Yo, sit back and let me notify ya a story bout Probably the most wild and revered dudes from the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u never ever heard about him, u likely livin under a rock within the Kayin Condition or sumthin. This dude was additional than simply a monk within a saffron robe; he was like a force of mother nature, a true-existence legend who changed The entire vibe in the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the heart and soul of your Myaing Gyi Ngu area. Born inside the late 40s, I believe, but Actually, his age didnt matter trigger he experienced that old-soul Vitality from the beginning. He wasnt about that extravagant metropolis life in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle person. He liked the mountains, the trees, and buildin points. And when I say buildin, I mean buildin. He experienced this obsession with pagodas. All over the place he went, BAM—A further pagoda. White types, gold types, huge types, tiny ones. It was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. People today say he developed hundreds. Can u picture? Many of us cant even end a LEGO set, which monk is out listed here constructin monuments in the midst of a war zone.
Speaking of war, thats the place things get genuine messy and serious interesting. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin in the temple chanting all day. He was deep in the politics in the Karen persons. Back again while in the 90s, items were being heated between the KNU as well as gov. Thuzana, he decided to break up and fashioned the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Military. Now, a monk leadin a military Seems outrageous, ideal? Like, absolutely from The foundations. But for his followers, he was protectin the faith. He built his troopers prevent eatin meat. Yeah, a complete Military of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore self-discipline. He wished a "pure" land exactly where people today lived because of the Dhamma, or no less than his Model of it.
But hey, dont Assume he was just some military services male. His followers, man, they worshipped the bottom he walked on. They known as him "Sayadaw," which suggests Terrific Trainer, and so they meant it. He experienced this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see thousands of men and women livin there just to be around him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It had been like somewhat utopia he carved out in the chaos. Even when the surface globe was lookin at him sideways reason for the conflict, for the locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I recall hearin tales bout how he’d just walk into risky spots and nobody would contact him. He experienced that "metta" (loving-kindness) electric power, Or even folks ended up just scared of his spiritual mojo. He handed away in 2018 inside of a hospital in Bangkok, and gentleman, the funeral was large. Like, thousands of folks cryin, monks click here all over the place, a real unhappy day to the Burmese Buddhist community. Even now, his legacy is everywhere you go. U see his confront on posters in little tea outlets or stickers on trucks drivin from the mud in Kayin State.
He was a complex dude, needless to say. Some individuals say he was a peacemaker, some say he brought about a lot more problems. But u cant deny his affect. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to make it on this planet, one brick and one vegetarian soldier at a time. He lived his life his way, Uncooked and unfiltered, just like the jungle he referred to as home. Respect on the outdated gentleman, U Thuzana. He was definitely considered one of A sort, a real OG of the Theravāda custom.