Manda d-Hayyi

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Manda d-Hayyi
Other namesGnosis of Life
AbodeWorld of Light
WeaponsRadiance and Light; a great attire; margna (staff) of Living Water; wreath of the Living Flame; arm or of the Great Ones; mace/club; veil/net; a robe of the Great Ones
OffspringHibil Ziwa
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In Mandaeism, Manda d-Hayyi or Manda ḏ-Hiia (Classical Mandaic: ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ, lit. 'the 'Gnosis of Life', 'Knowledge of Life', or 'Knower of the Life'') is an uthra (angel or guardian)[1]: 8  sent by the Great Life (Hayyi Rabbi, or the Transcendent God) as a messenger to John the Baptist. Manda d-Hayyi is considered to be the most important uthra, since he is the one bringing manda (knowledge or gnosis) to Earth (Tibil).[1]

In Mandaean texts[]

In Book 8 of the Right Ginza, Manda d-Hayyi warns the faithful against the dangers of Ruha.[1]

In the Mandaean Book of John and Book 3 of the Right Ginza, Manda d-Hayyi makes a journey into the World of Darkness (underworld), where he meets Gaf and other demons and triumphs against them.[2]

Manda d-Hayyi is sometimes portrayed as harbouring a grudge against Yushamin. In the eighth chapter of the Book of John, Manda d-Hayyi opposes a petition to the King of Light for forgiveness for Yushamin brought by Yushamin's son Nṣab Ziwa (Classical Mandaic: ࡍࡑࡀࡁ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ, lit. 'Splendid Plant'), and is rebuked by the King of Light for hating Yushamin due to Yushamin having refused him a wife from his family.[3][4]

In some Mandaean texts, he is also referred to as Yuzaṭaq Manda d-Hayyi.[5]

Relationship to Hibil[]

See also: Hibil

E. S. Drower notes in an appendix to her translation of the Diwan Abatur that Manda d-Hayyi and Hibil Ziwa are sometimes identified with one another, although they are considered separate figures in the Diwan Abatur.[6] Manda d-Hayyi is sometimes named as Hibil's father;[7] elsewhere, Hayyi Rabbi is.[8]

The ritual passages in the Diwan Masbuta d-Hibil Ziwa describe Hibil as Manda d-Hayyi's son and include Manda d-Hayyi amongst those officiating in Hibil's baptism. However, the same scroll's account of Hibil's descent to the World of Darkness refers to "Hibil-Ziwa" when he is being commanded to descend, switches to referring to "Manda" or "Manda-ḏ-Hiia" while he is in the World of Darkness, and back to referring to "Hibil-Ziwa" when he is seeking to be able to ascend back to the World of Light; furthermore, Manda d-Hayyi is then summoned within the World of Light to send a letter of Kushta to his son Hibil to aid the latter's ascent. Drower notes "read "Hibil" for "Manda"" in a footnote in her translation, and inserts "(Hibil-Ziwa son of)" as a differentiated inline annotation where appropriate.[9]

Weapons[]

According to the Right Ginza, the weapons of Manda d-Hayyi are:[10]

  1. Radiance and Light (Ziwa u Nhūra)
  2. a great attire
  3. the margna (staff) of Living Water (Mia Hayya)
  4. the wreath of the Living Flame (ʿŠata Haita)
  5. the arm or of the Great Ones
  6. a mace (club)
  7. a veil (or a net?)
  8. a robe of the Great Ones

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002). The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515385-5. OCLC 65198443.
  2. ^ Haberl, Charles (2020). The Mandaean Book of John: critical edition, translation, and commentary. Berlin Boston: De Gruyter. ISBN 978-3-11-048651-3. OCLC 1129155601.
  3. ^ Häberl, Charles G.; McGrath, James F. (2019). The Mandaean Book of John: Text and Translation (PDF). Open Access Version. Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter.
  4. ^ Häberl, Charles G. (2012). "08 – Yoshamin (Con't.)". The Mandaic Book of John: Translating the ancient text into English for the first time.
  5. ^ Gelbert, Carlos (2011). Ginza Rba. Sydney: Living Water Books. ISBN 9780958034630.
  6. ^ Drower, Ethel Stefana (1950). "Appendix I". Diwan Abatur or Progress through the Purgatories. Vatican City: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana. pp. 41–44.
  7. ^ "Book Five: The Descent of the Savior". Ginza Rabba. Vol. Right Volume. Translated by Al-Saadi, Qais; Al-Saadi, Hamed (2nd ed.). Germany: Drabsha. 2019. p. 83. In gratitude we give thanks to Manda ʼd Hayyi and to his son Hibil, who established the order of Hayyi.
  8. ^ "Book Five: The Descent of the Savior". Ginza Rabba. Vol. Right Volume. Translated by Al-Saadi, Qais; Al-Saadi, Hamed (2nd ed.). Germany: Drabsha. 2019. p. 78. My Father, Hayyi, said to me, "Why are you standing down Yawar? You are Yawar Hibil the messenger![…]"
  9. ^ Drower, Ethel S. (1953). The Haran Gawaita and The Baptism of Hibil-Ziwa: The Mandaic text reproduced together with translation, notes and commentary. Vatican City: Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana.
  10. ^ Aldihisi, Sabah (2008). The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rba (PhD). University College London.
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