In Mandaeism, manda (Classical Mandaic: ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀ) is the concept of gnosis or spiritual knowledge.
[1] Mandaeans stress salvation of the soul through secret knowledge (gnosis) of its divine origin.
"[3]: 531 On the basis of cognates in other Aramaic dialects, Semiticists such as Mark Lidzbarski and Rudolf Macúch have translated the term manda as "knowledge" (cf.
Hebrew: מַדַּע maddaʻ, with characteristic assimilation of /n/ to the following consonant, medial -nd-, hence becoming -dd-[4]).
[6]: 15 Mandaean priests formally refer to themselves as Naṣuraia (Nasoraeans), meaning guardians or possessors of secret rites and knowledge.