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Knowledge:
Lower and Higher
May
23, 2010
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Swami
Yogatmananda
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Summary of this Lecture:
The quest for knowledge is an essential feature of human life. Pursuit
of any branch of knowledge in this external world gets further divided
into infinitely many branches and the question comes - Will this desire
for knowledge ever reach fulfillment? Swami Vivekananda in 'Practical
Vedanta' says that all knowledge, lower or higher is 'within' and
the external observation and study are only the suggestions to get
Knowledge manifest from within. In Mundaka Upanisad, a disciple
asks the teacher - 'I want to know that by knowing which
everything becomes known'. The teacher answers- There are two
types of knowledge:
1) Lower knowledge (Apara Vidya): It includes all scriptural
as well as secular knowledge that we get through the senses. It is
the basically knowledge of the objects (which are continuously changing),
obtained through the mind (which is also in continuous flux). It is
really - 'learned ignorance.' Sri Sankaracharya says that it is lower
knowledge because nothing is truly known as it is.
2) Higher knowledge (Para Vidya): It is the knowledge of the
Self that does not undergo any change. In fact this unchanging Self
is the background on which the knowledge of all other changing things
is perceived.
In the 13th Ch. of Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna mentions two elements
of any experience - object (Kshetra) and subject (Kshetrajna);
he says - 'the knowledge of both is really my Knowledge. I am the
Knower in all these objects.' Like one Sun reflects in many
pots filled with water and is perceived as many Suns plus the one
real Sun, similarly one Self reflects in all these infinitely diverse
beings. To find out the real Self, we have to take our gaze away from
this world of multiplicity. Lord Krishna tells us the way: by cultivating
great qualities that will purify the mind and Knowledge will manifest
- humility, unostentatious-ness, service to the Guru, nonattachment,
even-mindedness, unswerving devotion to God, Yoga of non-separation,
etc. This higher knowledge is where knowing means becoming. The Upanisad
says - 'The knower of Brahman becomes Brahman.' Similar idea comes
in 'Imitation of Christ', where the author says - "…Without
this Word no man understands or judges aright. He to whom it becomes
everything, who traces all things to it and who sees all things in
it, may ease his heart and remain at peace with God." 'Tulsi
Ramayana' calls this higher knowledge as 'Akatha Kahani' -
the story that can be felt but can never be described.
Lower knowledge has its area of utility in this world, but fulfillment
in life is possible only through the higher knowledge.
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