user11541: I called All India Bhikkhu Sangha to know whether I can be trained as a monk… ? The person I called said that world has progressed a lot and it is not a wise thing to leave family behind. He said give up laziness and do your household chores. It is a sin to leave helpless family…
This has created a doubt in my mind whether I should strive to follow Buddha’s path or should I give up the path and lead a layman’s life ?
Is it ok become a monk ?

user471: He probably wants you to be absolutely certain that becoming a monk is what you really want, without any room for alternative options.
Otherwise, you would simply end up wasting precious time without achieving neither the goals of the monastic life nor the goals of the householder life.

Those who in youth have not led the holy life, or have failed to acquire wealth, languish like old cranes in the pond without fish.
Those who in youth have not lead the holy life, or have failed to acquire wealth, lie sighing over the past, like worn out arrows (shot
from) a bow.
Dhp 155-156


... so by such a simile do I speak about this person: he has missed out on
the enjoyments of a householder, yet he does not fulfil the purpose of
recluseship.
Iti 91


I say that person is just like this. They’ve missed out on the
pleasures of the lay life, and haven’t fulfilled the goal of the
ascetic life.
SN 22.80


If you haven't read it already, the book "Broken Buddha" by Ven. S. Dhammika would help you to avoid romanticizing life in Theravada monasteries, especially in Asia. However, at the same time, you should not let it discourage you, as there are bound to be a mix of good and bad experiences when it comes to monasteries and life in monasteries.

11541: <p>I called All India Bhikkhu Sangha to know whether I can be trained as a monk… ? The person I called said that world has progressed a lot and it is not a wise thing to leave family behind. He said give up laziness and do your household chores. It is a sin to leave helpless family…</p>
<p>This has created a doubt in my mind whether I should strive to follow Buddha’s path or should I give up the path and lead a layman’s life ?</p>
<p>Is it ok become a monk ?</p>
 471: <p>He probably wants you to be absolutely certain that becoming a monk is what you really want, without any room for alternative options.</p>
<p>Otherwise, you would simply end up wasting precious time without achieving neither the goals of the monastic life nor the goals of the householder life.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Those who in youth have not led the holy life, or have failed to acquire wealth, languish like old cranes in the pond without fish.</p>
<p>Those who in youth have not lead the holy life, or have failed to acquire wealth, lie sighing over the past, like worn out arrows (shot
from) a bow.<br />
<a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/dhp/dhp.11.budd.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Dhp 155-156</a></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>... so by such a simile do I speak about this person: he has missed out on
the enjoyments of a householder, yet he does not fulfil the purpose of
recluseship.<br />
<a href="https://suttacentral.net/iti91/en/ireland" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Iti 91</a></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>I say that person is just like this. They’ve missed out on the
pleasures of the lay life, and haven’t fulfilled the goal of the
ascetic life.<br />
<a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn22.80/en/sujato#sn22.80:7.4" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN 22.80</a></p>
</blockquote>
<hr />
<p>If you haven't read it already, the book &quot;<a href="http://www.buddhistische-gesellschaft-berlin.de/downloads/brokenbuddhanew.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Broken Buddha</a>&quot; by Ven. S. Dhammika would help you to avoid romanticizing life in Theravada monasteries, especially in Asia. However, at the same time, you should not let it discourage you, as there are bound to be a mix of good and bad experiences when it comes to monasteries and life in monasteries.</p>
