Yo, sit back and allow me to explain to ya a Tale bout Among the most wild and revered dudes inside the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u in no way heard about him, u most likely livin underneath a rock from the Kayin State or sumthin. This male was far more than simply a monk in a very saffron robe; he was similar to a drive of character, a true-daily life legend who transformed the whole vibe of your borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the guts and soul from the Myaing Gyi Ngu space. Born in the late 40s, i think, but Actually, his age didnt subject trigger he had that previous-soul Vitality from the start. He wasnt about that fancy town existence in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle person. He loved the mountains, the trees, and buildin matters. And when I say buildin, I necessarily mean buildin. He experienced this obsession with pagodas. Almost everywhere he went, BAM—A different pagoda. White kinds, gold kinds, major types, little ones. It had been like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. Folks say he crafted hundreds. Can u consider? Many of us cant even complete a LEGO set, and this monk is out listed here constructin monuments in the midst of a war zone.
Talking of war, thats wherever matters get real messy and real interesting. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin inside a temple chanting all day. He was deep during the politics on the Karen persons. Back in the 90s, more info points ended up heated involving the KNU as well as gov. Thuzana, he made a decision to split and shaped the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Now, a monk leadin a military Seems mad, proper? Like, absolutely versus The foundations. But for his followers, he was protectin the faith. He manufactured his troopers quit eatin meat. Yeah, a whole Military of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore self-control. He required a "pure" land exactly where persons lived from the Dhamma, or not less than his Edition of it.
But hey, dont Assume he was just some navy person. His followers, gentleman, they worshipped the bottom he walked on. They known as him "Sayadaw," which implies Great Instructor, and so they meant it. He had this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see 1000s of people today livin there just to be around him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It had been like somewhat utopia he carved out on the chaos. Even if the surface planet was lookin at him sideways reason behind the conflict, for the locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I try to remember hearin stories bout how he’d just wander into perilous spots and no-one would contact him. He had that "metta" (loving-kindness) electrical power, Or even men and women were being just fearful of his spiritual mojo. He passed absent in 2018 inside of a clinic in Bangkok, and male, the funeral was large. Like, A large number of men and women cryin, monks just about everywhere, a real unfortunate day for that Burmese Buddhist Neighborhood. Even now, his legacy is almost everywhere. U see his deal with on posters in minor tea stores or stickers on vans drivin through the mud in Kayin Condition.
He was a fancy dude, needless to say. Some people say he was a peacemaker, some say he caused additional difficulties. But u cant deny his impact. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to create it on this planet, a single brick and a person vegetarian soldier at any given time. He lived his lifestyle his way, Uncooked and unfiltered, just like the jungle he termed house. Regard towards the outdated male, U Thuzana. He was actually certainly one of A sort, a real OG on the Theravāda custom.