Part of a series on
Mandaeism
Prophets
Names for adherents
Scriptures
Priests
Other important figures
Rituals
Ritual food and drink
Practices
Objects and symbols
Cosmology
Festivals
Places
Prayers
Religion portal

In Mandaeism, the World of Light or Lightworld[1] (Classical Mandaic: ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡍࡄࡅࡓࡀ, romanized: alma ḏ-nhūra) is the primeval, transcendental world from which Tibil and the World of Darkness emerged.

Description

Ascension

When a Mandaean person dies, priests perform elaborate death rituals or death masses called masiqta in order to help guide the soul (nišimta) towards the World of Light. In order to pass from Tibil (Earth) to the World of Light, the soul must go through multiple maṭarta (watch-stations, toll-stations or purgatories; see also Aerial toll house, Arcs of Descent and Ascent, and Araf) before finally being reunited with the dmuta, the soul's heavenly counterpart.[2]

Parallels

The idea has some parallels with the Gnostic concept of pleroma.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002). The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515385-5. OCLC 65198443.
  2. ^ a b c Aldihisi, Sabah (2008). The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rba (PhD). University College London.
  3. ^ Gelbert, Carlos (2011). Ginza Rba. Sydney: Living Water Books. ISBN 9780958034630.
  4. ^ Häberl, Charles (2022). The Book of Kings and the Explanations of This World: A Universal History from the Late Sasanian Empire. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press. ISBN 978-1-80085-627-1.
Categories