Monk Mode Phase 3 - 150 Days

No offence taken and the question is appropriate and within good reason.

First of all how much we are are willing to commit on a path depends on how much value we place on that. Its a lot easier to appreciate the benefits of lifestyle/career choices as their outcomes tend to be easily grasped by the rational mind, such as being a doctor and helping patients, being an engineer and being part of a team to build an airport or an airliner etc. But in some paths the results may not be tangible to the rational mind, therefore it is required to generate some faith in that path in a provisional manner.

Given that NoFap is a secular website, I do not want to go too much into specific religious/spiritual details as this may be sailing to close to religious preaching (which I have no intention of doing as this is not allowed on NoFap). But I will keep it very general and basic. Given that Buddhism like most religions promises results which are beyond our sensory experience (and this is provided that Buddhism is true, there is also the possibility that it may not from a rational point of view), it is required to have some degree of faith as a starter and then when the transcendental experiences take place in the mind as a consequence of meditation, then one no longer requires to depend to articles of faith, as direct experience overrides the need to depend on the faith aspect of the path.

In different belief systems, we may encounter the term 'Enlightenment'. As for Buddhism, it was a word used by English translators of Buddhist scriptures, to mean a state of mind or being that is free from all forms of suffering and dissatisfaction. It also includes being completely free from aversion and desire. It also includes seeing the true nature of things and not seeing things as they just appear to be. If we look at the man made problems in the world, they are caused by desire and aversion. So being free from them means that I most likely will no longer contribute to the man made problems of the world. Being enlightened means that I will be able to teach others how to reach that state or at least get close to that depending how willing they are to progress in that path.

All labels and religious jargon put aside, lets say we have a world without hatred and aversion. We wont even recognize that kind of world. There will be no wars, no killings, no abuse. There will be no stealing and cheating. This is the kind of world I like to see in my imagination although I cant say how likely that will happen. But I believe that change must come from within ourselves, and I must become the change I wish to see in the world. The outer peace and harmony that can appear in the world in its best possible way is most likely to become the consequence of a deeper realization of the masses at the level of their minds. This may sound too idealistic and I cant say how possible that is. But I can only train to change my mind on how I respond to the circumstances around me, whiles how others may choose to spend their valuable human life is not under my control. If my practice brings fruit it may manifest externally showing its symptoms, and those who are inspired may come to learn and develop in the same way, but that is up to others who may recognize the importance of what I did as well as what I achieved.

Even though I speak of enlightenment as a goal, it is also likely that I may not get enlightened. Not everyone can become a singer, an actor or a sportsman. Likewise not everyone can become a Buddha in a single lifetime.

I am not saying that Buddhism has a monopoly on spiritual perfectionism. There could be other paths which may lead to enlightenment or at least bring harmony to the world by helping transform our minds at the level of individuals. Examples that I can think of are Stoicism, Advaita Vedanta and Taoism. There may be paths which I may not know of. There can be paths which are outside of the religious/spiritual domain yet has brought benefit to people, such as Eckhart Tolle's works on mindfulness, concentration and stillness.

This is not to say that humans as a collective mass trying to change our external environment is fruitless. We need humans to work as a collective where as individuals they work in different areas of expertise to help with the functioning of nations and the world, such as better healthcare, education, transport, agriculture etc. But more importantly I want to say that if human beings were to focus on a spiritual path and bring about a deeper transformation at the level of their minds then our society, nations and the world will improve even further. It has not been tried out yet, its time to try it and see how it will bring results within as well as externally.