Manda (Mandaeism)
In Mandaeism, manda is the concept of gnosis or spiritual knowledge. Mandaeans stress salvation of the soul through secret knowledge of its divine origin. Mandaeism "provides knowledge of whence we have come and whither we are going."
Etymology
On the basis of cognates in other Aramaic dialects, Semiticists such as Mark Lidzbarski and Rudolf Macúch have translated the term manda as "knowledge". In his 1965 Mandaic handbook, Macúch suggests that due to the special religious use of the word, -n- was added in order to make it unique from other words with the same root.Derived terms
Mandaeism comes from the Mandaic word manda, meaning "knowledge". Mandaean priests formally refer to themselves as Naṣuraia, meaning guardians or possessors of secret rites and knowledge.Mandaia is a Mandaic term that refers to a Mandaean layperson, as opposed to a Naṣuraia.
The beth manda, also called a mandi, is a Mandaean building that serves as a community center and place of worship.
The name of the uthra Manda d-Hayyi literally means the manda of Hayyi Rabbi. Manda d-Hayyi is one of the important uthras in Mandaeism, since he revealed himself to John the Baptist and took his soul to the World of Light.