Masbuta

Maṣbuta(Classical Mandaic:ࡌࡀࡑࡁࡅࡕࡀ;pronouncedmaṣwottāinNeo-Mandaic^[1]^: 16) is the ritual of immersion in water in theMandaean religion.^[2]^[3]

Overview[edit]

MandaeansrevereJohn the Baptistand practice frequentbaptism(masbuta) asritual purification,not of initiation. They are possibly one of the earliest peoples to practice ritualbaptism.^[4]Mandaeans undergo baptism onSundays(Habshaba^[5]), wearing a white sacral robe (rasta). Baptism for Mandaeans consists of a triple full immersion in water, a triplesigningof the forehead with water and a triple drinking of water. The priest (rabbi) then removes a ring made of myrtle (klila) worn by the baptized and places it on their forehead. This is then followed by a handshake (kušṭa- hand of truth) with the priest. The final blessing involves the priest laying his right hand on the baptized person's head.^[6]^: 102

Living water(fresh, natural, flowing water, calledmia hayyi)^[6]is a requirement for baptism, therefore can only take place in rivers. All rivers are namedYardna"Jordan River"and are believed to be nourished by theWorld of Light.By the riverbank, a Mandaean's forehead is anointed withsesame oil(misha) and partakes in a communion ofsacramental bread(pihta) and water. Baptism for Mandaeans allows for salvation by connecting with theWorld of Lightand for forgiveness of sins.^[7]^[8]^[9]

Although masbuta rituals are typically held only in the presence of Mandaeans, a historic commemorative masbuta ceremony was held at the 13th conference of the ARAM Society (titled "The Mandaeans" ), which took place during 13–15 June 1999 on the banks of theCharles RiveratHarvard University.^[10]^[11]

Types[edit]

There are different types of masbuta used for different purposes. Similarly, there are also several different types ofmasiqta(seeMasiqta § Types). A few types ofmasbutaare:

360 baptisms:360 consecutive baptisms are needed to cleanse a polluted priest.^[2]Sets of 360 baptisms are described in texts such asThe Baptism of Hibil ZiwaandŠarḥ ḏ-Maṣbuta Rabia( "The Scroll of the Great Baptism";DC50).
Masbuta of Zihrun Raza Kasia,described in theZihrun Raza Kasiascroll.^[12]

Masbutais distinct fromṭamaša"immersion" andrišama"ablution", which are personalritual purificationrituals that do not require the presence of a priest. Ṭamaša is typically performed after bodily pollutions, such asseminal discharge,sexual activity,or after subsiding from unclean thoughts or anger at another person. This ablution is comparable totevilahin Judaism andghuslin Islam. Rišama is performed daily before prayers and religious ceremonies or after bowel evacuation and is comparable towuduin Islam.^[13]

Parallels with other religious traditions[edit]

Birger A. Pearsonfinds many parallels between theSethianritual of theFive Sealsand the Mandaean baptismal ritual of masbuta.^[14]

In Mandaic, Christian baptism is not referred to asmaṣbuta,but rather asmamiduta(Classical Mandaic:ࡌࡀࡌࡉࡃࡅࡕࡀ;cognate withSyriacܡܥܡܘܕܝܬܐmʿmudita,used by Syriac Christians to refer to baptism^[15]), which Mandaean texts describe as unclean since it is performed in standing rather than flowing water.^[16]

Gallery[edit]

Gallery of Mandaeans performingmasbutain theKarunRiver inAhvaz,Iran:

References[edit]

