Gnostic Glossary: Sanskrit Lexicon

Ahimsa is compassion, it is love. Literally it means ‘without harm’.

(Sanskrit आकाश; or akasa) “Space, sky, atmosphere, vacuity, ether, free or open space, subtle and ethereal fluid, heaven, god brahma.” From akash, “to be visible, appear, shine, be brilliant.”

The most subtle level of matter. The solar light comes to earth and everything on earth transforms that light. Prana is the light from the Absolute. When it passes through the law of seven it becomes the Akasha. Akasha is further modified into the tattvas and the elements.

“A subtle agent that penetrates and permeates the whole space.” – Samael Aun Weor, The Perfect Matrimony

The ethereal body is made of five ethers. From the root of our nose to the top of our head, we find the Akashic Ether, which is that primordial water that we stated appears in the beginning: the word “IM” (ים) appears in the book of Genesis. This word is hidden within the word (השמים) “the heavens”. The heavens (השמים), “Ha-shamayim” means: The word (השם – the name) in the (ים) ocean. That ocean is (ים) the Akasha. There in “Ha-shamayim” we also see the word HAAA in the “Hei” (אה) or the H, which is the breath that hides the name (שם) or the fiery breath floating on the waters. In the beginning the Spirit (the fiery breath) of God was hovering upon the waters.

Akasha is the name of the first tattva, the primordial substance that inundates the entire space; all the other tattva (Fire-Tejas, Air-Vayu, Water-Apas and Earth-Prithvi) are modifications of these cosmic waters, all of them live and work within Akasha. All forms, thoughts, dreams and ideas of the universe live in Akasha. There is no living thing in the universe that can exist without Akasha or multiply its species without it. Akasha is the substance from which every other substance emerges; Akasha is that which every other tattva emerges from; Akasha is where everything is in potency, and Akasha is where everything is in activity. Thus, Akasa appears in various positions. Wherever there is any room for any substance, there is Akasha.

“By dint of His will, the Lord, the undecaying substratum or reality of the universe, gave the first impetus to Nature to shake off her state of primal equipoise and to be gradually and successfully evolved into those categories and elements which were necessary for the formation of the present universe. The first evolute is Akasa. Why should Akasa be the first evolute? Because, without space, nothing can exist. Prana acted on Akasa. There was Spandana or vibration. Wherever there is vibration, there must be motion. Motion is the quality of air. Therefore, air came out of Akasa. Motion produced heat. Therefore, fire was born of Vayu or air. When there is heat, water is produced. On a hot day, the body perspires. Hence, water was born of fire. Wherever there is water, there is food. Earth is Annam or food. Therefore, earth was born of water. The subtler the element, the more powerful it is. Water is more powerful than earth, because it is more subtle than earth. Water removes away earth. Fire is more powerful than water, because it is more subtle than water. Fire dries up all water. Air is more powerful than fire, because it is more subtle than fire. Air blows up fire. Ether or Akasa is more powerful than air, because it is more subtle than air. Air rests in Akasa. Akasa is the support for air. Air is born of Akasa, fire is born of air, water is born of fire, earth is born of water. During cosmic Pralaya, earth is reduced or involved into water, water into fire, fire into air, and air into Akasa.” —Swami Sivananda

