Mandaean cosmology

Mandaean cosmologyis theGnosticconception of the universe in the religion ofMandaeism.^[1]

Mandaean cosmology is strongly influenced byancient near eastern cosmologybroadly andJewish,Babylonian,Persian,Egyptian,Greek,Manichaeanand other Near Eastern religions and philosophies particularly.^[2]

Emanations[edit]

The three majorEmanationsor "Lives" (Hayyi) in Mandaeism are:

The Second Life:Yushamin,the primaluthra
The Third Life:Abatur,the weigher of souls, and also the father of theuthri(plural ofuthra)
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[edit]

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

World of Lightor Lightworld (alma ḏ-nhūra)
Tibil,or Earth
World of Darknessorunderworld(alma ḏ-hšuka)

According to Book 3 of theRight 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 theGreat Jordananduthras.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[edit]

TheWorld of Lightis the primeval, transcendent world from whichTibiland the World of Darkness emerged. The Great Life (Hayyi Rabbior SupremeGod/Monad) and hisuthrasdwell in the World of Light. The World of Light is also the source ofPiriawis,the GreatYardena(Classical Mandaic:ࡉࡀࡓࡃࡍࡀ,or (Jordan River)) of Life.^[1]

In Mandaean cosmology,ether(Mandaic:aiarorayar) permeates outer space and the World of Light. Uthras travel by moving through ether. TheFatheris also sometimes mentioned asAyar Rba('Great Ether') orAyar Ziwa('Radiant Ether'). In Mandaeism, the "outer ether" (aiar baraia), mentioned in texts such asThe Thousand and Twelve Questions,^[3]^: 173refers 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

TheMshunia Kushtais a section of the World of Light where spiritual counterparts or images calleddmutaare found.^[4]

When aMandaeanperson dies, priests perform elaborate death rituals or death masses calledmasiqtain order to help guide the soul (nišimta) towards the World of Light. In order to pass fromTibil(Earth) to the World of Light, the soul must go through multiplemaṭarta(watch-stations, toll-stations, orpurgatories;see alsoArcs of Descent and Ascentandaraf (Islam)) before finally being reunited with thedmuta,the soul's heavenly counterpart.^[1]

TheScroll of Abaturmentions a heavenly tree calledShatrin(Šatrin) where the souls of unbaptized Mandaean children are temporarily nourished for 30 days. On the 30th day,Hibil Ziwabaptizes the souls of the children, who then continue on to theWorld of Light.The tree has a length of 360,000parasangsaccording to theScroll of Abatur.^[5]

The idea has some parallels with theGnosticconcept ofpleroma.

Tibil[edit]

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 byayar(aether).^[2]Rituals mediated by priests allow for alaufa(orlaupa,meaning 'connection' or 'union') to be made from Tibil to the World of Light.

World of Darkness[edit]

TheWorld of Darknessis ruled by its kingUr(Leviathan) and its queenRuha,mother of theseven planetsandtwelve constellations.The great darkSea of Suflies in the World of Darkness.^[1]The great dividing river ofHiṭfon,analogous to the riverStyxinGreek mythology,separates the World of Darkness from the World of Light.^[6]

Directions[edit]

Mandaeism considersNorth,and hence also theNorth PoleandPolaris,to be auspicious and associated with the World of Light. Mandaeans face north when praying, andtemplesare also oriented towards the north. On the contrary,Southis associated with the World of Darkness.^[7]

Planets[edit]

Overall, the sevenclassical planets(Classical Mandaic:ࡔࡅࡁࡀšuba,"The Seven";Classical Mandaic:ࡔࡉࡁࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀšibiahia,"planets"; or, combined,šuba šibiahia"Seven Planets"^[5]) are generally not viewed favorably in Mandaeism, since they constitute part of the entourage ofRuha,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 fromAkkadian.^[7]Some of the names are ultimately derived fromSumerian,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< HebrewAdonai	light and life-powersYawar-Ziwa(Dazzling Light) andSimat-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.,IshtarorAstarte), andRuhaorRuha ḏ-qudša(Holy Spirit)	success in love and reproduction
Mercury	Nbu(ʿNbu)	ࡍࡁࡅ ࡏࡍࡁࡅ	Nabû	Maqurpiil,Mšiha<Messiah;ʿaṭarid< Arabic	learning, scribes;Christand Christianity
Moon	Sin	ࡎࡉࡍ	Sīnu	Agzʿil,Ṭaṭmʿil,Ṣaurʿil,andSira	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 variousMandaean scrolls,such as theScroll of Abatur.

