnote 41 If the whmn nrymʾn šhryʾr Ꜥy dyn ywjdhr “id.” corresponds to the whmn rwšn šhryʾr Ꜥy dyn “the light Wahman, the ruler of the religion (religious community)” in M738v17–18,Footnote 42 which seems to be the case, there may be a meaningful, intertextual connection between these two. This might be reinforced by M738v5, on which the whmnʾn (“Wahmans”) is mentioned as well.Footnote 43 Therefore, whmn šhryʾr, even though he is addressed in this way (e.g. in M801a/p28/10–11 = M7421r3–4), may have been metaphorically understood by Manichaeans as the same Νοῦς. Note that here the Light Soul (gryw rwšn), the graceful prince (wyspwhr nʾzwg), receives the ever-new blessing, which is sent from the side of Wahman-Šahryār. The unique symmetry here between the king (šhryʾr) and the prince (wyspwhr) is another matter.
15 There is no reason to think that the verb prystʾ “send” on M586v4 (impv.2.sg.; cf. pdyrʾ “receive, accept” and pdyr “id.” on M586v2 and M586r2 respectively) was used instead of frystʾd (subj.3.sg.) “may he send”, as LeuriniFootnote 44 assumes. The occurrence of an aleph at the end of the verb should be interpreted as a syllable typically used in poetry and hymns indicating continuous intonation in chanting; on the other hand, prystʾ could also be subj.2.sg., like pdyyrʾʾ, which is attested in M650v2.Footnote 45
17 It seems to me that Mār Wahman-dōšist was the sʾrʾr “leader” of the community during the time the text was being written, rather than one of the hmwcʾgʾn “teachers” or of the dbyrʾn “scribes”, as LeuriniFootnote 46 suggests.Footnote 47
18 Unfortunately, no further attestation was found regarding the form of the caption “from Jacob the brave” (ʾc yʾkwb nrymʾn),Footnote 48 unless [ʾ]c yʾ(q)[wb ••••] in a damaged context on M476Ai16Footnote 49 would be considered another attestation of it. The title relates to the beginning of a hymn that began with these three words.Footnote 50
22 The technical terms drwd “wellbeing, health, welfare”,Footnote 51 rʾm “peace”,Footnote 52 rʾmyšn “peace, ease, pleasure”,Footnote 53 and šʾdyẖ “happiness, serenity”,Footnote 54 sometimes accompanied by nwg “new” or nwg nwg “ever-new”, are often found at the beginning or end of liturgical hymns; for example, in M82v17–20:
ʾfryn ʾw frystgʾn • (r)wšnʾn Ꜥymʾn pʾynd • nwg drwd rʾm ẅ nwg šʾdyẖ • ʾbr Ꜥyn dyn Ꜥy xwrʾsʾn °°
“Blessing to the light apostles who protect us. New well-being, peace and new serenity (be) upon this religious community of Xwarasan!”.Footnote 55
As some texts reveal, these blessings are bestowed by the gods (yzdʾn, bʾn/bʾʾn), especially Zurwān (zrwʾn), as well as angels/apostles (prys/štgʾn) upon the community. In our text, parts of the Light Soul (gryw rwšn) ascend from the great assembly (qlʾn hnzmn) with happiness and health to the New Paradise (nwg whyšt), granting new wellbeing, peace, happiness, life, and blessing to the community. These terms are also used in addresses to both church-leaders and Manichaean rulers, such as Tängri xān köl bilgā xān. M43r3–4 reads:
nywyhʾẖ šʾd zywʾy ° mʾnʾy pd rʾm ʾwd drwd °° zywʾy ʾw jʾyd(ʾn) °°
“May you live very happy; may you stay in peace and health; may you live forever”.Footnote 56
These technical terms form a formula. Each word may sometimes shift in placement but never deviates from its conceptual framework, as evidenced by the following four attestations:
The very formula given in our text and its position at the end can also be found in M7351r§c.Footnote 60
4. Conclusion
