It's called self-preservation.
In some situations there is a fine line between cowardice and self-preservation.
"....and dying in your beds, many years from now....would you be willing, to trade all the days from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance....?"
...to go back and help some brother monks? Hell, to help anybody??
I guarantee you, on my deathbed, when eternity is knocking on my door, I'm gonna be thinking about what I did to do someone else some good, not patting myself on the back for how prudently I conducted myself in self-preservation.