Yo, sit back and let me tell ya a Tale bout Just about the most wild and revered dudes while in the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u by no means heard about him, u probably livin less than a rock within the Kayin Condition or sumthin. This guy was a lot more than simply a monk in a saffron robe; he was just like a power of nature, a real-existence legend who improved The entire vibe in the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the heart and soul with the Myaing Gyi Ngu place. Born within the late 40s, I believe, but honestly, his age didnt issue lead to he experienced that old-soul Electrical power from the start. He wasnt about that fancy metropolis existence in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle gentleman. He cherished the mountains, the trees, and buildin things. And After i say buildin, I necessarily mean buildin. He had this obsession with pagodas. Almost everywhere he went, BAM—another pagoda. White ones, gold ones, massive types, smaller ones. It absolutely was 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 set, which monk is out listed here constructin monuments in the course of a war zone.
Talking of war, thats wherever factors get authentic messy and actual intriguing. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin in a very temple chanting all day long. He was deep from the politics of the Karen folks. Back within the 90s, issues had been heated amongst the KNU and the gov. Thuzana, he made a decision to split and formed the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Now, a monk leadin an army Appears insane, right? Like, absolutely versus The foundations. But for his followers, he was protectin the faith. He built his soldiers cease eatin meat. Yeah, an entire Military of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore discipline. He needed a "pure" land where individuals lived via the Dhamma, or no less than his Edition of it.
But hey, dont Assume he was just some armed service man. His followers, male, they worshipped the ground he walked on. They referred to as him "Sayadaw," meaning Great Teacher, they usually intended it. He had this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see thousands of people today livin there in order to be in the vicinity of him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It absolutely was like a little utopia he carved out with the chaos. Regardless of whether the surface entire world was lookin at him sideways reason for the conflict, into the locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I try to remember hearin tales bout how he’d just stroll into unsafe destinations and no-one would touch him. He experienced more info that "metta" (loving-kindness) electric power, Or even folks ended up just petrified of his spiritual mojo. He passed away in 2018 in a very clinic in Bangkok, and person, the funeral was huge. Like, A huge number of people cryin, monks everywhere you go, a true unfortunate day for the Burmese Buddhist Neighborhood. Even now, his legacy is just about everywhere. U see his experience on posters in minimal tea retailers or stickers on trucks drivin with the mud in Kayin State.
He was a complex dude, needless to say. A number of people say he was a peacemaker, some say he induced far more trouble. But u cant deny his effects. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to create it on this planet, one particular brick and 1 vegetarian soldier at any given time. He lived his daily life his way, raw and unfiltered, just like the jungle he called property. Respect to the aged guy, U Thuzana. He was definitely one among A form, a true OG from the Theravāda tradition.