Yo, sit down and allow me to notify ya a Tale bout one of the most wild and revered dudes in the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u under no circumstances heard of him, u probably livin beneath a rock while in the Kayin Condition or sumthin. This dude was far more than just a monk inside a saffron robe; he was like a drive of character, a true-existence legend who changed The complete vibe of your borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the center and soul with the Myaing Gyi Ngu location. Born from the late 40s, I believe, but Actually, his age didnt matter bring about he had that outdated-soul Strength from the beginning. He wasnt about that fancy town existence in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle male. He cherished the mountains, the trees, and buildin issues. And Once i say buildin, I indicate buildin. He had this obsession with pagodas. Almost everywhere he went, BAM—An additional pagoda. White types, gold ones, significant types, small kinds. It was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. People today say he built hundreds. Can u imagine? The majority of us cant even finish a LEGO set, which monk is out right here constructin monuments in the middle of a war zone.
Talking of war, thats in which things get actual messy and actual fascinating. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin inside of a temple chanting all day. He was deep from the politics of the Karen people today. Back again while in the 90s, items ended up heated in between the KNU as well as gov. Thuzana, he chose to break up and shaped the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Now, a monk leadin an army Appears crazy, proper? Like, thoroughly versus The foundations. But for his followers, he was protectin the faith. He built his troopers prevent eatin meat. Yeah, a complete army of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore self-control. He desired a "pure" land wherever men and women lived via the Dhamma, or at the very least his version of it.
But hey, dont Imagine he was just some armed forces person. His followers, person, they worshipped the bottom he walked on. They termed him "Sayadaw," which suggests Terrific Instructor, and so they meant it. He experienced this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see A huge number of folks livin there in order to be in close proximity to him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It absolutely was like slightly utopia he click here carved out from the chaos. Even when the outside entire world was lookin at him sideways reason for the conflict, on the locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I keep in mind hearin stories bout how he’d just stroll into risky spots and no-one would touch him. He had that "metta" (loving-kindness) ability, Or even men and women were being just fearful of his spiritual mojo. He passed away in 2018 in the clinic in Bangkok, and man, the funeral was substantial. Like, A huge number of individuals cryin, monks all over the place, an actual unfortunate day for that Burmese Buddhist community. Even now, his legacy is everywhere you go. U see his encounter on posters in very little tea retailers or stickers on vans drivin throughout the mud in Kayin Condition.
He was a complex dude, of course. Lots of people say he was a peacemaker, some say he brought on additional trouble. But u cant deny his impact. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to create it in the world, just one brick and one vegetarian soldier at a time. He lived his lifetime his way, Uncooked and unfiltered, much like the jungle he called home. Regard towards the outdated person, U Thuzana. He was genuinely certainly one of A sort, an actual OG in the Theravāda tradition.