Der Sermon von der Seele, von Walter Sundermann

The Sermon on the Soul is a Manichaean tract largely reconstructed from some 60 fragments in Parthian, Sogdian and Old Turkish. It played a big part in the East Manichaean tradition, attested in more than 30 manuscripts and inspiring later East Manichaean works, even hymns in the Chinese language. The sermon underscores the identity of the individual souls and the cosmic viva anima, of the spiritual nature of the soul and the five light elements, and it decribes the benificient, meritorious activities of the world soul on behalf of the wordly creatures. It gives an uncommonly optimistic description of life on earth and is remarkable for its well-designed parables. It is an outstanding example of Manichaean prose literature and contributes considerably to our knowledge of the Manichaean doctrine.