Yo, sit down and let me explain to ya a story bout Just about the most wild and respected dudes from the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u by no means heard about him, u probably livin under a rock inside the Kayin Point out or sumthin. This man was much more than just a monk inside of a saffron robe; he was just like a force of mother nature, a real-life legend who modified The entire vibe from the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the guts and soul of the Myaing Gyi Ngu region. Born during the late 40s, I believe, but Actually, his age didnt issue result in he had that aged-soul Strength from the start. He wasnt about that extravagant town lifestyle in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle person. He liked the mountains, the trees, and buildin factors. And when I say buildin, I signify buildin. He had this obsession with pagodas. Everywhere you go he went, BAM—A further pagoda. White kinds, gold kinds, big kinds, tiny kinds. It had been like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. Men and women say he constructed hundreds. Can u envision? The majority of us cant even end a LEGO established, which monk is out listed here constructin monuments in the middle of a war zone.
Talking of war, thats where by things get genuine messy and real fascinating. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin inside of a temple chanting all day long. He was deep within the politics on the Karen folks. Again while in the 90s, issues read more ended up heated involving the KNU plus the gov. Thuzana, he chose to break up and formed the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Now, a monk leadin an army Appears ridiculous, ideal? Like, fully towards The foundations. But for his followers, he was protectin the religion. He manufactured his soldiers stop eatin meat. Yeah, an entire army of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore self-control. He required a "pure" land wherever individuals lived by the Dhamma, or no less than his Edition of it.
But hey, dont Imagine he was just a few army man. His followers, man, they worshipped the bottom he walked on. They called him "Sayadaw," which suggests Fantastic Trainer, and so they meant it. He had this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see 1000s of men and women livin there just to be around him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It had been like a bit utopia he carved out from the chaos. Whether or not the surface planet was lookin at him sideways explanation for the conflict, to the locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I don't forget hearin stories bout how he’d just walk into unsafe places and nobody would contact him. He experienced that "metta" (loving-kindness) electricity, or maybe people today were just frightened of his spiritual mojo. He handed away in 2018 inside of a hospital in Bangkok, and guy, the funeral was substantial. Like, Countless persons cryin, monks just about everywhere, a true sad working day for the Burmese Buddhist community. Even now, his legacy is everywhere you go. U see his deal with on posters in tiny tea stores or stickers on vehicles drivin from the mud in Kayin State.
He was a complex dude, needless to say. A lot of people say he was a peacemaker, some say he brought on much more difficulties. But u cant deny his influence. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to develop it on this planet, a single brick and one particular vegetarian soldier at a time. He lived his everyday living his way, raw and unfiltered, much like the jungle he identified as house. Respect for the outdated person, U Thuzana. He was genuinely among A sort, a real OG with the Theravāda tradition.