Did you you know that according to Vedanta philosophy there are three kinds of knowledge - Pratyaksha, Paroksha, and Aparoksha?
The school of Indian philosophy known as Vedanta determined in ancient times that knowledge is of three kinds—Pratyaksha, Paroksha, and Aparoksha.
Pratyaksha is the knowledge acquired by the sensory organs. It is direct perception through which we can perceive the outer world. Various instruments that extend the powers of the senses are part of this. More elaborately, it is to mediate knowledge or indirect cognition, mediated by sensory-intellectual apparatus, in which thought systems psychological insights that have evolved in the context of two levels of realities, empirical and transcendental, are gained through both direct cognition and indirect cognition of things that exist in the universe. The Sanskrit word "Pratyakasha" literally means that which is perceptible to the eye or visible, in general usage it refers to being present, present before the eye i.e. within the range of sight, cognizable by any sense organ, distinct, evident, clear, direct, immediate, explicit, express, corporeal; it is a Pramana, mode of proof. Further, the Nyaya School states Pratyaksha (perception) as a kind of pramana along with Anumana (inference), Upamana (comparison) and Shabda (verbal testimony); this school recognizes these four kinds only.
Paroksha is gyana which is the theoretical knowledge of the Shastras that destroy the illusory doubt about the existence of the Supreme Brahman. This Sanskrit expression is made up of two words – Para (beyond) and Aksha (eye), literally meaning beyond the eye i.e. beyond the range of sight. It is intuition, knowledge based upon intuition that comprehends the inner powers or Divine energies at work behind the worlds. This includes an ability to perceive the cosmic links between things, which has its own rationality. There is the saying in Vedic thought, which says ‘Paroksha priya devah’ , meaning that the Gods or sages prefer what is Paroksha, while they dislike Pratyaksha which is direct, evident, obvious or based upon the senses. In the Advaita philosophy, Paroksha consists in the intellectual assent to a stated proposition.
Aparoksha is beyond the realm of senses or paroksha (intelligence) but comprehension is retained. Aparoksha is the highest kind of knowledge which cannot be gained without the practice of morality that converts Paroksha knowledge from which unity of existence is derived. This knowledge is gained by establishing Guru-shishya sambandha (Guru-shishya tradition) with a teacher who has already experienced that kind of knowledge (Aparoksanubhuti). Direct unmeditated experience is Aparoksha knowledge which is based upon the nature of awareness itself, not through the senses, reason or any instruments, and beyond the mind. This is our intrinsic knowledge of the self or pure being, the inner light that makes all other forms of knowledge possible. It is sometimes called higher paroksha because it is a kind of direct perception through consciousness itself. It is beyond the realm of senses (pratskha) or intelligence (Paroskha). Yet there is full comprehension.
Narasipur Char
