Moni Guangfo (Chinese: 摩尼光佛; pinyin: Móní Guāngfó; lit. 'Mani', 'Buddha of Light') is one of the longest and most important Xiapu Manichaean manuscripts. The manuscript contains 83 pages, 659 lines, and over 8,300 Chinese characters in total. The text was discovered by Chinese researchers in 2009[1] and belongs to Chen Peisheng 陈培生, a priest or ritual master (fashi 法师) in Shangwan Village 上万村, Baiyang Township, Xiapu County, Fujian Province, China.[2]
Although the manuscript was likely transcribed a few hundred years ago, its contents date back to around the 9th–11th centuries. Moni Guangfo contains many Middle Iranian words transcribed using Chinese characters.[1]
The Moni Guangfo manuscript contains 83 pages, 659 lines (or columns), and over 8,300 Chinese characters.[3] There are 82 pages of text, since the 83rd page is blank. An summary and outline of the text can be found in Ma & Wang (2018).[1] Chapters in Moni guangfo 《摩尼光佛》 are:[4]
Xiasheng zan 《下生贊》
Jisi zhou 《吉斯咒》
Tianwang zan 《天王贊》
Chengyang libai dasheng, shizun 《稱揚禮拜大聖,世尊》
Qiqing zhufa zhong 《啟請諸法眾》
Kaitan zan 《開壇贊》
Gongjing shifang changzhu sanbao 《恭敬十方常住三寶》
San guiyi 《三皈依》
Yi fo jianxiu, ru fa zhufen xiu 《依佛漸修,如法炷焚修》
Daxiang zan 《大香贊》
Dui tudi zan 《対土地贊》
(Sui'an chang) Wuleizi 《隨案唱五雷子》
Xieshi zuo xinli 《歇時做信禮》
(Sui'an chang) Liantai 《隨案唱蓮台》
Wu fo ji 《五佛記》
Xin mingjie 《新明界》
A more detailed outline of Moni Guangfo is given below.[1]
Part 1
Rituals for Good Fortune (qing fu ke 請福科) (columns 1–292)
First Period (columns 1–148)
Inviting Buddhas (qingfo 請佛) (Five Buddhas and Triratna) (columns 1–48): Nārāyaṇa, Zoroaster, Śākyamuni, Jesus, and Mani
Venerating the Triratna (san guiyi 三皈依) (columns 49–66): Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha
Inviting Venerable Buddha Who Upholds the World (Keeper of Splendor) (columns 187–190)
Inviting Four Great Venerable Buddhas (columns 191–194): Nārāyaṇa, Zoroaster, Śākyamuni, and Jesus
Inviting the Jade Emperor (King of Honor, or King of the Ten Heavens) (columns 195–198)
Inviting various great Bodhisattvas (columns 199–202)
Inviting all past and future Buddhas (columns 203–206)
Gatha to finish the invitation of the Buddhas (columns 207–208)
Worshipping Buddhas (lifo 禮佛) (Three Great Saints) (columns 209–229): Lightning King (i.e., Virgin of Light), Jesus, and the Long Life Nectar King (i.e., Mani)
Reading the Scriptures (kangjing 看經) and Reading Goddess Incantation (nian tiannü zhou 念《天女咒》) (columns 230–238)
Third and Fourth Periods (disan shi 第三時, disi shi 第四時) (columns 238–247)
First Purification of the Altar (shou jingtan 首浄壇) (columns 248–255)
Inviting Buddhas (North Heavenly King, i.e. Raphael) (columns 256–264)
The Manichaean pantheon names in Moni Guangfo are quite similar to, but not identical to, the names used in the Dunhuang Manichaean texts. They include:[5]
Virgin of Light = Dianguang 電光 ‘Lightning’; Dianguang wangfo 電光王佛 ‘Royal Buddha of Lightning’; shentong Dianguang wang 神通電光王 ‘Lightning sovereign with supernatural powers’
Living Spirit = Riguang Jingfeng 日光淨風 ‘Sunshine Pure Wind’
Rex Honoris = Shitian wang 十天王 ‘King of the Ten Firmaments’
Light-Nous = Weimiao shanxin wang 微妙善心王 ‘King of Subtle and Wonderful, Beneficent Mind’; Weimiao Da Huiming 微妙大惠明 ‘Subtle and Wonderful Great Wisdom Light’; Weimiao Jingfafeng 微妙淨法風 ‘Subtle and Wonderful Pure Law Wind’