alt.magicK KfaQ#09: Akashic Records? (kreEePing oOze faQ)
tyaginator
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Revised 9412
Kreeping OozE FAQ #9: "What does 'akasha' mean? Is it a library?"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary has:
akasha... n. (in the philosophies of India) the ether, regarded as
including material and nonmaterial entities in a common medium.
[< Skt akasa] p. 32
---
From 'Vaisesika Philosophy'
"The fifth material substance, namely, akasa (ether), not to be confused
with space, is the substratum of the quality of sound. Like atoms, akasa
is indivisible, eternal and imperceivable; but, unlike them, it is
infinite and all-pervading. Akasa is inferred from the sensed quality of
sound."
_Fundamentals of Indian Philosophy_, by R. Puligandla, Abingdon Press,
1975; p. 151.
-----------------------------------
"Akasa, space, is infinite in extent and possesses objective reality.
Its only function is to provide a place in which the other substances
can exist...."
"A table may facilitate the comprehension of this difficult subject:
"Tattwas {Ultimate Reals}: 1. Jiva (spirit)
2. Ajiva (nonspirit)
"Dravyas {Substances}: 1. Jiva (spirit)
2. Pudgala (matter)
3. Dharma (principle of motion)
4. Adharma (principle of rest)
5. Akasa (space)
6. Kala (time)
"The first five dravyas, called astikayas, are spatial; kala is nonspatial."
_The Spiritual Heritage of India_, by Swami Prabhavananda, Vedanta Press,
(with the assistance of Frederick Manchester), 1969; pp. 163-4.
---
The book _A Sourcebook in Indian Philosophy_, edited by Sarvepalli
Radhakrishnan and Charles A. Moore, Princeton University Press, 1967,
lists 'akasa' within the Nyaya, Vaisesika, Samkya, Yoga and, sometimes
Vedanta schools of Hindu metaphysics.
Consistently it is translated as either 'ether' or 'space', seemingly
depending on the particular school, and it does, in more than one school,
represent the source of sound, among some other elements of existence.
tyagi
===============================
In the Tattvic (Indian/Hindu/Tantric) system of the five principles
(this is similar though not necessarily identical to the European or
Chinese systems of five elements), Akasha is the principal of spirit or
ether. This concept is comparable to the 'spirit' of the Western/European
(Greek/Egyptian/Gnostic/Kaballistic) systems. The five components of
the Tattvic system are:
Name Principle Color/Symbol Complementry color
Akasha Spirit/Ether Black/Indigo Ovoid White
Tejas Fire/Brilliance Red Triangle Green
Apas Water/Reflection Silver/White Crescent Black
Liquidity, etc. maybe somtimes green
Vayu Air/Wind, etc. Blue Circle Orange
Prithivi Earth/Solidity Yellow Square Violet
Some of these principles also relate to various Hindu Gods/Spirits
(e.g. Vayu, at least does, I am not sure about the others). This imagery
can be a very effective meditation aid. The symbols can be three (or more)
dimensionalized and/or recombined in several ways (i.e. the 16 or 25
subelements, e.g. Tejas of apas--fire of water.) As mentioned by someone,
Akasha is also referrent to the principle of karma and karmic aggregates
and is considered to be the storage medium for them. For example the
Ahashic records are the repository for the accounts of past lives.
Akasha is the great egg or one form of it. I also suspect that it may
somehow refer the the elliptical shape of our solar system.
For additional information on Akasha and the Tattvics in general you
might check
The Magician by Butler
The Golden Dawn by Regardie
Initiation into Hermetics by Franz Bardon
That's generally all that I know about Akasha. I will be interested to see
what else turns up.
EAM (Ibis)
===============================
Brent quotes tyagi and writes:
>I've been told that Kathryn Kurtz and other fiction writers have used the
>phrase 'the Akashic Records' to mean some all-encompassing plane in which
>all sounds/knowledge are to be found. Any additional info on this from the
>GD/Theosophy/Fiction contingent?
That's pretty much the size of it. I think that idea originates
with Blavatsky but I've never been able to (yawn) get very far
into her stuff. I had a good friend whose mother was something
of a theosophist, and he used to try to get me to read The Secret
Doctrine and all that... ugh. I've seen it in GD material too but
don't have any of that handy nor does any of it come to mind.
There is some almost-connection resonating in my brain between the
GD concept of the Akashic records and the Tarot, though...
I have always envisioned the "Akashic Records" as akin to Jung's
"collective unconscious", but with a more colorful (and groovy
eastern-mystical) name. In Katherine Kurtz' Adept series it is
like the great vault 'o' cosmic knowledgge of everything. If her
main character needs to know something, especially about someone's
past life, he waltzes on up to the Akashic Records, pulls a book
off the shelf, and looks it up. It's not quite that straightforward
(cheesy) but close. I still enjoy her books immensely.
Brent
==============
My contact with the term "Akashic records" has been within
occult writings with an orientalized (!) flavor. I believe there
is a Golden Dawn writing that speaks of contacting the Akashic
records while travelling in the astral plane.
The Akashic records are supposed to contain all that has
happened and (?) will happen as well as all that is happening.
Events create astral resonance, according to my understanding of
this theory, and can be recaptured by travelling on the astral
plane to the Akashic records.
It all feels to me like a good dose of theosophical
imagination with little base in traditional Buddhism. Can anyone
add to my comments or correct them?
Peace, Michael
===============
Barrie quotes Novasolo:
NS> N .@FROM :nova...@aol.com
NS> Mercedes Lackey gives an excellent basic description of the Akashic
NS> Record in her novel 'Burning Water'. She describes it as a "collective
NS> unconcious" of memories. Worth the reading, if you want a
NS> skim-the-borders approach to modern magic.
I am not sure how far this thread has gone but the first time I remember
hearing this term was abut 25 years ago in a book about Edgar Cayce. He was
the 'Sleeping Phrophet' of the late 1930's and early 1940's. He is said to
have used the name Akashic Records as the place that he got his information
from while in a 'trance' state.
Barrie
=====================
And, speaking of fiction, Trevor Ravenscroft cites the Akashtic Record
quite heavily in "_The_Spear_of_Destiny_" Oh, wait...that's not SUPPOSED
to be fiction...never mind.
Blessed Beast!
Walter Five
===================================================== END OF OOZE FAQ #09
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_________________________________________________________________________
This is from a series of continually-updated posts responding to recurrent
questions in this newsgroup. Please debate anything in here which seems
extreme and add your own response to these questions after the post. I'll
integrate what I can. Thanks.
tyagi nagasiva
ty...@houseofkAos.abyss.coM (I@AM)