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In the 4th and 5th centuries, various Church Fathers wrote that the Gospel of Thomas was highly valued by Mani, who was the prophet and the founder of Manichaeism, a religion strongly influenced by Gnosticism which was widespread in the 4th century. In some ancient art of Mani, he looks like Buddha, as he is seated in the lotus position on a large lotus flower.
Cyril of Jerusalem mentioned a "Gospel of Thomas" twice in his Catechesis stating: "The Manichæans also wrote a Gospel according to Thomas, which being tinctured with the fragrance of the evangelic title corrupts the souls of the simple sort." So some basically claimed Mani or Mani's followers wrote it.
Mani was raised a member of the Jewish Christian sect of the Elcesaites so he started out as a Christian. At ages 12 and 24, Mani had visionary experiences of a "heavenly twin" calling him to leave his father's Baptist sect and preach the true message of Jesus in a new gospel. Mani then traveled to India where he studied Hinduism and its various extant philosophies, including Buddhism.
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