Mandaean cosmology

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Mandaean cosmology is the

Gnostic conception of the universe in the religion of Mandaeism.[1]

Mandaean cosmology is strongly influenced by

Babylonian, Persian, Egyptian, Greek, Manichaean and other Near Eastern religions and philosophies particularly.[2]

Emanations

The three major Emanations or "Lives" (Hayyi) in Mandaeism are:

  1. The Second Life: Yushamin, the primal uthra
  2. The Third Life:
    uthri
    (plural of uthra)
  3. The Fourth Life: Ptahil, the creator of the material world

The Second Life, Third Life, and Fourth Life are emanations of the First Life, Hayyi Rabbi (the Supreme God).

Realms

Mandaean cosmology divides the universe into three realms:[1]

  1. World of Light or Lightworld (alma ḏ-nhūra)
  2. Tibil, or Earth
  3. World of Darkness or underworld (alma ḏ-hšuka)

According to Book 3 of the Right Ginza, a "fruit (pira) within the fruit" and "ether (ayar) within the ether" had existed before the World of Light came into being. In a sort of "Big Bang," the World of Light comes into being along with the Great Jordan and uthras. Tibil and the World of Darkness are then formed by Ptahil and others after the World of Light came into existence.[1]

World of Light

Main article: World of Light

The

Classical Mandaic: ࡉࡀࡓࡃࡍࡀ, or (Jordan River)) of Life.[1]

In Mandaean cosmology, ether (Mandaic: aiar or ayar) permeates outer space and the World of Light. Uthras travel by moving through ether. The Father is also sometimes mentioned as Ayar Rba ('Great Ether') or Ayar Ziwa ('Radiant Ether'). In Mandaeism, the "outer ether" (aiar baraia), mentioned in texts such as The Thousand and Twelve Questions,[3]: 173  refers to the ether that permeates the cosmos, while the "inner ether" (aiar gawaia) refers to the "breath or pure air of Life within the soul".[4]: 14–15 

The Mshunia Kushta is a section of the World of Light where spiritual counterparts or images called dmuta are found.[4]

When a

maṭarta (watch-stations, toll-stations, or purgatories; see also Arcs of Descent and Ascent and araf (Islam)) before finally being reunited with the dmuta, the soul's heavenly counterpart.[1]

The

Hibil Ziwa baptizes the souls of the children, who then continue on to the World of Light. The tree has a length of 360,000 parasangs according to the Scroll of Abatur.[5]

The idea has some parallels with the

Gnostic concept of pleroma
.

Tibil

Main article: Tibil

Tibil, or Earth, is the middle, earthly realm in Mandaean cosmology. It is separated form the World of Light above and the World of Darkness below by ayar (aether).[2] Rituals mediated by priests allow for a laufa (or laupa, meaning 'connection' or 'union') to be made from Tibil to the World of Light.

World of Darkness

Main article: World of Darkness (Mandaeism)

The

Hiṭfon, analogous to the river Styx in Greek mythology, separates the World of Darkness from the World of Light.[6]

Directions

Mandaeism considers North, and hence also the North Pole and Polaris, to be auspicious and associated with the World of Light. Mandaeans face north when praying, and temples are also oriented towards the north. On the contrary, South is associated with the World of Darkness.[7]

Planets

See also: Babylonian astrology, Archon (Gnosticism) § Naming and associations, List of Mesopotamian deities, and Planets in astrology

Overall, the seven

Classical Mandaic: ࡔࡉࡁࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ šibiahia, "planets"; or, combined, šuba šibiahia "Seven Planets"[5]) are generally not viewed favorably in Mandaeism, since they constitute part of the entourage of Ruha, the Queen of the World of Darkness who is also their mother. However, individually, some of the planets can be associated with positive qualities. The names of the seven planets in Mandaic are borrowed from Akkadian.[7] Some of the names are ultimately derived from Sumerian
, since Akkadian had borrowed many deity names from Sumerian.

The planets are listed according to the traditional Mandaean order of the planets as mentioned in Masco (2012).[8]: 87 

Planet Mandaic Mandaic script Akkadian Other names Associations
Sun Šamiš ࡔࡀࡌࡉࡔ
Šamaš
 Adunai < Hebrew
Adonai
 light and life-powers
Simat-Hiia (Treasure of Life); Yazuqaeans[9]
Venus Libat ࡋࡉࡁࡀࡕ Delebat Amamit (the underworld goddess), Argiuat, Daitia, Kukbat (the diminutive of 'star'), Spindar, ʿstira (i.e.,
Ishtar or Astarte), and Ruha or Ruha ḏ-qudša (Holy Spirit
) 		success in love and reproduction
Mercury Nbu (ʿNbu) ࡍࡁࡅ
ࡏࡍࡁࡅ 		Nabû Maqurpiil,
Mšiha < Messiah
; ʿaṭarid < Arabic 		learning, scribes; Christ and Christianity
Moon Sin ࡎࡉࡍ Sīnu Agzʿil, Ṭaṭmʿil, Ṣaurʿil, and Sira miscarriages and abnormal births
Saturn Kiwan ࡊࡉࡅࡀࡍ
Kajamānu
 Br Šamiš (The Son of the Sun) Jews; Saturday; Kentaeans[10]
Jupiter Bil ࡁࡉࡋ Bēlu Angʿil male; "hot and moist"
Mars Nirig ࡍࡉࡓࡉࡂ Nergallu Marik violence; Islam

Each planet is said to be carried in a ship. Drawings of these ships are found in various

Mandaean scrolls, such as the Scroll of Abatur
.

Calendar and zodiac

Main article: Mandaean calendar

Dual counterparts

Main article: Dmuta

In Mandaeism, people, spirits, and places are often considered to have both earthly and heavenly counterparts (dmuta), which dwell in the Mshunia Kushta ("Realm of Truth").

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Aldihisi, Sabah (2008). The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rba (PhD). University College London.
  2. ^
    OCLC 65198443
    .
  3. ^ Drower, Ethel S. (1960). The Thousand and Twelve Questions: A Mandaean Text (Alf Trisar Šuialia). Berlin: Akademie Verlag.
  4. ^ a b Drower, E.S. (1960). The Secret Adam - The Study of Nasoraean Gnosis (PDF). London: Oxford University Press.
  5. ^
    OCLC 1272858968
    .
  6. ^ Al-Saadi, Qais Mughashghash; Al-Saadi, Hamed Mughashghash (2012). Ginza Rabba: The Great Treasure. An equivalent translation of the Mandaean Holy Book. Drabsha.
  7. ^
    doi:10.1163/9789004400566_046
    . Retrieved 2021-09-03.
  8. OCLC 864905792
    .
  9. doi:10.2143/MUS.117.3.516929
    .
  10. ISBN 978-90-04-33943-9
    .
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