Hindu scheme of Knowledge.

In the Hindu scheme of knowledge,a distinction is made between higher and lower knowledge., para and apara Vidya. "Dvevidye veritable para ca apara Ceri." The latter includes all the sciences and arts that pertain to the experiential world.

It is wrong to say that Hindu outlook is entirely otherworldly and does not attach importance to things which concern this world.  Such knowledge, which is called apara-vidya, is obligatory to every individual to enable him to go through the concerns of his life successfully and has an important place in the Hindu scheme of education.

But , it is pointed out that over and above this, there is a sphere of knowledge,  which is called apara-Vidya. While apara-Vidya gives knowledge of the perishable, para-Vidya relates to the imperishable.  The mindfunctions at the Great Devine between the external world facing a man and the inner world within himself.  As Kathopanishad has it, Svayambhuh, the self-born, that is Brahma directed the sense-organs outside.  Therefore, a man looks outward and not within himself.  A brave, wise man desiring immortality turned his eyes inward and saw the atman within.  Such vidya, is known as atma-vidya and, in the Hindu tradition, it is extremely important for the attainment of liberation.  Listing the super-eminent things of every class with which He identifies Himself, the Bhagavan says in the Gita, that He is "adhyatmavidya" among the vidyas".