Manda (Mandaeism) Explained

In Mandaeism, manda (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]

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. Official Aramaic (700-300 BCE);; Imperial Aramaic (700-300 BCE);: 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] Mandaean priests formally refer to themselves as Naṣuraia (Nasoraeans), meaning guardians or possessors of secret rites and knowledge.^{[7] [8]}

Mandaia (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]

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

• Gnosis
• Divine spark
• Enlightenment in Buddhism
• Prajñā (Buddhism)
• Prajna (Hinduism)
• Satori in Zen Buddhism
• Neoplatonism and Gnosticism

Notes and References

1. The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rba. Aldihisi. Sabah. 2008. PhD. University College London.
2. Book: Drower, Ethel Stephana . E. S. Drower . 1960 . The secret Adam, a study of Nasoraean gnosis . London UK . Clarendon Press . xvi . true . 19 February 2014 . 6 March 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140306132110/http://holybooks.lichtenbergpress.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Secret-Adam-A-Study-of-Nasoraen-Gnosis.pdf . dead .
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, 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. Book: Macúch, Rudolf. Handbook of Classical and Modern Mandaic. Berlin. Walter de Gruyter. 1965.
6. Book: Rudolph, Kurt. . Iconography of Religions: An Introduction. Moore. Albert C.. 1977. Chris Robertson. 9780800604882. Kurt Rudolph. Mandaeism. 21. registration.
7. Web site: Rudolph. Kurt. MANDAEANS ii. THE MANDAEAN RELIGION . 3 January 2022. Encyclopaedia Iranica. 7 April 2008.
8. Book: Drower, Ethel Stefana. The Haran Gawaita and the Baptism of Hibil-Ziwa. Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana. 1953.
9. Book: Nasoraia, Brikha H.S.. Brikha Nasoraia. The Mandaean gnostic religion: worship practice and deep thought. Sterling. New Delhi. 2021. 978-81-950824-1-4. 1272858968.
10. Book: Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen. The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people. Oxford University Press. New York. 2002. 0-19-515385-5. 65198443.