“According to the Hindu Philosophy the whole nature is composed of two principal substances. One of them is called the Akasa or ether and the other, Prana or energy. These two may be said to correspond to matter and force of the modern scientists. Everything in this universe that possesses form or that has material existence, is evolved out of this omnipresent and all-pervasive subtle substance ‘Akasa’. Gas, liquid and solid, the whole universe, consisting of our solar system and millions of huge systems like ours and in fact every kind of existence that may be brought under the word ‘created’, are the products of this one subtle and invisible Akasa and at the end of each cycle return to the starting point. In the same way, all the way of forces of nature that are known to man; gravitation, light, heat, electricity, magnetism all those that can be grouped under the generic name of ‘energy’, physical creation, nerve-currents, all such as are known as animal forces and thought and other intellectual forces also, may be said to be the manifestations of the cosmic Prana. From Prana, they spring into existence and in Prana, they finally subside. Every kind of force in this universe, physical or mental can be resolved into this original force. There can be nothing new except these two factors in some one of their forms. Conservation of matter and conservation of energy are the two fundamental laws of nature. While one teaches that the sum total of Akasa forming the universe, is constant, the other teaches that the sum total of energy that vibrates the universe, is also a constant quantity. At the end of each cycle the different manifestations of energy quiet down and become potential: so also the Akasa which becomes indistinguishable: but at the beginning of the next cycle the energies start up again and act on the Akasa so as to involve the various forms. Accordingly, when the Akasa changes and becomes gross or subtle, Prana also changes and becomes gross or subtle. As the human body is only a microcosm to a Yogi, his body composed of the nervous system and the internal organs of perception represent to him, the microcosmic Akasa, the nerve-currents and thought-currents, and the cosmic Prana. To understand the secrets of their workings and to control them is, therefore, to get the highest knowledge and the conquest of the universe.” —Swami Sivananda

 

(Sanskrit अलय, a, “not”; laya, from the verb-root li, “to dissolve”; hence Alaya means “the indissoluble.” Also alaya-vijnana. In Tibetan: kunshi namshe) In the Mahayana Yogachara school of Buddhism, alaya is considered to be a base function of consciousness, the ground consciousness or storehouse consciousness, the base consciousness of everything that exists, from which everything arises. It is said to contain the seeds or germs of experience. As a “storehouse” it is said to be karmically neutral but perpetuates habitual patterns.

“Immense is the ineffable joy of those Diamond Souls who became lost within the great Alaya of the universe. […] Alaya is the Anima Mundi of Plato, the Super-Soul of Emerson, submitted to incessant periodical changes. Alaya is in itself eternal and immutable; however, it suffers tremendous changes during the Mahamanvantaric manifestation. The Yogacharyas from the Mahayana school state that Alaya is the personification of the Illuminating Void. It is unquestionable that Alaya is the living foundation of the seven cosmos… […] Alaya, even being eternal and immutable in its essence, reflects itself within every object of the universe, just as the moon does in the clear and tranquil water. […] The Cosmic Consciousness, the great Alaya of the Universe, must awaken within each human being. Nevertheless, we make emphasis of the necessity of not confusing the consciousness with the Absolute.” —Samael Aun Weor, Cosmic Teachings of a Lama

 

“As for this sparkling awareness, which is called “mind,”
Even though one says that it exists, it does not actually exist.
(On the other hand) as a source, it is the origin of the diversity of all the bliss of Nirvana and all of the sorrow of Samsara.
And as for it’s being something desirable; it is cherished alike in the Eleven Vehicles [of dharma].
With respect to its having a name, the various names that are applied to it are inconceivable (in their numbers).
Some call it “the nature of the mind” or “mind itself.”
Some Tirthikas call it by the name Atman or “the Self.”
The Sravakas call it the doctrine of Anatman or “the absence of a self.”
The Chittamatrins call it by the name Chitta or “the Mind.”
Some call it the Prajnaparamita or “the Perfection of Wisdom.”
Some call it the name Tathagata-garbha or “the embryo of Buddhahood.”
Some call it by the name Mahamudra or “the Great Symbol.”
Some call it by the name “the Unique Sphere.”
Some call it by the name Dharmadhatu or “the dimension of Reality.”
Some call it by the name Alaya or “the basis of everything.”
And some simply call it by the name “ordinary awareness.” —Padmasambhava, Self Liberation through Seeing with Naked Awareness

 

“The Alaya Consciousness is the good earth,
The inner teaching is the seed that is sowed,
Achievement in meditation is the sprout,
And the three bodies of the Buddha are the ripened crop.
These are the four lasting mainstays of heavenly farming.” —Milarepa