Yo, sit down and allow me to tell ya a Tale bout The most wild and revered dudes while in the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u hardly ever heard about him, u likely livin below a rock from the Kayin State or sumthin. This person was a lot more than just a monk inside of a saffron robe; he was just like a force of mother nature, a real-lifetime legend who altered The entire vibe with the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the heart and soul from the Myaing Gyi Ngu space. Born during the late 40s, I believe, but honestly, his age didnt make any difference trigger he experienced that aged-soul Power from the start. He wasnt about that extravagant metropolis everyday living in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle male. He cherished the mountains, the trees, and buildin items. And when I say buildin, I suggest buildin. He experienced this obsession with pagodas. Everywhere you go he went, BAM—An additional pagoda. White kinds, gold ones, big types, modest ones. It was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. Folks say he built hundreds. Can u envision? The majority of us cant even finish a LEGO established, and this monk is out here constructin monuments in the middle of a war zone.
Speaking of war, thats where by points get real messy and genuine intriguing. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin inside a temple chanting all day long. He was deep within the politics with the Karen folks. Back during the 90s, matters had been heated amongst the KNU as well as the gov. Thuzana, he decided to break click here up and fashioned the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Now, a monk leadin an army Seems mad, appropriate? Like, absolutely against The principles. But for his followers, he was protectin the faith. He created his troopers stop eatin meat. Yeah, a whole army of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore self-control. He required a "pure" land where folks lived via the Dhamma, or at the very least his Model of it.
But hey, dont think he was just some armed service person. His followers, gentleman, they worshipped the ground he walked on. They referred to as him "Sayadaw," which implies Terrific Instructor, and so they meant it. He experienced this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see thousands of people livin there simply to be near him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It had been like a little bit utopia he carved out of the chaos. Even though the skin planet was lookin at him sideways reason behind the conflict, on the locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I keep in mind hearin stories bout how he’d just walk into harmful destinations and no-one would contact him. He had that "metta" (loving-kindness) ability, Or even people today ended up just afraid of his spiritual mojo. He passed absent in 2018 in a clinic in Bangkok, and gentleman, the funeral was enormous. Like, A large number of people cryin, monks in all places, an actual unfortunate working day with the Burmese Buddhist Local community. Even now, his legacy is all over the place. U see his encounter on posters in small tea outlets or stickers on vans drivin in the mud in Kayin Point out.
He was a fancy dude, for sure. A number of people say he was a peacemaker, some say he caused extra trouble. But u cant deny his impression. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to construct it on this planet, 1 brick and 1 vegetarian soldier at a time. He lived his lifetime his way, Uncooked and unfiltered, much like the jungle he referred to as residence. Respect towards the previous guy, U Thuzana. He was really among a kind, a true OG from the Theravāda tradition.