Some questions provoke the innocent mind, since the beginning of time. A child may ask some questions which are related to the curiosity of the adult as well like why the stars twinkle, why the moon shines, why the sun rises, why the night comes, where do we come from, where do we go, etc. Mankind has always been struggling with these problems. To resolve this curiosity, they had to increase their intellectual powers. Philosophy and science are the result of this intellectual process. The subjects, which cannot be handled in the laboratory, can be understood by means of the imagination.
The entire universe/space is called Prakriti and manifests by a vibration of the Svara, a current of a life-force or a superstring called the Parabrahman and the Purush. This in turns causes the subtle elements of the 5 ethers, or strings (the quality of ether is called sound) to vibrate, the distinct vibration causes the Pancha-Mahabhutas, the five physical elements.
The five main elements occur in the following order of aggregation: Akasha, Agni, Vayu, Prithvi and Jal. Except for Akasha, all of the elements are composed of discreet and distinct indivisible particles called Paramanu (beyond atoms) i.e. light is composed of discreet and distinct particles. Space, soul and time are eternal.
Previously we have touched upon the agni, vayu, prithvi & jal. The word akasha is made up of a+kashate (verb), which means ‘that which shines completely’ and makes others shine as well. In Latin, space means ‘spatium,’ which means ‘to lie upon.’ In Chinese Buddhism, ‘agha‘ which comes from Sanskrit, means both visible matter and invisible emptiness. (cf. Y. Raguin, Terminologie). In Chinese stories also, there is discussion about jala, vayu and akasha. Akasha means sky, the space, the one without the body, it is the stuff of which Gods & celestial beings are made of. All other elements get affected when they come in contact with each other but Akash is the purest of them all.
I believe above the earth engulfing humanity, there is the kal (time) and then there is the akasha. So the akasha is the place of space and time. Space and time together are a unit because in space we can go back, but not in time. When time and space pass through us, they look different, but they are connected to each other. Space and time make way for endless possibilities; possibilities the human mind does not even fathom, exist. Akasha has several qualities of the infinite human mind – it is mysterious, boundless & infinite beyond the comprehension of logic. So go ahead and unleash all that you hold in you, for life teaches that constraints are only in the mind and even though we live one life, it does have endless possibilities!
By Aanchal Sethi
