Generally when we speak of Benefics we are speaking of Natural, not temporal benefics.

For example, Saturn, though benefic for Taurus Lagna as 9th/10th lord or Yoga Karaka, is STILL SATURN He will still do the "Saturn Thing". It is just that it won't carry the same amount of danger, it will be of a refined type.

Jupiter, though Malefic for Taurus Lagna, is still a giver, an expander, and a Brahmin. It is just that Taurus Lagna doesn't take it correctly. The Jupiter energy shows up in their life in the wrong way, they don't do that dance correctly.

I know a young woman who is Sagittarius Rising and has a "BENEFIC MARS" with her Moon in the 9th House. It gives her a fiery mind and lots of beaming energy on the face and so forth. But it still has it is Mars feel.

So, it is a merge. Believe me on that.

When reading, see if what the verse or reading promises is "super good". If so, think that they mean "Both Benefic Naturally AND Temporally". Because, to get the best life has to offer, one must have the blessings of Jupiter, Venus, Mercury, Moon, etc., both Naturally and Temporally.

Of course, one cannot have them all, each Lagna can only have one or two as "really good" both naturally and temporally. So again, it is a matter of getting used to what can give what for each Lagna.

For example, the Sun is a Sattvic Malefic. This is the nature of a real ruler and King. A leader, ruler, or King, or "Great Protector" should be SATTVIK, or very pure and good, but He should also be MALEFIC in that He is not afraid to punish the evil, and protect the good. If he is a woozy, a pansy, a weakling, like the benefics are, then how can he protect and fight?

So, for Aries rising the Sun rules the Fifth, and for Sagittarius he rules the Ninth. These are the two most blessed Houses. For these two rising Signs, the power of the Sun, and the best side of the Sun shines through very strongly. In these two Lagnas cases, you must recognize the extraordinary power this Lord can give.

I have Sun in the second and am Aries rising. This gives power to speak very authoritatively. One with good judgment of astrology would see that for Aries rising, if the chart is nicely disposed in general, that it would be safe to consider the Sun a benefic.

Lets say my chart wasn't so religious. Lets say it was rather sick and evil. Then you see my Sun hemming in a Planet, say my Mars, and they're both in the sixth or something, then you would rightly understand that the power might be misused, and it is effect on the Lagna Lord would be too intense. It would be wrong to think of it as benefic under that and certain other conditions.

Jupiter can get too fat. If Jupiter is really strong by Lagna, say for Aries, Scorpio, Leo rising with it exalted in Cancer, and say Venus happens to be helping in the chart, and the Moon is in the 11th or something, then you find Rich Fat People type syndrome. So, sometimes you get "benefics our of control" and you find people who are utterly materialistic, optimistic, blind to the down side of life, and other bad qualities. In their lives you may find all the dumb material blessings promised in some of the readings, but no spiritual depth, which requires some salt in the chart.

So, back to the question, I find in the end that leaving the books "vague" may be good in that, those rules and verses to, which you refer are "generally true" if left "generally vague" as they are now. You should just hear "benefic and malefic" and not worry about what they mean.

Then, take up the process of learning what is malefic and benefic gradually and separately by the study of real lives and real events, and then gradually merge the two.

In the end believe it or not here's what I say:

No Planet is ever surely either malefic or benefic based on natural or temporal rules. Instead, a Planet is malefic or benefic due to three things simultaneously, it is natural type, it is temporal type, and finally, the signature comes from the overall chart itself, which one is looking at.

For example, take from my chart, Aries Rising, Saturn in the 9th with Jupiter, and Moon in 11th.

Saturn is the Lord of the Moon Sign Aquarius.

Saturn is with the 9th Lord in the 9th House.

Saturn is Lord of the 10th and 11th.

Normally, Saturn is considered a malefic for my Lagna.

Saturn aspects the 3rd from itself.

So, the Moon is aspected by a "malefic" both naturally and temporally.

The Moon is also with Ketu in the 11th.

So, the Moon conjoins a malefic and is aspected by one.

There is no relieving aspect from any benefic.

This terrible pattern repeats in the Navamsha but in Capricorn.

Therefore, by standard rules both natural and temporal the Moon is utterly afflicted.

I am in Saturn, Moon Dasha and have just ended 7 years of Sade Sati.

So I am really under Saturn heavily, and have been for years.

So what do you predict? Death? Disease? Loss?

Well, I did almost die from disease, and I did declare bankruptcy in 94, and I did get divorced, and I did live in poverty for a while in 95/96, and I did get clinical depression and took pills for that for a few months during the very middle of Sade Sati....

But I also have had the most profound and deep spiritual experiences of my life at these same times, and although it is been incredibly hard materially, it was wonderful inwardly, and I mean that, I'm not just saying that.

And now, even though I'm in Saturn Moon, and by "rules" it is bad, I'm doing better than ever in my life monetarily, and I'm in a wonderful loving relationship with a very beautiful woman, and my relationship with my kids is very good, and with God, and with my Dharma.

So, what happened to the rules? I should be FRIED TO A CRISP if you look at my chart using the rules.

The reason they fail is Saturn's placement. Saturn in SMASHED or CRUSHED by HIS ENEMY. He's in Jupiter's SIGN and so he's in an enemy Sign. He is under Jupiter's tutelage. It is like he's in prison and the priest is there, preaching to him. He can't do any bad works. He's under the control of an all, good Planet, lord. So, Saturn is doing Jupiter's bidding through Saturn mouth. So, I'm getting good too a lot of good, out of my Saturn Dasha and Sade Sati. (I also got a lot of bad as mentioned above).

Then it goes on since the Moon is in the 11th, which is a particularly gainful placement for the Moon, the results of the 11th Lords aspect is helpful for focusing on gain and progress in life materially. This is one of the reasons I get so much done in life.

So, often in the books the way things are worded don't go far enough. But then, if EVERY VERSE said EVERYTHING, then each verse would be the whole book!

So, each verse is just a part of the story. Each verse gives you one morsel of info, but they never stand alone or in a vacuum, you will find each verse failing as you apply them to charts. But as you take them all in, they will gradually form a web of truth when all woven together.

This in Sanskrit is called Gyan and Vigyan (usually spelled Jnan and Vijyan in books but pronounce as with the G).

Gyan is knowledge particles, and Vigyan is the web of realization that ties all the particles together into "TRUTH".