QolastaThe Qolastā, Qulasta, or Qolusta (ࡒࡅࡋࡀࡎࡕࡀ; Qōlutā) is the canonical prayer book of the Mandaeans, a Gnostic ethnoreligious group from Iraq and Iran. The Mandaic word qolastā means "collection". The prayerbook is a collection of Mandaic prayers regarding baptisms (masbuta) and other sacred rituals involved in the ascension of the soul (masiqta). The Qolasta, and two other key texts to Mandaic literature, the Mandaean Book of John and the Ginza Rabba, were compiled together.
Mandaean cosmologyMandaean cosmology is the Gnostic conception of the universe in the religion of Mandaeism. Mandaean cosmology is strongly influenced by Jewish, Babylonian, Persian, Egyptian, Greek, Manichaean and other Near Eastern religions and philosophies. The three major Emanations or "Lives" (Hayyi) in Mandaeism are: The Second Life: Yushamin, the primal uthra The Third Life: Abatur, the weigher of souls, and also the father of the uthri (plural of uthra) 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).
AbaturAbatur (, sometimes called Abathur; Yawar, ; and the Ancient of Days) is an Uthra and the second of three subservient emanations created by the Mandaean God Hayyi Rabbi (, “The Great Living God”) in the Mandaean religion. His name translates as the “father of the Uthras”, the Mandaean name for angels or guardians. His usual epithet is the Ancient (Atiga) and he is also called the deeply hidden and guarded. He is described as being the son of the first emanation, or Yoshamin (). He is also described as being the angel of Polaris.
YushaminIn Mandaeism, 'Yushamin' (ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ) and also known as the 'Second Life', is the primal uthra (angel or guardian) and a subservient emanation who was created by the Mandaean God 'The Great Life' (Hayyi Rabbi or 'The First Life'), hence beginning the creation of the material world. Yushamin is the father of Abatur. Jorunn J. Buckley identifies Yushamin as "both a Lightworld utra beyond reproach and the prototype of a priest who has made mistakes in ritual." The name may be derived from the divine name Yao plus šmayn "heaven").
Archonte (gnose)Les Archontes sont, dans le Gnosticisme et les religions étroitement liées à lui, les constructeurs de l'univers physique. Parmi les Archontie, Ophites, Séthiens et dans les écrits de Bibliothèque de Nag Hammadi, les archontes sont des dirigeants, chacun étant lié à l'une des sept planètes ; ils empêchent les âmes de quitter le royaume matériel. La connotation politique de leur nom reflète le rejet du système gouvernemental, comme imparfait sans chance de véritable salut.
Sophia (Gnosticism)Sophia (Σοφíα "Wisdom", ⲧⲥⲟⲫⲓⲁ "the Sophia") is a major theme, along with Knowledge (γνῶσις gnosis, Coptic ), among many of the early Christian knowledge-theologies grouped by the heresiologist Irenaeus as (γνωστικοί), "knowing" or "men that claimed to have deeper wisdom". Gnosticism is a 17th-century term expanding the definition of Irenaeus' groups to include other syncretic and mystery religions. In Gnosticism, Sophia is a feminine figure, analogous to the human soul but also simultaneously one of the feminine aspects of God.
Mandéismevignette|La rivière du Jourdain où l’Évangile selon Jean et certains hadiths racontent que Jésus rencontra Jean-Baptiste fils de Zacharie). Le mandéisme (mandéen : מנדעיותא mandaʻiūtā ; arabe : مندائية mandā'iyyah ; persan : مندائیان mandå'iyyån) est une religion abrahamique, baptiste, monothéiste et gnostique qui ne compte plus que quelques milliers de membres. À la base du système doctrinal des mandéens, il y a un dualisme opposant le « monde d'en haut » et le « monde d'en bas », le « lieu de la lumière » et le « lieu des ténèbres », ce qui n'empêche pas Dieu d'intervenir par la création, comme dans les récits bibliques.
World of LightIn Mandaeism, the World of Light or Lightworld (ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡍࡄࡅࡓࡀ) is the primeval, transcendental world from which Tibil and the World of Darkness emerged. The Great Life (Hayyi Rabbi or Supreme God/Monad) is the ruler of the World of Light. Countless uthras dwell in škintas in the World of Light. (A škinta is a celestial dwelling where uthras, or benevolent celestial beings, live in the World of Light.) The World of Light is the source of the Great Yardna (Jordan River) of Life, also known as Piriawis.
Sem (Bible)Sem (en hébreu moderne : שם, Shem ou Sêm ; arabe : سام, Sām ; signifiant « nom, renommée, prospérité ») est un personnage de la Genèse, le premier livre de la Bible. Il est un des trois fils de Noé, et le frère de Cham et Japhet. Neuf générations le séparent de son ancêtre Seth, le fils d'Adam. Ses fils sont Elam, Ashshur, Arpakshad, et . Il vécut 600 ans. Il est l'ancêtre d’Eber, lui-même ancêtre d'Abraham. Malédiction de Cham Sem joue un rôle primordial dans la malédiction de Canaan, fils de Cham.
MandéensMandaeans (المندائيون al-Mandāʾiyyūn), also known as Mandaean Sabians (الصابئة المندائيون al-Ṣābiʾa al-Mandāʾiyyūn) or simply as Sabians (الصابئة al-Ṣābiʾa), are an ethnoreligious group who are followers of Mandaeism. They believe that John the Baptist was the final and most important prophet. They may have been among the earliest religious groups to practice baptism, as well as among the earliest adherents of Gnosticism, a belief system of which they are the last surviving representatives today.
