Nine Blessings

I. What are the Nine Blessings
1. Human Birth
2. Manhood
3. Sattvic Attitude in life
4. Steadfastness on the path of righteousness, as prescribed in the vedas
5. Correct knowledge of the deep significances of the vedas
6. Diffentiation between the self and the not self
7. Direct experience
8. To be established in the awareness of the identity of Brahman and Atman
9. Liberation


2. Why is 'Human Birth' considered rare?

First of all human beings are able to imagine something, they can visualize the advantages and dis-advantages of every action or in action. Human beings are able to program their routine life [actions, words, thoughts and habitual tendencies] by continuous dedication and determination for the upliftment of their soul for attaining the ultimate salvation.

However, all other living beings in the world does not have such capability; they lead their lives as per the cosmic-law.

Above all, human soul only can pursue a spiritual life and search answers for the questions like - Jeevathma - paramathma relationships, our births and re-births and other non material / spiritual aspects of life.. etc..

3. What is the meaning of 'Pumstvam' [Manhood]? Are women debarred from Vedantic study?

Pumstvam means the satvic qualities of one head and heart only. As per Pooja Swami Chinmayananda, a woman is a symbol of softness, attachment, sentiments and anxieties; by having all these qualities essentially she is a mother. These combinations can be there in any gender.

If a human soul has all these qualities like; detachment, intellectual hardiness and steadiness of composure, courage, firmness of determination, strength to achieve the spiritual path; that is known as Pumstvam; that is indeed rare.

Since the spiritual studies are not required physical strength; women's are not debarred from Vedantic study. In this modern age also a lot of women are taken vedantic study seriously. Hindu scriptures are having references of so many women scholars and teachers of vedantic study in ancient time.

4. What is viprata? what is its role in the spiritual pursuit?

Literal meaning of Viprata is Brahminhood. As per Bhagvat-gita; those who attains bhrahmatavam by virtue of action and thought process is known as Brahmin and not a person who had merely taken birth by Brahmin parents.

In spiritual practice, these brahmanical sattvic qualities like serenity, self - restraint, austerity, purity, forgiveness, uprightness, knowledge and belief in God are essential

5. In what way is 'Vidvattvam' superior to 'vaidika-darma-marga-parata'?

Vidvattam is more superior than merely following the spiritual practices like Japa and Pooja. But, regular and dedicated practices of meditation, Japa, pooja, chanting of the vedas and performing selfless actions will lead to attaining the purity of mind [cita suddhi] and the single pointedness of the mind [citta ekagrata]. Both these stage will lead to a greater understanding of the meaning of vedic scriptures and the ability to follow the same, and such a stage of mind is known as vidvattvam.

Vaidika - darma - marga - parata is action based merely on belief; and vidvattam is action based on the belief accumulated with deep understandings.

1 What are the milestones on the 'Road to Perfection'? Briefly explain each of them.

Following are the stepping stones towards 'Road to Perfection'.

Human Birth - Manhood - noble attitude in life - steadfastness on the path of dharma as prescribed in the Vedas - knowledge of the deep significance of the vedas - differentiation between the self and the not - self - direct experience - establishment in the awareness of the identity of Brahman and Atman - Finally LIBERATION

As a results of our past actions and blessings of God; we got human birth and initiated the path of spiritual life. We have come a long way and needs to travel more.

Human Birth:

Human Birth is very rare. We get Human Birth after cores of lives lived intelligently and meritoriously. Human beings alone are endowed with the faculty of self-awareness and are able to change their thinking and program their actions, words and habitual tendencies for spiritual upliftment. Human births alone have the capability of noble and divine pursuits. Only in human birth, there is a chance to get the right mixture of joy and sorrow and there is a change to put an end to the cycle of birth and death.

Manhood

This manhood is also very very rare. It does not mean birth of soul as a male gender but the qualities. Manhood in the spiritual context essentially means courage, strength, a constancy to pursue with steadfastness and the will to achieve in the spiritual path. This is indeed rare.

Noble attitude in Life [Viprata]

Viprata literally means brahminhood. The Bhagavad-gita enumerates the brahmanical sattvic qualities as serenity, self-restraint, austerity, purity, forgiveness, uprightness, knowledge and belief in God. Having a soul with these qualities is also very very rare.

Seadfastness on the path of dharma as prescribed in the Vedas [Vaidika -dharma- marga - parata]

In order to achieve the above; we have to get sufficient purity of mind [cita-suddhi] and citta -ekagrata. Only very few, those who are endowed with sattivic qualities, such as daily study of the scriptures, eschewing prohibited and desire-prompted actions, offering one's duties as worship unto the lord, practicing japa [repetition of the Lord's name],puja [worship[ and so on. Thus, those who have moved to the next step of steadily living a life based on scriptural injections are more rare than those who are just merely good and mature humans.

Knowledge of the deep significance of the vedas [Vidvattvam]

Science of vedanta is very deep and subtle and cannot be learned by normal intellect. It requires dedication and determination to go beyond for superficial meanings and a mature intellect to understand its uncommon and deep logic. Vidvattvam refers to an understanding of the scriptural meaning in all its depth and expanse.

Differentiation between the self and the not self [atma-anatma - vivecanam]

A right kind of understanding of the vedic scriptures gives one the ability to understand the 'Self' and 'not self'. The 'Self' is the pure consciousness and the 'not self' is the inert matter vestures. Those who can intellectually differentiate between the two - the 'self' and 'not Self' - the real and unreal - have progressed to a more advanced state of spirituality.

Direct experience [Svanubhava]

By doing deep meditation regularly, one can condition the body, mind and intellect and merges with pure consciousness within. No other kind of intellectual knowledge is equivalent to this direct experience. This is also very rare and very few people can come to this srikovil of lord in one's heart.

Establishment in the awareness of the identity of Brahman and Atman [Brahmatmana Samsthiti]

Brahmatmana Samsthiti is the summum bonum of our existence in this world,the very purpose of birth. Such person are Jivan Mukta during this life itself. For achieving this one must be continuously aware of one's true nature and abide in the understanding that the self in me - the atman - is the self-the Brahman-everywhere.

Liberation [Mukti]

A person free of all desires and selfness has no rebirth. A person who has reached this ultimate destination of spiritual life is liberated and this kind of perfect liberation cannot be had without the earned merits of hundred crores of lives lived intelligently.