Yo, sit back and let me inform ya a Tale bout One of the more wild and respected dudes within the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u by no means heard of him, u almost certainly livin below a rock during the Kayin Point out or sumthin. This guy was extra than just a monk within a saffron robe; he was similar to a force of character, a true-daily life legend who transformed The complete vibe from the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the center and soul in the Myaing Gyi Ngu area. Born in the late 40s, I feel, but honestly, his age didnt make any difference lead to he had that aged-soul Strength from the beginning. He wasnt about that extravagant metropolis lifetime in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle gentleman. He cherished the mountains, the trees, and buildin points. And when I say buildin, I imply buildin. He had this obsession with pagodas. In all places he went, BAM—A further pagoda. White types, gold ones, major kinds, compact kinds. It was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. Individuals say he built hundreds. Can u think about? Most of us cant even finish a LEGO established, and this monk is out listed here constructin monuments in the course of a war zone.
Speaking of war, thats in which matters get authentic messy and actual exciting. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin in a temple chanting all day. He was deep inside the politics of the Karen folks. Back again during the 90s, points ended up heated concerning the KNU plus the gov. Thuzana, he decided to split and shaped the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Now, a monk leadin an army Seems nuts, proper? Like, fully from the rules. But for his followers, he was protectin the faith. He produced his soldiers prevent eatin meat. Yeah, a whole army of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore discipline. He preferred a "pure" land where by individuals lived through the Dhamma, or not less than his Model of it.
But hey, dont Consider he was just a few army man. His followers, man, they worshipped the ground he walked on. They identified as him "Sayadaw," which suggests Great Trainer, and they meant it. He had this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see 1000s of people livin there simply to be near him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It was like a little bit utopia he carved out of your chaos. Whether or not the surface entire world was lookin at him sideways reason behind the conflict, into the locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I bear in mind hearin tales bout how he’d just wander into dangerous places and nobody would contact him. He had that "metta" (loving-kindness) electricity, or maybe individuals had been just terrified of his spiritual mojo. He passed absent in 2018 inside of a clinic in Bangkok, and male, the funeral was massive. Like, A huge number of persons cryin, monks everywhere you go, a true unfortunate working day for the Burmese Buddhist Local community. Even now, his legacy is almost everywhere. U see his confront on posters in minimal tea retailers or stickers on vehicles drivin from the mud in Kayin State.
He was a fancy read more dude, needless to say. Some individuals say he was a peacemaker, some say he induced far more difficulty. But u cant deny his effects. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to make it on this planet, a person brick and one vegetarian soldier at any given time. He lived his existence his way, raw and unfiltered, just like the jungle he known as residence. Regard towards the outdated male, U Thuzana. He was certainly certainly one of a kind, an actual OG of the Theravāda custom.