What role does monastic training play?

Monastic training plays a significant role in spiritual and societal development across various traditions. Expressed by Gauranga Das in the "On Purpose with Jay Shetty" podcast, monastic life in different cultures encapsulates principles like solitude, selfless service, and renunciation, which leads to uprooting negative desires and engaging in beneficial societal activities without attachment. In the Buddhist tradition, monastics, known as Bhikkhus, are seen as protectors from the "danger of ignorance," helping themselves and others on their spiritual journeys. The ultimate goal is to achieve total absorption in selfless and tireless service, expanding compassion and promoting peace and harmony globally 1.

Further describing the monastic lifestyle, Oren Jay Sofer shares his experience as a Buddhist renunciate on the "Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris" podcast. He lived as an anagarika, a transitional monastic state, focusing on deepening his understanding of the Buddhist path through simplification and renunciation. This training helped him cultivate a taste for "letting go," gradually moving away from materialism, which he views as an antidote to the pervasive disease of consumerism 2.