The University of Nalanda c13.174

c13.174

The one aim of the student who repaired to the guru, whoever he may be—a Kṣatriya king or a Brāhmaṇa forest-recluse or a non-Dvija philosopher—was to acquire knowledge. But this knowledge as Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad tells us,⁵ was of two kinds, Para (higher), and Apara (lower, inferior); knowledge of the four Vēdas—Ṛg, Yajur, Sāma and Atharva—Vēdāngas, Śikṣā, Nirukta and so forth was classed as Inferior.⁶ Realization of Brahma, of Akṣara,⁷ of the Immortal Self was the true knowledge. And this was the ideal that was put before by the parent before his son and by the teacher before a prospective student.⁸