GLOSSARY 813
thought. The power Nbu may be linked to Christ, considered a liar and false messiah,
as Nbu-Christ. See HERMES.
Nebroel Namrael, demonic creator of the material world in Manichaean thought. See
PRINCE OF DARKNESS.
Nimrod Mighty warrior referred to in Genesis, a name for Azazi'il in the Mother of Books.
Nine The ninth refers to the realm beyond the seven planetary spheres and the eighth
realm of the fixed stars, hence the realm of the divine, as in the Discourse on the Eighth
and Ninth and elsewhere.
Nirvana State of final liberation and bliss in Buddhism. Complete nirvana is termed
parinirvana. Referred to in the Story of the Death of Mani and the Great Song to Mani.
Noraia The First Book of Noraia, the First Account of Noraia, referred to in On the Origin
of the World. Perhaps related to the Nag Hammadi text entitled the Thought of Norea.
See NOREA.
Norea Virgin daughter of Eve in Jewish lore and gnostic texts, especially Sethian texts. Per-
haps compare Naarah, "girl" in Hebrew. Sometimes Norea is linked to Naamah in Gen-
esis 4:22 (and Genesis 6:2), and in gnostic traditions she resembles Sophia in some
respects. Referred to in the Reality of the Rulers and elsewhere. See also OREA.
Nous Mind, the primary manifestation of the divine. This Greek word also can be used to
form names of aeons in gnostic texts, for example, Nousanios in Three Forms of First
Thought. See also JESUS.
Oannes Mesopotamian god of wisdom, part man and part fish. Referred to in the
Naassene Sermon.
Ogdoad See EIGHT.
Ohrmazd Ahura Mazda, the good god in Zoroastrianism, sometimes identified with the
primal man in Manichaean sources.
Omphale Queen of Lydia to whom Herakles was enslaved, in Greek mythology. Referred
to in the Book of Baruch.
One Monad. In Greco-Roman texts, for example, platonic texts, the divine is frequently
characterized as embracing oneness, and within Judaism the divine is confessed as
being preeminently one. The divine is often addressed as the One in gnostic texts.
Orea Variant spelling of Norea in the Reality of the Rulers and possibly On the Origin
of the World. Orea resembles the word "beautiful" in Greek. Possibly a misspelling
of Norea?
Oroiael One of the luminaries in gnostic thought.
Osiris Egyptian god of moisture, kingship, and underworld, and the husband of Isis.
Osiris dies and yet lives as the king of underworld in Egyptian mythology. Referred to
in the Naassene Sermon.
Pan Greek god of the wild, half man and half goat. Referred to by Hippolytus of Rome in
connection with the Naassene Sermon.
Papas Name connected to Attis and the mysteries of the Great Mother and Attis. The name
resembles "papa." Referred to in the Naassene Sermon.
Paraclete From Greek parakletos, "comforter, helper, counselor." In the Gospel of John,
Jesus promises that god will send another comforter, the spirit of truth. Mani is ac-
claimed as being the comforter of truth in On the Origin of His Body.