In today’s fast-moving world, the search for truth and trust often feels like an elusive quest. Despite the overwhelming advancements in technology, people seem more disconnected than ever. Material wealth is abundant, but spiritual fulfilment and a sense of purpose seem harder to find.
As someone who has navigated a fascinating journey from a Buddhist monastery to the world of blockchain technology, I can say with conviction that blockchain technology offers a way to rediscover trust in a fast-paced, complex world. It may sound strange, but in many ways, the Ethereum blockchain and a monastery share more in common than you might think. Both aim to offer a foundation of trust, built over time.
In this post, I’ll share how my journey has shaped my belief in blockchain as a force for good and how spirituality and technology can work together to solve real-world problems.
My Journey: From Communist Ideology to Blockchain Monk
I grew up in West Bengal, India, a state governed by a communist ideology that shaped the way we thought about money, property, and individual freedom. The Marxist doctrine was prevalent in every corner of life, and for much of my early years, I didn’t question it.
But like most people, I eventually began to feel that something was missing. The discontent within me grew as I questioned the fundamental ideas I’d been taught. What was the truth behind these ideologies? What could I trust?
This led me to a pivotal point: my search for truth and trust. Little did I know, this quest would eventually lead me to two seemingly opposite worlds—the ancient traditions of a Buddhist monastery and the cutting-edge world of blockchain technology.
The Spiritual Journey: A Monk’s Path to Understanding Time and Trust
From a young age, I had a fascination with technology, especially programming. But it wasn’t long before I realised that technology alone couldn’t answer the deeper questions I had about life, time, and trust. It was at this point that I decided to enter a Buddhist monastery to explore those existential questions.
In the Himalayas, I spent months in seclusion, meditating and reflecting on life’s biggest questions. My spiritual guides introduced me to the Buddhist concept of time—a concept that would stay with me long after I left the monastery. Buddhism teaches that time is precious, finite, and that each moment should be dedicated to a higher purpose. I came to realise that how we spend time and how we trust the passage of time is fundamental to human connection.
At the monastery, I discovered that trust isn’t just about believing in others; it’s also about recognising the invisible threads that connect us all through time. The present moment holds a certain kind of truth, and the future depends on how we act in the now.
From the Himalayas to Wall Street: A Leap Into the Material World
After several years of spiritual practice, my teachers encouraged me to return to the material world and apply the insights I had gained. So, I left the monastery and moved to New York City—a place completely at odds with the peaceful, introspective life I had known. In the heart of the financial world, I worked for American Express and later Nasdaq, becoming immersed in the world of finance.
It was a shock. The culture of relentless profit-seeking clashed with the spiritual values I had developed. But this experience proved invaluable, as it opened my eyes to the deep inequality and corruption present in the financial systems that dominate our world today.
It was during this period that I encountered Bitcoin and began to recognise its potential. Back then, Bitcoin was just a novelty to many, but I saw it as something much deeper: a way to challenge the institutions that people no longer trusted. Bitcoin wasn’t just digital money—it was a time chain, a blockchain that offered a new kind of trust.
The Connection Between Blockchain and Buddhism: A New Way of Understanding Time
At first glance, blockchain technology and Buddhism might seem worlds apart. One is rooted in ancient wisdom, while the other is a modern technological breakthrough. But both share a fundamental concept: trust.
Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, described Bitcoin as a “time chain,” a way of recording truth over time. This was the real breakthrough for me: Blockchain isn’t just about transferring wealth—it’s about preserving truth over time, creating a shared history of trust that transcends borders and institutions.
In many ways, the blockchain is a digital version of what I learned in the monastery: a structure built to honour time and truth. Ethereum, in particular, offers the ability to build decentralised applications that don’t rely on central authorities, allowing for a more trustworthy and transparent system.
How Blockchain Can Restore Trust in a Distrustful World
Today, I am co-founder of a blockchain company dedicated to bringing blockchain technology to the mainstream. My mission is clear: to show that blockchain is more than just a tool for financial engineering. Properly deployed, it can serve as the foundation for a new information infrastructure—one that can be trusted and built for the 21st century.
The technology itself is powerful, but its true potential lies in its ability to restore trust. With blockchain, we can create systems that don’t require us to trust any single entity, because the trust is baked into the technology itself. We can build systems that honour time, truth, and transparency.
Am I Still a Monk?
Many people ask me why I left the monastic life to enter the world of technology and business. The truth is, I never left. In Buddhism, there is no dichotomy between the sacred and the secular. Just as a pianist does not stop being a musician when they leave conservatory, I have not stopped being a monk. I simply chose to focus my efforts in a different arena.
I am still guided by the same principles that shaped my time in the monastery: trust, truth, and time. I still approach my work with the same mindfulness and purpose that I learned in the Himalayas. Blockchain, in many ways, is the natural extension of my spiritual journey—an attempt to create a more trustworthy, transparent world.
Conclusion: Blockchain as a Path to Rediscovering Trust
Blockchain is not just a technology; it’s a philosophy. It’s a way of building trust in an increasingly distrustful world. As we move forward, I believe blockchain technology will play a crucial role in helping us reconnect with the truths that have been lost in the noise of modern life.
Through the merging of spirituality and technology, we have the potential to create a future where trust isn’t just something we hope for—it’s something we can rely on.
