In 2009 I spent a couple weeks at the Wat Pahnnanna Chat monastery, in the austere and celibate Thai Forest Tradition. Most of the long-term monks seemed distant, unavailable for conversation, and even emotionally cold. I had friendly chats with one guy, though, an old Sri Lankan monk, who had kind eyes and always seemed warm and open.
One morning he and I had the following exchange:
[monk]: “You’d make a good monk. Why don’t you join us here?”
[me]: ” …. I, umm … mmmm …. like women too much.”
[monk]: “You’ll never get enlightened that way.”
[me]: “Yeah. Well.”
