Yo, sit down and allow me to explain to 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 in all probability livin underneath a rock during the Kayin State or sumthin. This man was additional than simply a monk inside of a saffron robe; he was like a force of character, an actual-daily life legend who modified The entire vibe in the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the center and soul with the Myaing Gyi Ngu space. Born inside the late 40s, I do think, but Actually, his age didnt issue induce he experienced that previous-soul energy from the beginning. He wasnt about that fancy city lifetime in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle male. He loved the mountains, the trees, and buildin items. And Once i say buildin, I imply buildin. He had this obsession with pagodas. In all places he went, BAM—A further pagoda. White ones, gold types, major types, modest types. It was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. People say he developed hundreds. Can u imagine? Many of us cant even end a LEGO established, which monk is out below constructin monuments in the middle of a war zone.
Talking of war, thats where by factors get serious messy and authentic appealing. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin within a temple chanting all day long. He was deep inside the politics with the Karen folks. Back during the 90s, things were heated in between the KNU as well as the gov. Thuzana, he chose to split and fashioned the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Now, a monk leadin an army Appears nuts, right? Like, completely in opposition to The principles. But for his followers, he was protectin the faith. He manufactured his troopers quit eatin meat. Yeah, an entire army of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore discipline. He required a "pure" land where people lived from the Dhamma, or at the least his Model of it.
But hey, dont Imagine he was just some armed forces man. His followers, guy, they worshipped the bottom he walked on. They called him "Sayadaw," which suggests Good Teacher, plus more info they meant it. He had this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see 1000s of folks livin there only to be close to him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It absolutely was like a little utopia he carved out from the chaos. Whether or not the outside globe was lookin at him sideways reason for the conflict, to your locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I bear in mind hearin stories bout how he’d just stroll into dangerous locations and no-one would contact him. He had that "metta" (loving-kindness) energy, Or possibly persons had been just petrified of his spiritual mojo. He handed absent in 2018 in the clinic in Bangkok, and gentleman, the funeral was big. Like, A large number of men and women cryin, monks everywhere, a real unfortunate working day with the Burmese Buddhist community. Even now, his legacy is all over the place. U see his encounter on posters in minimal tea retailers or stickers on trucks drivin through the mud in Kayin Condition.
He was a complex dude, obviously. Many people say he was a peacemaker, some say he brought about much more issues. But u cant deny his impression. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to construct it on the planet, a single brick and one particular vegetarian soldier at a time. He lived his existence his way, raw and unfiltered, much like the jungle he named dwelling. Respect towards the outdated guy, U Thuzana. He was certainly amongst a kind, a true OG of the Theravāda custom.