^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.doi:10.3828/9781800856271(inactive 21 February 2024).ISBN 978-1-80085-627-1.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of February 2024 (link)
^^a ^bBuckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002).The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people.New York: Oxford University Press.ISBN 0-19-515385-5.OCLC 65198443.
^Segelberg, Eric (1958).Maṣbuta: Studies in the Ritual of Mandaean Baptism.Uppsala: Almqvist and Wiksell.
^McGrath, James (23 January 2015),"The First Baptists, The Last Gnostics: The Mandaeans",YouTube-A lunchtime talk about the Mandaeans by Dr. James F. McGrath at Butler University,retrieved3 November2021
^"The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon".cal.huc.edu.
^^a ^bDrower, Ethel Stefana (1937).The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran.Oxford at the Clarendon Press.
^"Mandeans",US News,archived fromthe originalon 21 October 2013
^Yamauchi, Edwin M (2004),Gnostic Ethics and Mandaean Origins,Gorgias Press, p. 20,ISBN 978-1-931956-85-7
^History,Mandean union, archived fromthe originalon 17 March 2013
^Coakley, J.F. (1999). "The Thirteenth Conference of the ARAM Society: The Mandaeans".ARAM,11-12 (1999-2000), 199-208.
^ARAM, "Masbuta (full Baptism) Harvard 1999, "The Worlds of Mandaean Priests.
^Burtea, Bogdan (2008).Zihrun, das verborgene Geheimnis(in German). Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.ISBN 978-3-447-05644-1.OCLC 221130512.
^Gelbert, Carlos (2005).The Mandaeans and the Jews.Edensor Park, NSW: Living Water Books.ISBN 0-9580346-2-1.OCLC 68208613.
^Pearson, Birger A.(14 July 2011). "Baptism in Sethian Gnostic Texts".Ablution, Initiation, and Baptism.De Gruyter. pp. 119–144.doi:10.1515/9783110247534.119.ISBN 978-3-11-024751-0.
^"Dukhrana Analytical Lexicon of the Syriac New Testament".Dukhrana Biblical Research.13 February 2021.Retrieved30 December2023.
^Drower, Ethel Stefana;Macúch, Rudolf(1963).A Mandaic dictionary.London: Oxford University Press. p. 245.

External links[edit]

Videos and imagesfrom the Worlds of Mandaean Priests (University of Exeter)
- Children's Baptism Day (River and Pool) - Sydney (January 2015)
Mandaean masbuta performed at 13 June 1999 ARAM conference

[Häberl_2022-1] 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.doi:10.3828/9781800856271(inactive 21 February 2024).ISBN 978-1-80085-627-1.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of February 2024 (link)

[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.

[3] Segelberg, Eric (1958).Maṣbuta: Studies in the Ritual of Mandaean Baptism.Uppsala: Almqvist and Wiksell.

[4] McGrath, James (23 January 2015),"The First Baptists, The Last Gnostics: The Mandaeans",YouTube-A lunchtime talk about the Mandaeans by Dr. James F. McGrath at Butler University,retrieved3 November2021

[5] "The Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon".cal.huc.edu.

[auto-6] Drower, Ethel Stefana (1937).The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran.Oxford at the Clarendon Press.

[7] "Mandeans",US News,archived fromthe originalon 21 October 2013

[8] Yamauchi, Edwin M (2004),Gnostic Ethics and Mandaean Origins,Gorgias Press, p. 20,ISBN 978-1-931956-85-7

[9] History,Mandean union, archived fromthe originalon 17 March 2013

[10] Coakley, J.F. (1999). "The Thirteenth Conference of the ARAM Society: The Mandaeans".ARAM,11-12 (1999-2000), 199-208.

[11] ARAM, "Masbuta (full Baptism) Harvard 1999, "The Worlds of Mandaean Priests.

[DC27-12] Burtea, Bogdan (2008).Zihrun, das verborgene Geheimnis(in German). Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.ISBN 978-3-447-05644-1.OCLC 221130512.

[Gelbert_2005-13] Gelbert, Carlos (2005).The Mandaeans and the Jews.Edensor Park, NSW: Living Water Books.ISBN 0-9580346-2-1.OCLC 68208613.

[Pearson-14] Pearson, Birger A.(14 July 2011). "Baptism in Sethian Gnostic Texts".Ablution, Initiation, and Baptism.De Gruyter. pp. 119–144.doi:10.1515/9783110247534.119.ISBN 978-3-11-024751-0.

[15] "Dukhrana Analytical Lexicon of the Syriac New Testament".Dukhrana Biblical Research.13 February 2021.Retrieved30 December2023.

[MandaicDictionary-16] Drower, Ethel Stefana;Macúch, Rudolf(1963).A Mandaic dictionary.London: Oxford University Press. p. 245.

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