Ākāśa is space in the Jain conception of the cosmos. It is one of the six "dravyas" (substances) and it accommodates the other five, namely sentient beings or souls ("jīva"), non-sentient substance or matter ("pudgala"), principle of motion ("dharma"), the principle of rest ("adharma") and time ("kāla")
Ākāśa provides the space for other substances. It does not obstruct. There are two types: Lokakasha and Alokakasha. Alokakasha is beyond the Lokakasha and is empty; it has no other substance.
Etymology.
Ākāśa is a compound word of Sanskrit language, wherein "ā" refers to "towards" and "kāśa" refers "to be visible or to appear".
Attributes.
Space provides room to all other substances of the universe. The characteristic of space is to give room to or accommodate the other substances. The special feature of space is that it is not restricted to the universe like other substances but extends beyond the universe to the non-universe.
Its qualities are as follows:
Sky and space both are different. We can see the sky because it is modification of the Pudgala whereas space is invisible.
Types.
Space substance is only one substance and as such it is indivisible (akhand). Universe (lokakasha) and non-universe (alokakasha) are considered its two divisions.
Space is divided into two parts:
The dimension of Lokakasha is fourteen "rajlok" or "rajju", however Alokakasha is infinite.
Lokakasha.
That portion of space in which all the substances are found is called the universe (lokakash). There are three types of Lokakasha; a) Urdhwa Lok, where beings of higher qualities than us live (Siddha Lok where liberated souls stay is at the top of Urdhwalok), b) Madhya Lok - where human beings and other creatures live, and c) Adho Lok, where the inmates of hell live (it has seven layers).
At the summit of the "lokākāśa" is the "Siddhashila" (abode of the liberated souls).
The "dharma" and "adharma" "dravyas" are present only in "Lokakasha" and that is why "jiva" and "pudgal" are also there in the "Lokakasha" only.
Alokakasha.
The (empty) infinite space outside the universe is called the non-universe (alokakash). In the non-universe, space alone exists without the other five substances. In non-universe there is nothing but space.
Alokakash is perceptible only to the omniscient.
References.
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