Everyone should not be ordained, but for those who really feel that the only thing that matters in this world is the Dharma, then it is a logical step to adopt a form of life that automatically precludes worldly distractions.

On a relative level where we live, we need to have a sense of identity, otherwise we'd fall apart, wouldn't we?

There are certain people who people think are enlightened. The problem with the word enlightenment is what you mean by it.

You can certainly learn how to rest in the nature of the mind.

When one has a decisive realization of the inherent nature of the mind, which has no ego, it has no sense of duality between oneself and the cup, and a deep sense of interpenetration of the whole dharma. Then whatever we do is spontaneously perfect Buddha activity. And anybody who is even slightly tuned in will get a very deep experience of that.

Western Tibetan Buddhists are always looking out there at the distant snow peaks and they lose the flowers along the path.

I think, for East and West, the first thing we need is a good grounding in basic Buddhadharma.