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>If I may interject, while this twofold classification of earthly
>vs. divine knowledge is a valuable one, it is not the import
>of the Upanishad passage in question.
>The Mundaka Upanishad speaks of two levels of knowing the Absolute.
>The lower, indirect form of knowledge is that which is obtained
>merely from studying the Vedas and their ancillary texts. The
>higher knowledge is direct, meditative contemplation on Brahman
>Itself, attaining a level of continuity and vividness that it
>is comparable to sight itself.
>The progression from indirect, discursive knowledge of Brahman
>to direct contemplation on Its essence is echoed in the great
>dialogue between Yajnavalkya Maharshi and his wife Maitreyi,
>from the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad. Yajnavalkya teaches his wife
>that "the Self is to be seen -- to be heard about, thought about,
>and contemplated upon" /AtmA are drashTavyaH SrotavyaH mantavyaH
>nidhidhyAsitavyaH/.
>"To be seen" refers to that advanced state of meditation where
>the perception of the Self is as vivid as normal sight.
>Beginning with indirect knowledge, obtained from hearing the
>teachings of the Vedas and reflecting on their meaning,
>Yajnavalkya further advises Maitreyi to meditate on the Self,
>because this is what leads to the vision of the Self. Nothing
>else gives lasting peace and happiness to the individual.
>srimatyai yAjnavalkyA sameta maitreyyai devyai namah
>srimate vedapurushAya namah
>Mani
I have no problem with your interpretation. Actually your point of
view is not that different from mine. I show this by pointing out that
ancients included all knowledge including secular knowledge in the Vedas. They
called Siksha, Chandas, Nirukta, Vyakaran, Jyotish and Kalpa as Vedangas or
parts of the Vedas. The Upa Vedas or the subsidiary Vedas included Ayurvedic
medicine, military science, music, dance and politics. So if you define Vedas
broadly as the sum of all knowledge then what you are saying will agree with
mine.
I would also like to point out here that there is no line of separation
between spiritual and secular in some of the Vedantic schools of thought like
Advaita (Only Brahman is) or Vishistadvaita (Jiva and Jagat are the bodies of
Brahman: sarira-sariri). So from that point of view, study of nature (Physics,
chemistry etc) may also be thought of as enquiry into the nature of Brahman
through the sense organs.
Regards
Pradip
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