In 305 CE, Diocletian became the first Roman emperor to abdicate. He also declined multiple requests to come out of retirement, telling his colleagues that he preferred staying at home and growing cabbages to being emperor.
Didn't he get the Romans out of some serious jams too, which is why they wanted him back? While effective, I think he has really mixed reviews, and the Praetorians wanted his head on a stick. I might be way off though
Years ago, I read an interview with Leonard Cohen who, as you might remember, became a Buddhist monk. He stated that in the monastery, you're free to do pretty much anything - in your free time. Listen to rock music, take drugs, no-one cares.
It's just that you don't have any free time because every day is 100% structured.
It's way more complicated than that. Can depend on the sect, or even the individual. There's a lot of Buddhist stereotypes that persist from how westerners first reported back about Buddhists to other westerners.