Manda (Mandaeism)

Concept of knowledge or gnosis in Mandaeism From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In Mandaeism, manda (Classical Mandaic: ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀ) 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: ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀࡉࡀ, lit.'Gnostic, Knower, Enlightened One'; plural: Mandaiia (Classical Mandaic: ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀࡉࡉࡀ) 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 a very important uthra to know since he revealed himself to John the Baptist and took his soul to the World of Light.[10]

See also

References

Loading related searches...

Wikiwand - on

Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.