Calendar and zodiac[edit]

Dual counterparts[edit]

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

References[edit]

^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^fAldihisi, Sabah (2008).The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rba(PhD). University College London.
^^a ^bBuckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002).The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people.New York: Oxford University Press.ISBN 0-19-515385-5.OCLC 65198443.
^Drower, Ethel S. (1960).The Thousand and Twelve Questions: A Mandaean Text (Alf Trisar Šuialia).Berlin: Akademie Verlag.
^^a ^bDrower, E.S. (1960).The Secret Adam - The Study of Nasoraean Gnosis(PDF).London: Oxford University Press.
^^a ^bNasoraia, Brikha H.S.(2021).The Mandaean gnostic religion: worship practice and deep thought.New Delhi: Sterling.ISBN 978-81-950824-1-4.OCLC 1272858968.
^Al-Saadi, Qais Mughashghash; Al-Saadi, Hamed Mughashghash (2012).Ginza Rabba: The Great Treasure. An equivalent translation of the Mandaean Holy Book.Drabsha.
^^a ^bBhayro, Siam (2020-02-10).Cosmology in Mandaean Texts.Brill. pp. 572–579.doi:10.1163/9789004400566_046.Retrieved2021-09-03.
^Masco, Maire (2012).The Mandaeans: Gnostic astrology as an artifact of cultural transmission.Tacoma, WA: Fluke Press.ISBN 978-1-938476-00-6.OCLC 864905792.
^Shapira, Dan D.Y. (2004)."Manichaeans (Marmanaiia), Zoroastrians (Iazuqaiia), Jews, Christians and Other Heretics: A Study in the Redaction of Mandaic Texts ".Le Muséon.117(3–4): 243-280.doi:10.2143/MUS.117.3.516929.
^van Bladel, Kevin (2017).From Sasanian Mandaeans to Ṣābians of the Marshes.Leiden: Brill.doi:10.1163/9789004339460.ISBN 978-90-04-33943-9.

[Aldihisi_2008-1] Aldihisi, Sabah (2008).The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rba(PhD). University College London.

[Buckley_2002-2] Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002).The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people.New York: Oxford University Press.ISBN 0-19-515385-5.OCLC 65198443.

[DC36-3] Drower, Ethel S. (1960).The Thousand and Twelve Questions: A Mandaean Text (Alf Trisar Šuialia).Berlin: Akademie Verlag.

[Secret_Adam-4] Drower, E.S. (1960).The Secret Adam - The Study of Nasoraean Gnosis(PDF).London: Oxford University Press.

[Nasoraia_2021-5] 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.

[GR_Saadi-6] Al-Saadi, Qais Mughashghash; Al-Saadi, Hamed Mughashghash (2012).Ginza Rabba: The Great Treasure. An equivalent translation of the Mandaean Holy Book.Drabsha.

[Bhayro_2020-7] Bhayro, Siam (2020-02-10).Cosmology in Mandaean Texts.Brill. pp. 572–579.doi:10.1163/9789004400566_046.Retrieved2021-09-03.

[Masco_2012-8] Masco, Maire (2012).The Mandaeans: Gnostic astrology as an artifact of cultural transmission.Tacoma, WA: Fluke Press.ISBN 978-1-938476-00-6.OCLC 864905792.

[Shapira_2004-9] Shapira, Dan D.Y. (2004)."Manichaeans (Marmanaiia), Zoroastrians (Iazuqaiia), Jews, Christians and Other Heretics: A Study in the Redaction of Mandaic Texts ".Le Muséon.117(3–4): 243-280.doi:10.2143/MUS.117.3.516929.

[VanBladel2017-10] van Bladel, Kevin (2017).From Sasanian Mandaeans to Ṣābians of the Marshes.Leiden: Brill.doi:10.1163/9789004339460.ISBN 978-90-04-33943-9.

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