Spiritual Ladder

Step Name of the Step Description of the Step

No.
15 Doctorate in spirituality Joyful Living without any dependency on
the external world.
14 Post Graduate in spirituality The knowledge of the ultimate truth should
become strong and steady. This happens
when the knowledge is applied in living.
13 Graduate in spirituality Removal of ignorance by gaining self-
knowledge
12 Spiritual +2 Student Self enquiry supported by scripture and the
teacher
11 Spiritual High School Student Consistent and systematic study of
scriptures under the guidance of the a
competent teacher
10 Spiritual Elementary School Understanding that ignorance is the root
Student cause of all problems and realizing that
the purpose of living is to gain the true
knowledge.
9 UKG in spirituality Achieving Concentration of Mind through
Meditation. (Attainment of supremacy of
Intelligence over Mind and Mind over the
five senses)
8 LKG in spirituality Purification of heart by working for the
sake of work and not for results
7 Registration as a Spiritual Surrender to the teacher and following the
Student guidance of the teacher until reaching the
final step. One should seek a competent
teacher for each step.
6 Applicant (To get admission One who understands that material wealth
as a Spiritual Student) will not solve the problems of the world
5 Spiritual Illiterate One who works hard for gaining name/
fame/ wealth/ power and position.
He may believe either in God and visit
4 Religious person
temples and/or believe in himself and
concentrate on personality development.
3 Good person One who uses the free will to act (to do
good or bad) without any specific long
2 Bad person term goal in life.

1 Sleep walker Any one who spend the time in Eating and
Sleeping

Prepared by Raja Subramaniyan under the guidance of Swami Paramarthananda

26th March 2007
 Spiritual Ladder

Spiritual Ladder describes the various steps one has to climb to reach the
stage of enlightenment. There are no optional steps and every one has to
go through every step. However, this should be understood in the context
of rebirth. It is not possible for anyone to start climbing from the first step of
the ladder and reach the top in one lifetime. Nevertheless, anyone can
reach the stage of enlightenment here and now because he/she could
have completed all the previous steps in the innumerable previous births.

It should be noted that although all the steps are compulsory for
everyone, the order in which they are climbed could be different. One
can master how to climb from say Step 4 to Step 5 without learning to
climb Step 2 to Step 3. These steps could be compared to the different
course requirements in graduation. One has to complete specific set of
subjects but the order in which they are taken up is not very rigid.

As and when a set of subjects are completed the next set will be taken
automatically. If the person dies after completing say 5 steps, in the next
birth he/she will take minimum time or no time in completing these 5 steps.
This way one completes all the steps to reach the top sooner or latter.

Notes on the steps of Spiritual Ladder

1. It is required to register as a student (Step No 7) before entering +2

(Step No 12). This also means that it is possible to complete
schooling (steps 8 to 11) without registration (Step No 7).
2. Steps 13, 14 and 15 are to be completed in the same order.
3. The time taken to complete each step varies person to person
depending on the progress made so far (Including what is
completed in the previous births)
4. It is not possible to reach the final step without completing all the
previous steps of the ladder.
5. If some one has not completed Steps 8 and 9 (LKG/UKG), it will take
longer time to complete the Step 14 (Post graduation).
6. The time spent in each step is largely determined by the Free Will of
the person. One who has a very strong will power (if guided
properly) can complete the steps at a faster pace.
7. All human beings are progressing in the spiritual ladder knowingly or
unknowingly. Every one IS IN THE RIGHT STEP all the time. As and
when they complete the requirements of that step, the get
promoted automatically.
8. However, if one is aware of the spiritual ladder, he/ she can make
conscious efforts to move forward at faster pace so that the steps
could be completed within this lifetime. It would then be possible to
live Joyfully here and now.

Prepared by Raja Subramaniyan under the guidance of Swami Paramarthananda

26th March 2007