I still remember what it was like to read that book years ago.

The daring critiques were piling up, page by page, making me expect that the monk was building momentum to finally reveal a highly moral, advanced idea.

I anticipated a solution that involves some sort of impressive sacrifice or an experimental announcement to innovatively develop an infrastructure that makes the Indian style of alms rounds more possible in non-Indian climates.

But no. Not even close. He just said “touch money. A lot. it won’t touch your heart ✌️”

It felt like such a letdown. his critiques of other monks seemed so high-intensity, yet he just “solves” it by suggesting that all monks break a novice-level precept for all of life… wild.