Akasha
Encyclopedia
Akasha is the Sanskrit
word meaning "aether
" in both its elemental
and metaphysical
senses.
Akasha means the basis and essence of all things in the material world; the first material element created from the astral world (Air, Fire
, Water
, Earth
are the other four in sequence). It is one of the Panchamahabhuta, or "five elements"; its main characteristic is Shabda (sound). In Sanskrit the word means "space", the very first element in creation. In Hindi
and Gujarati
, and many other Indian languages, the meaning of Akasha has been accepted as sky
.
The Nyaya
and Vaisheshika
schools of Hindu philosophy state that Akasha or ether is the fifth physical substance, which is the substratum of the quality of sound. It is the One, Eternal, and All Pervading physical substance, which is imperceptible.
According to the Samkhya
school of Hindu philosophy, Akasha is one of the five Mahābhūta
s (grand physical elements) having the specific property of sound.
conception of the cosmos. It falls into the Ajiva
category, divided into two parts: Loakasa (the part occupied by the material world) and Aloakasa (the space beyond it which is absolutely void and empty). In Loakasa the universe forms only a part. Akasha is that which gives space and makes room for the existence of all extended substances.
phenomenology Akasha is divided into Skandha
, Desa, and Pradesa.
The Vaibhashika
, an early school of Buddhist philosophy, hold Akasha's existence to be real.
or Lokāyata philosophy of India hold that this world is made of four elements only. They exclude the fifth element, Akasha, because its existence cannot be perceived.
has popularized the word Akasha as an adjective, through the use of the term "Akashic records
" or "Akashic library", referring to an ethereal compendium of all knowledge and history.
The Five Elements are worked with to create positive changes on earth. This is done through meditation to bring about beneficial changes in one’s life. Akashan spirituality is holistic.
Practitioners learn to maintain mental and physical health through meditation, exercise, ritual and diet. They are expected to have a profound commitment to their life path.
The upward point of the pentacle, the pentagram or five pointed star within a circle, represents Akasha. The others represent Fire, Earth, Air and Water. While Earth is considered "north"; Fire is "south"; air is "east"; Water is "west", while Akasha is "center".
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
word meaning "aether
Aether (classical element)
According to ancient and medieval science aether , also spelled æther or ether, is the material that fills the region of the universe above the terrestrial sphere.-Mythological origins:...
" in both its elemental
Aether (classical element)
According to ancient and medieval science aether , also spelled æther or ether, is the material that fills the region of the universe above the terrestrial sphere.-Mythological origins:...
and metaphysical
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
senses.
Hinduism
In HinduismHinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
Akasha means the basis and essence of all things in the material world; the first material element created from the astral world (Air, Fire
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
, Water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
, Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
are the other four in sequence). It is one of the Panchamahabhuta, or "five elements"; its main characteristic is Shabda (sound). In Sanskrit the word means "space", the very first element in creation. In Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
and Gujarati
Gujarati language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
, and many other Indian languages, the meaning of Akasha has been accepted as sky
Sky
The sky is the part of the atmosphere or outer space visible from the surface of any astronomical object. It is difficult to define precisely for several reasons. During daylight, the sky of Earth has the appearance of a pale blue surface because the air scatters the sunlight. The sky is sometimes...
.
The Nyaya
Nyaya
' is the name given to one of the six orthodox or astika schools of Hindu philosophy—specifically the school of logic...
and Vaisheshika
Vaisheshika
Vaisheshika or ' is one of the six Hindu schools of philosophy of India. Historically, it has been closely associated with the Hindu school of logic, Nyaya....
schools of Hindu philosophy state that Akasha or ether is the fifth physical substance, which is the substratum of the quality of sound. It is the One, Eternal, and All Pervading physical substance, which is imperceptible.
According to the Samkhya
Samkhya
Samkhya, also Sankhya, Sāṃkhya, or Sāṅkhya is one of the six schools of Hindu philosophy and classical Indian philosophy. Sage Kapila is traditionally considered as the founder of the Samkhya school, although no historical verification is possible...
school of Hindu philosophy, Akasha is one of the five Mahābhūta
Mahabhuta
Mahābhūta is Sanskrit and Pāli for "great element." In Buddhism, the "four great elements" are earth, water, fire and air...
s (grand physical elements) having the specific property of sound.
