Approximation of monastic conditions without ordination
I’m in a situation where I will likely not be able to ordain for the foreseeable future. As for 10, 15, 20 years down the line, IDK. We’ll see then. But for now I have to operate as though it won’t be viable, as I simply don’t know if it ever will be given my condition. And my situation isn’t going to miraculously resolve itself any time soon.
Given this, what is the best way forward? How do I prevent myself from being dragged into environments that lead to me breaking virtue, and like, what kind of lifestyle on a practical level should an aspirant lead if ordination is essentially foreclosed? What kind of career makes sense if your goal is to get as close to Nibbana as possible as a layperson? And what kind of living situation, rural more off-grid? I imagine that a passive income situation would be best. A truly renunciate lifestyle—wandering for alms—is viable, but I can’t see how that would work as a non-monastic. So what would be the best alternative?
I haven’t seen much discussion around this issue in particular, so I hope it can be useful to others as well.