An excerpt from Amin Maalouf's novel 'The Gardens of Light' in which Mani explains how the universe came to be.

At the time of the creation of the universe, two worlds existed, separated from one another: the world of Light and the world of Darkness. In the Gardens of Light were all the desirable things; in the Darkness desire itself resided, powerful, imperious, howling desire. And suddenly, where the two worlds met, a shock occurred, the most violent and terrifying shock the universe had ever known. The particles of Light were then mingled with Darkness, in a thousand different ways, and it was thus that all creatures, celestial bodies and the waters under the firmament, nature and man appeared.

In every creature as in every object Light and Darkness exist side by side and overlap. When you bite into a date the flesh nourishes your body but it's sweet taste and it's color nourish your mind. The Light which is within you is fed by beauty and knowledge. See to it that you nourish it ceaselessly, do not be content to stuff your body. Your senses are conceived to gather up beauty, to touch it, breathe it, taste it, listen to it, gaze upon it. Yes, your five senses are distillers of Light. Offer them perfumes, music, colors. Spare them the foul odors, harsh cries and all manner of filth. Allow only the beautiful essence of light to permeate your being, for it is your destiny to become one with the source of all that is good. You are the light of the heavens.