ākāsa
Ākāsa,1 [Sk. ākāśa fr. ā + kāś,lit. shining forth,i. e. the illuminated space] air,sky,atmosphere; space. On the concept see Cpd. 5,16,226. On a fanciful etym. of ākāsa (fr. ā + kassati of kṛṣ) at DhsA.325 see Dhs.trsl. 178. ‹-› D.I,55 (°ṁ indriyāni saṅkamanti the sense-faculties pass into space); III,224,253,262,265; S.III,207; IV,218; V,49,264; J.I,253; II,353; III,52,188; IV,154; VI,126; Sn.944,1065; Nd1 428; Pv.II,118; SnA 110,152; PvA.93; Sdhp.42,464. --ākāsena gacchati to go through the air PvA.75 (āgacch°),103,105,162; °ena carati id. J.II,103; °e gacchati id. PvA.65 (cando). -- Formula “ananto ākāso” freq.; e. g. at D.I,183; A.II,184; IV,40,410 sq.; V,345.
--anta “the end of the sky”,the sky,the air (on °anta see anta1 4) J.VI,89. --ānañca (or ânañca) the infinity ef space,in cpd. °āyatana the sphere or plane of the infinity of space,the “space-infinity-plane”,the sphere of unbounded space. The consciousness of this sphere forms the first one of the 4 (or 6) higher attainments or recognitions of the mind,standing beyond the fourth jhāna,viz. (1) ākās°,(2) viññāṇ’ānañc-āyatana (3) ākiñcaññ°,(4) n’eva saññānâsaññ°,(5) nirodha,(6) phala. -- D.I,34,183; II,70,112,156; III,224,262 sq.; M.I,41,159.; III,27,44; S.V,119; Ps.I,36; Dhs.205,501,579,1418; Nett 26,39; Vism.326,340,453; DA.I,120 (see Nd2 under ākāsa; Dhs.265 sq.; Dhs.trsl. 71). As classed with jhāna see also Nd2 672 (sādhu-vihārin). --kasiṇa one of the kasiṇ’āyatanas (see under kasiṇa) D.III,268; A.I,41. --gaṅgā N. of the celestial river J.I,95; III,344. --gamana going through the air (as a trick of elephants) Miln.201. --cārika walking through the air J.II,103. --cārin = °cārika VvA.6. --ṭṭha living in the sky (of devatā) Bu I.29; Miln.181,285; KhA 120; SnA 476. --tala upper story,terrace on the top of a palace SnA 87. --dhātu the element of space D.III,247; M.I,423; III,31; A.I,176; III,34; Dhs.638. (Page 93)