Jainism
Akasha is space in the JainJainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
conception of the cosmos. It falls into the Ajiva
Ajiva
In Jainism, ajiva is anything that has no soul or life, the polar opposite of jiva. Because ajiva has no life, it does not accumulate karma and cannot die. Examples of ajiva include chairs, computers, paper, and plastic. Ajivas can be divided into two kinds, with form and without form.-Five...
category, divided into two parts: Loakasa (the part occupied by the material world) and Aloakasa (the space beyond it which is absolutely void and empty). In Loakasa the universe forms only a part. Akasha is that which gives space and makes room for the existence of all extended substances.
Buddhism
In BuddhistBuddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
phenomenology Akasha is divided into Skandha
Skandha
In Buddhist phenomenology and soteriology, the skandhas or khandhas are any of five types of phenomena that serve as objects of clinging and bases for a sense of self...
, Desa, and Pradesa.
The Vaibhashika
Vaibhashika
The Vaibhāṣika was an early Buddhist subschool formed by adherents of the Mahāvibhāṣa Śāstra, comprising the orthodox Kasmiri branch of the Sarvāstivāda school...
, an early school of Buddhist philosophy, hold Akasha's existence to be real.
Cārvākism
Adherents of the heterodox CārvākaCarvaka
' , also known as ', is a system of Indian philosophy that assumes various forms of philosophical skepticism and religious indifference. It seems named after , the probable author of the and probably a follower of Brihaspati, who founded the ' philosophy.In overviews of Indian philosophy, Cārvāka...
or Lokāyata philosophy of India hold that this world is made of four elements only. They exclude the fifth element, Akasha, because its existence cannot be perceived.
Theosophy
The Western religious philosophy called TheosophyTheosophy
Theosophy, in its modern presentation, is a spiritual philosophy developed since the late 19th century. Its major themes were originally described mainly by Helena Blavatsky , co-founder of the Theosophical Society...
has popularized the word Akasha as an adjective, through the use of the term "Akashic records
Akashic Records
The akashic records is a term used in theosophy to describe a compendium of mystical knowledge encoded in a non-physical plane of existence. These records are described as containing all knowledge of human experience and the history of the cosmos...
" or "Akashic library", referring to an ethereal compendium of all knowledge and history.
Modern Paganism
It is believed by many modern Pagans that the Akasha, Spirit, is the Fifth Element. Scott Cunningham describes the Akasha as the spiritual force that Earth, Air, Fire, and Water descend from. Some also believe that the combination of the four elements make up that which is Akasha, and that Akasha exists in every living creature in existence; without Akasha, there is no spirit, no soul, no magic.The Five Elements are worked with to create positive changes on earth. This is done through meditation to bring about beneficial changes in one’s life. Akashan spirituality is holistic.
Practitioners learn to maintain mental and physical health through meditation, exercise, ritual and diet. They are expected to have a profound commitment to their life path.
The upward point of the pentacle, the pentagram or five pointed star within a circle, represents Akasha. The others represent Fire, Earth, Air and Water. While Earth is considered "north"; Fire is "south"; air is "east"; Water is "west", while Akasha is "center".
Literature
- Anne RiceAnne RiceAnne Rice is a best-selling Southern American author of metaphysical gothic fiction, Christian literature and erotica from New Orleans, Louisiana. Her books have sold nearly 100 million copies, making her one of the most widely read authors in modern history...
used the word "Akasha" as the name of a vampireVampireVampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
in the novels The Vampire LestatThe Vampire LestatThe Vampire Lestat is a novel by Anne Rice, and the second in her Vampire Chronicles, following Interview with the Vampire. Many events in the two books appear to contradict each other...
(1985) and The Queen of the DamnedThe Queen of the DamnedThe Queen of the Damned is the third novel of Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles series. It follows Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat...
(1988).
