The Gospel of Thomas is a collection of 114 sayings attributed to Jesus that was discovered in 1945 near Nag Hammadi, Egypt. Unlike the canonical gospels, it is a non-narrative text that emphasizes personal spiritual knowledge and direct experience of the divine. This text is considered part of the Gnostic tradition, which often focuses on inner enlightenment and the idea that salvation comes through self-discovery. The sayings encourage readers to seek understanding within themselves rather than relying solely on external religious authority.