My understanding of Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad or Īśopaniṣad Verse 9

Īśāvāsya Upaniṣad or Īśopaniṣad Verse 9

अन्धन्तमः प्रविशन्ति येऽविद्यामुपासते ।
ततो भूय इव ते तमोय उ विद्यायां रताः ॥ ९ ॥

andhantamaḥ praviśanti ye'vidyāmupāsate |
tato bhūya iva te tamoya u vidyāyāṃ ratāḥ || 9 ||

They who worship Avidya alone fall into blind darkness; and they who worship Vidya alone fall into even greater darkness.

——-

avidya indicates

·    the lack of direct experience of the BRAHMAN, which is the source of everything, due to lack of interest in pursuing that line.

·    When someone lacks interest in pursuing the divine, they remain attached entirely to the material world.

·    This exclusive attachment to the transient physical world causes a person to plunge into the "blind darkness" of pure materialism, devoid of higher meaning.

Vidya indicates

·    existence of interest and energy to experience the BRAHMAN, and

·    seriously practicing spirituality and reaching certain level,

·    but have not overcome the basic human vices like possessiveness, greed, not purifying one's mind by following the path of TRUTH, etc,

·    which result in development of conceit of attaining higher knowledge compared to others, which is more dangerous and may result in developing anger, jealousy, if encounters any adverse comments on one’s behaviour