In this article, the Middle Persian manuscript fragment M1218 was identified as part of the manuscript page from which M586 was once torn off. The full reconstruction necessitates at least one more fragment to restore the upper section of the manuscript page. Since the combined page M586 + M1218 belongs to the same codex as the unpublished manuscript page M72, its overall length can now be determined. The text preserved on the partially reconstructed page consists of four short hymns, which were intended for public recitation and possibly cantillation in the church. Among them, the incipits of two have been preserved. Of these, one is according to the melody of the “Great Assembly”, likely referring to the Manichaean assembly of the eldest Electi, while the other has been composed according to the melody “from Jacob the brave”. A portion of the manuscript page contains an installation hymn to the new leader of the Church, while another portion includes the funeral hymn for a recently deceased leader. Thus, the hymns collectively address both the preceding leader’s passing and the installation of his successor. Consequently, there is a clear, meaningful relation between all parts of the text. Central to the hymns is the concept of the Light Soul (gryw rwšn), representing the released lights from matter. The hymns entreat these Light Souls for a healthy, peaceful, and joyful ascension from the earthly community to the celestial realm. While uncertainty remains as to whether the term whmn šhryʾr in this text may have been metaphorically equated with the same Nous, I would prefer to interpret it as a designation of an Electus.
Conventional signs
- [ ]
Lacuna in the manuscript fragment and therefore lost letters
- [abc]
Lost characters or words in a fragmentary place of the sheet and reconstructed by author
- [0−2], [3−5], etc.
Approx. number of lost letters and unreconstructible lacunae
- (abc)
Damaged but recognizable letters in the manuscript fragment
- (1), (2), (3), etc.
Continuous line numbers of the whole edited text
- (0−2), (3−5), etc.
Approx. number of badly damaged and illegible letters in the manuscript fragment
- ʘ,°
Elaborated punctuation marks
- +
Indicates directly joined fragments of the sheet
Abbreviations
- AoF
Altorientalische Forschungen
- BBB
Henning Reference Henning1937
- BTT
Berliner Turfantexte
- Catalogue
Boyce Reference Boyce1960
- DMT III/1
Durkin-Meisterernst Reference Durkin-Meisterernst2004
- EMC
Early Middle Chinese
- GSR
Klimkeit Reference Klimkeit1993
- HR ii
Müller Reference Müller1904
- LMC
Late Middle Chinese
- MG
摩尼光佛 Moni guangfo “Mani the Buddha of Light” (Bao Lang and Yang Fuxue Reference Bao and Fuxue2020)
- VOHD 18/1
Reck Reference Reck2006
- Mir.Man. ii
Andreas and Henning Reference Andreas and Henning1933
- MP
Middle Persian
- Pth.
Parthian
- Reader
Boyce Reference Boyce1975
- W
貞明開正文科 Zhenming kaizheng wenke “Eternal Light New Year Celebration Manual” (Wang Ding Reference Wang2018)
- W–L, ii
Waldschmidt and Lentz Reference Waldschmidt and Lentz1933
- WMIr.
Western Middle Iranian
- XQK
興福祖慶誕科 Xingfuzu qingdan ke “Ritual Manual for the Celebration of the Birthday of Ancestor of Promoting Well-being” (Ji Jiachen Reference Ji2013)
Acknowledgements
I would like to express my special thanks to Desmond Durkin-Meisterernst for his invaluable guidance, constructive advice, and corrections on textual matters. I am also grateful to Gábor Kósa, Xiaohe Ma, Enrico Morano, Christiane Reck, and Nicholas Sims-Williams for their valuable comments and suggestions, which significantly improved this article. I thank the Reprography Department of the State Library Berlin (SBB) and the Digitales Turfan-Archiv of the Berlin Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW) for permission to publish the fragments M1218, M586, and M72. Special thanks are also due to Azade Fathipour-Dehkordi for the montage and graphic design of the manuscript pages. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Elizabeth Gant for her support during this turbulent time. The publication of this article would not have been possible without her help.
