Matarta
In Mandaean cosmology, a maṭarta (Classical Mandaic: ࡌࡀࡈࡀࡓࡕࡀ; plural form: maṭarata) is a "station" or "toll house" that is located between the World of Light (alma ḏ-nhūra) from Tibil (Earth). It has variously been translated as "watch-station",[1] "toll-station",[2] "way-station", or "purgatory". Maṭartas are guarded by various uthras (celestial beings from the World of Light) and demons. Ruha, the queen of the underworld, is the ruler or guardian of the third maṭarta.[1]
To reach the World of Light (alma ḏ-nhūra) from Tibil (Earth), souls must pass through the various maṭartas that are situated in between. Rituals such as the masiqta can help guide souls past the various maṭarta so that they could reach the World of Light.[2]
In the Ginza Rabba
In the Ginza Rabba, Chapter 3 in Book 5 of the Right Ginza, Book 6 of the Right Ginza (also known as the "Book of Dinanukht"), and Chapter 4 in Book 1 of the Left Ginza give detailed descriptions of the maṭartas.[3]
Some of the matarta guards are:[4]
Parallels in other religions
In the Nag Hammadi library, the Coptic Apocalypse of Paul describes an ascent through the seven lower heavens, which are guarded by various angels inflicting punishments on sinners. Heavenly "toll collectors" are mentioned in the First Apocalypse of James (33,2-27), as well as angels torturing the soul in the Book of Thomas the Contender (141,36-39) and Pistis Sophia.[5]
Matartas in Mandaeism are also similar to aerial toll houses in Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
The Second Book of Enoch, a Jewish apocryphal text written in the first century CE, describes the mystical ascent of the patriarch Enoch through a hierarchy of Ten Heavens. Enoch passes through the Garden of Eden in the Third Heaven on his way to meet the Lord face-to-face in the Tenth (chapter 22). Along the way he encounters vividly described populations of angels who torment wrongdoers; he sees homes, olive oil, and flowers.[6]
See also
- Aerial toll houses in Eastern Orthodox theology
- Araf (Islam)
- Arcs of Descent and Ascent in Neoplatonism
- Bardo in Buddhism
- Barzakh in Islam
- Chinvat Bridge in Zoroastrianism
- Dinanukht's heavenly ascension
- Gehenna
- Limbo in Roman Catholic theology
- Masiqta, a Mandaean ritual
- Seven Heavens
- Apocryphal texts
References
- ^ a b Aldihisi, Sabah (2008). The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rba (PhD). University College London.
- ^ a b Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002). The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515385-5. OCLC 65198443.
- ^ Häberl, Charles G. (2007). Introduction to the New Edition, in The Great Treasure of the Mandaeans, a new edition of J. Heinrich Petermann’s Thesaurus s. Liber Magni, with a new introduction and a translation of the original preface by Charles G. Häberl. Gorgias Press, LLC. https://doi.org/10.7282/T3C53J6P
- ^ Gelbert, Carlos (2011). Ginza Rba. Sydney: Living Water Books. ISBN 9780958034630.
- ^ Meyer, Marvin (2007). The Nag Hammadi scriptures. New York: HarperOne. ISBN 978-0-06-162600-5. OCLC 124538398.
- ^ Edward Langton (11 July 2014). Good and Evil Spirits: A Study of the Jewish and Christian Doctrine, Its Origin and Development. Wipf and Stock Publishers. pp. 248–. ISBN 978-1-62564-991-1.