- Shea Godfrey used the word "Akasha" as a term of endearment in the Bold Strokes BooksBold Strokes BooksBold Strokes Books is a United States publisher headquartered in Johnsonville, New York that specializes in lesbian-themed fiction, covering a variety of genres including action/adventure, erotica, mystery, romance and science fiction/horror, as well as general fiction...
lesbian romance novel Nightshade.
- In the Black Library novel MechanicumHorus Heresy (novels)The Horus Heresy is an ongoing series of science fiction novels, the first of which was published by the Black Library in 2006. The books are set during the Horus Heresy, a galaxy-spanning civil war occurring 10,000 years prior to the setting of Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000 tabletop miniatures...
the Theosophic idea of Akashic records is referenced, in this case as an underlying universal substrate which contains the secrets behind all possible forms of technology. Adept Koriel Zeth attempts to build a device called an Akashic Reader to access this information.
- In the book "Science And The Akashic Field" by Ervin Laszlo. Akasha is noted as the aether from which all matter is formed.
Music
- Akasha is a Rock Band from Costa Rica, the band has shared stage with bands such as P.O.D.P.O.D.Payable on Death is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, drummer Wuv Bernardo, guitarist Marcos Curiel, and bassist Traa Daniels. Their Christian faith is an important part of their music.They have released seven studio albums and...
and KornKornKorn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
TV
- In the anime series Code Geass, the Emperor of the Britannian Empire built a shrine-like building called the Sword of Akasha, which was described as a "weapon to defeat god". The concept of god is later discussed as the collective-unconscious of every person on earth.
- The "Akasha field" is used in the television series EurekaEureka (TV series)Eureka is an American science fiction television series that premiered on Syfy on July 18, 2006. Since then four seasons have aired, and a fifth is currently being filmed. The second half of season 4 began on SyFy on July 11, 2011 and ended on September 19, 2011...
. It is believed to be a field of universal knowledge and is somehow connected to the terrestrial artifact in the Global Dynamics labs. - In Kara no Kyoukai anime, Akasha is the Root, and is directly connected to Ryougi Shikis Chokushi no Magan.
- In Queen of the Damned (2002) "Akasha" (played by Aaliyah Dana Haughton) is the name of the antagonist, an ancient vampire.
- In the series Fate/ZeroFate/zerois a prequel to Type-Moon's visual novel Fate/stay night. It is a light novel by Gen Urobuchi, illustrated by Takashi Takeuchi. The first volume was released on December 29, 2006, and is a collaboration between Type-Moon and fellow developer Nitroplus. The second volume was released on March 31,...
, prequel to Fate/Stay NightFate/stay nightis a Japanese visual novel developed by Type-Moon, which was originally released as an adult game for the PC. An all-ages version of Fate/stay night, titled Fate/stay night Réalta Nua, was released for the PlayStation 2 on April 19, 2007, and features the Japanese voice actors from the anime series...
,During the Fourth Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City. Tohsaka Tokiomi, the then-current Master of Servant Gilgamesh, wished to seek the origin of Magic, known as "The Akashic Record;" The ultimate goal of the magi is to reach The Akashic Record, thus many focus their experiments into discovering a path to it, such as the Holy Grail War.
Games
- In No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle for the WiiWiiThe Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
, there are certain places hidden in Santa Destroy called Akashic Points which are said to lead to other planes of existence. - Akasha is used in the main title of Akasha Seal, a RPG Maker XP Episodic Series (RMXP Episode for short) by ScriptKitty. The series was left unfinished at episode 4, where the connection of the title and the story is still a mystery.
- In the Super Robot WarsSuper Robot Warsis a series of tactical role-playing video games produced by Banpresto, which is now a Japanese division of Namco Bandai. The main feature of the franchise is having a story that crosses over several popular mecha anime, manga and video games, allowing characters and mecha from different titles to...
series of strategy video games, Akashic Buster is one of the many attacks in the repertoire of the mecha CybusterCybusteris a 26 episode anime that aired in Japan between May 3, 1999 and October 25, 1999.-Plot:The story is set in 2040 after a disaster happens in Tokyo in 2029. The main character Ken Ando joins up with a company designated to clean up Tokyo, called DC...
