Mandaeism Mandaeism (Mandaic language, Classical Mandaic: ),https://qadaha.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/nhura-dictionary-mandaic-english-mandaic.pdf sometimes also known as Nasoraeanism or Sabianism, is a Gnosticism, Gnostic, Monotheism, ...

, the nishimta ( ; plural: ) or nishma ( ) is the human

soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

. It is can also be considered as equivalent to the " psyche" or " ego". It is distinct from '' ruha'' ('spirit'), as well as from ''

mana Mana may refer to: Religion and mythology * Mana (Oceanian cultures), the spiritual life force energy or healing power that permeates the universe in Melanesian and Polynesian mythology * Mana (food), archaic name for manna, an edible substance m ...

'' ('

nous ''Nous'' (, ), from , is a concept from classical philosophy, sometimes equated to intellect or intelligence, for the cognitive skill, faculty of the human mind necessary for understanding what is truth, true or reality, real. Alternative Eng ...

'). In Mandaeism, humans are considered to be made up of the physical body (''pagra''), soul (''nišimta''), and spirit ('' ruha'').

In the afterlife

When a Mandaean person dies, priests perform elaborate death rituals or death masses called ''

masiqta The masiqta () is a mass or ritual practiced in the Mandaean religion in order to help guide the soul ('' nišimta'') towards the World of Light in Mandaean cosmology. They are typically performed as funerary rites for Mandaeans who have just di ...

'' in order to help guide the soul ('' nišimta'') towards the

World of Light In Mandaeism, the World of Light or Lightworld () is the primeval, transcendental world from which Tibil and the World of Darkness emerged. Description *The Great Life ('' Hayyi Rabbi'' or Supreme God/ Monad) is the ruler of the World of Ligh ...

. In order to pass from Tibil (Earth) to the World of Light, the soul must go through multiple '' maṭarta'' (watch-stations, toll-stations, or purgatories; see also Arcs of Descent and Ascent and

araf (Islam) In Islam, al-A'raf () is a separator realm or borderland between Jannah (heaven) and Jahannam (hell), inhabited by those who are evenly balanced in their sins and virtues, they are not entirely evil nor are they entirely good. This place may be ...

) before finally being reunited with the ''

dmuta In Mandaeism, a dmuta () or dmut is a spiritual counterpart or "mirror image" in the World of Light. People, spirits, and places are often considered to have both earthly and heavenly counterparts (''dmuta'') that can dynamically interact with ea ...

'', the soul's heavenly counterpart. A successful

merges the incarnate

( ; roughly equivalent to the '' psyche'' or " ego" in

Greek philosophy Ancient Greek philosophy arose in the 6th century BC. Philosophy was used to make sense of the world using reason. It dealt with a wide variety of subjects, including astronomy, epistemology, mathematics, political philosophy, ethics, metaphysic ...

) and spirit ( ; roughly equivalent to the ''

pneuma ''Pneuma'' () is an ancient Greek word for "breathing, breath", and in a religious context for "spirit (animating force), spirit". It has various technical meanings for medical writers and philosophers of classical antiquity, particularly in rega ...

'' or "breath" in Greek philosophy) from the Earth ( Tibil) into a new merged entity in the World of Light called the ''ʿuṣṭuna'' ('trunk', a word of Indo-Iranian origin). The ''ʿuṣṭuna'' can then reunite with its heavenly, non-incarnate counterpart (or spiritual image), the ''dmuta'', in the World of Light, where it will reside in the world of ideal counterparts ('' Mšunia Kušṭa'').

References

Mandaic words and phrases Mandaean philosophical concepts Conceptions of self Vitalism {{Mandaeism-stub

In the afterlife

See also

References