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In Mandaeism, manda (Classical Mandaic: ࡋࡀࡅࡐࡀ) is the concept of gnosis or spiritual knowledge.[1] Mandaeans stress salvation of the soul through secret knowledge (gnosis) of its divine origin.[2] Mandaeism "provides knowledge of whence we have come and whither we are going."[3]: 531 

Etymology

On the basis of cognates in other Aramaic dialects, Semiticists such as Mark Lidzbarski and Rudolf Macúch have translated the term manda as "knowledge" (cf. Imperial Aramaic: מַנְדַּע mandaʻ in Dan. 2:21, 4:31, 33, 5:12; cf. Hebrew: מַדַּע maddaʻ, with characteristic assimilation of /n/ to the following consonant, medial -nd- hence becoming -dd-[4]). In his 1965 Mandaic handbook, Macúch suggests that due to the special religious use of the word, -n- was added in order to make it unique from other words with the same root.[5]

Derived terms

Mandaeism ('having knowledge') comes from the Mandaic word manda, meaning "knowledge".[6]: 15  Mandaean priests formally refer to themselves as Naṣuraia (Nasoraeans), meaning guardians or possessors of secret rites and knowledge.[7][8]

Mandaia (Classical Mandaic: ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀࡉࡉࡀ, lit. 'Gnostic, Knower, Enlightened One'; plural: Mandaiia) is a Mandaic term that refers to a Mandaean layperson, as opposed to a Naṣuraia (Mandaean priest).[9]: 116 

The beth manda (beit manda, bit manda, ࡁࡉࡕ ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀ, 'house of knowledge'), also called a mandi, is a Mandaean building that serves as a community center and place of worship.

The name of the uthra Manda d-Hayyi literally means the manda (gnosis) of Hayyi Rabbi ("The Life"). Manda d-Hayyi is considered to be the most important uthra, since he is the one bringing manda (knowledge or gnosis) to Earth (Tibil).[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ Aldihisi, Sabah (2008). The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rba (PhD). University College London.
  2. ^ Drower, Ethel Stephana (1960). The secret Adam, a study of Nasoraean gnosis (PDF). London UK: Clarendon Press. xvi. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
  3. ^ Deutsch, Nathaniel. (2003) Mandaean Literature. In The Gnostic Bible (pp. 527–561). New Seeds Books
  4. ^ Angel Sáenz-Badillos, A History of the Hebrew Language. Cambridge University Press, 1993 (ISBN 978-0521556347), p. 36 et passim. (See also Biblical Hebrew phonology#Classification: "Hebrew also shares with the Canaanite languages ... assimilation of non-final /n/ to the following consonant.")
  5. ^ Macúch, Rudolf (1965). Handbook of Classical and Modern Mandaic. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.
  6. ^ Rudolph, Kurt (1977). "Mandaeism". In Moore, Albert C. (ed.). Iconography of Religions: An Introduction. Vol. 21. Chris Robertson. ISBN 9780800604882.
  7. ^ Rudolph, Kurt (7 April 2008). "MANDAEANS ii. THE MANDAEAN RELIGION". Encyclopaedia Iranica. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  8. ^ Drower, Ethel Stefana (1953). The Haran Gawaita and the Baptism of Hibil-Ziwa. Biblioteca Apostolica Vatican.
  9. ^ Nasoraia, Brikha H.S. (2021). The Mandaean gnostic religion: worship practice and deep thought. New Delhi: Sterling. ISBN 978-81-950824-1-4. OCLC 1272858968.
  10. ^ Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002). The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515385-5. OCLC 65198443.
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