. - In the Mage: The AscensionMage: The AscensionMage: The Ascension is a role-playing game based in the World of Darkness, and was published by White Wolf Game Studio. The characters portrayed in the game are referred to as mages, and are capable of feats of magic...
role-playing game, a group of mages calls itself the "Akashic Brotherhood", after a character called Akasha. - In the NephilimNephilim (role-playing game)This article is about the Role-playing game, for the supernatural beings, see NephilimNephilim is a role-playing game about powerful elemental entities reincarnating into human beings...
role-playing game, an Akasha is some kind of alternate reality bubble, whose existence and content are based on the thoughts and dreams of the humans. - In the Legend of the Five RingsLegend of the Five RingsLegend of the Five Rings is a fictional setting created by the John Wick and published by Alderac Entertainment Group in 1995. The setting primarily involves the fictional country of Rokugan, though some additional areas and cultures have been discussed. Rokugan is based roughly on feudal Japan...
role-playing game, the Akasha is the group consciousness of the Naga race. - In popular Warcraft III custom map Defense of the AncientsDefense of the AncientsDefense of the Ancients is a custom scenario for the real-time strategy game Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and its expansion, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, based on the "Aeon of Strife" map for StarCraft...
(DotA), Akasha is the name of a female hero with the ability to create waves of sound that damage multiple units, perhaps as a reference to the NPC of BlizzardBlizzard EntertainmentBlizzard Entertainment, Inc. is an American video game developer and publisher founded on February 8, 1991 under the name Silicon & Synapse by three graduates of UCLA, Michael Morhaime, Allen Adham and Frank Pearce and currently owned by French company Activision Blizzard...
's Diablo IIDiablo IIDiablo II is a dark fantasy/horror-themed hack and slash, with elements of the role playing game and dungeon crawl genres. It was released for Windows and Mac OS in 2000 by Blizzard Entertainment, and was developed by Blizzard North. It is a direct sequel to the 1996 hit PC game, Diablo.Diablo II...
. - Akasha is the name of the female Necris High Inquisitor in the Unreal Tournament 3 single player campaign.
- In Persona 3Persona 3Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3, originally released in Japan as simply , is the fourth video game in the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series of console role-playing games developed by Atlus, which is part of the larger Megami Tensei series of video games...
and Persona 4, there is a skill that the Personae can use called "Akasha Arts", a Strike attack skill which inflicts multiple damage on all enemies. - In TsukihimeTsukihimeis a Japanese eroge dōjin visual novel game created by Type-Moon, who first released it at the Winter Comiket in December 2000. It was adapted in 2003 into an anime series, Shingetsutan Tsukihime, produced by J.C.Staff and Geneon, and a manga series, which has been serialized since 2004 in...
and Fate/stay nightFate/stay nightis a Japanese visual novel developed by Type-Moon, which was originally released as an adult game for the PC. An all-ages version of Fate/stay night, titled Fate/stay night Réalta Nua, was released for the PlayStation 2 on April 19, 2007, and features the Japanese voice actors from the anime series...
visual novels, Akasha is the Root, the source and the end of everything in the universe. The place where all phenomena originates. - In the Square EnixSquare Enixis a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
game, Final Fantasy XIFinal Fantasy XI, also known as Final Fantasy XI Online, is a MMORPG developed and published by Square as part of the Final Fantasy series. It was released in Japan on Sony's PlayStation 2 on May 16, 2002, and was released for Microsoft's Windows-based personal computers in November 2002...
, Akash is a representation of the light elemental avatar, Carbuncle. - In the Arcana Evolved roleplaying game, Akashic is the name of a character class that taps into collective memory to gain knowledge
External links
- http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/bs_1/1-1-08.html
- Chandogya UpanishadChandogya UpanishadThe Chandogya Upanishad is one of the "primary" Upanishads. Together with the Jaiminiya Upanishad Brahmana and the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad it ranks among the oldest Upanishads, dating to the Vedic Brahmana period....
I.9.1 http://www.sub.uni-goettingen.de/ebene_1/fiindolo/gretil/1_sanskr/1_veda/4_upa/chup___u.htm translation