>>508806380
Buddhism as practiced in Asia actually focuses mostly on communing with and influencing spirits. You're only familiar with western secular Buddhism, which is both largely academic and influenced by Protestant Christianity

Here's a good article on the subject-
https://vividness.live/protestant-buddhism

>>508806561
>Although I would posit, that the monks there are just as much interested in dealing crystal meth and gambling, once you get to know the place a little better
I've heard that this has always been a problem. Life is tough and people have always joined the sangha as a means to escape wageslavery