Hayyi Rabbi
transcendental deity of the Mandaeans
In Mandaeism, Hayyi Rabbi or Heyyi Rabbi (Modern Mandaic pronunciation: [ˈhejji ˈrɑbbi]; Classical Mandaic: ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ, romanized: Hiia Rbia, lit. 'The Great Life'), 'The Great Living God', is the supreme God from which all things emanate.
Hayyi Rabbi is also known as the "First Life", since during the creation of the material world, Yushamin emanated from Hayyi Rabbi as the 'Second Life'. According to Qais Al-Saadi,
[T]he principles of the Mandaean doctrine: the belief of the only one great God, Hayyi Rabbi, to whom all absolute properties belong; He created all the worlds, formed the soul through his power, and placed it by means of angels into the human body. So He created Adam and Eve, the first man and woman.
Mandaeans recognize God to be the eternal, creator of all, the one and only in domination, who has no partner. "God is worshiped alone and praised as the Supreme Force of the universe. He presides over all the worlds and all of creation." In Mandaeism, sahduta is the belief in One God (cf. Middle Aramaic שָׂהֲדוּתָא (sāhdutā) "testimony").
Names
Hayyi Rabbi is also referred to in Mandaean scriptures as:
Hiia Rbia Qadmaiia ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ ࡒࡀࡃࡌࡀࡉࡉࡀ, Modern Mandaic pronunciation: [ˈhejji ˈrɑbbi qɑdˈmɑjji] ('The First Great Life')
Hiia Rbia Nukraiia ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ ࡍࡅࡊࡓࡀࡉࡉࡀ, Modern Mandaic pronunciation: [ˈhejji ˈrɑbbi nuˈkrɑjji] ('The Alien/Transcendental Great Life').
Other names used are:
Mara ḏ-Rabuta ࡌࡀࡓࡀ ࡖࡓࡀࡁࡅࡕࡀ ('Lord of Greatness' or 'The Great Lord')
Mana Rba ࡌࡀࡍࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ ('The Great Mind')
Malka ḏ-Nhura ࡌࡀࡋࡊࡀ ࡖࡍࡄࡅࡓࡀ ('King of Light')
Hiia Qadmaiia ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡒࡀࡃࡌࡀࡉࡉࡀ ('The First Life')
Kušṭa ('Truth', ࡊࡅࡔࡈࡀ) is also another name for Hayyi Rabbi, as well as Parṣupa Rba ('Great Immanence, Great Countenance').
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