Yo, sit back and let me notify ya a Tale bout Just about the most wild and respected dudes within the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u under no circumstances heard of him, u possibly livin under a rock in the Kayin Point out or sumthin. This guy was additional than simply a monk inside of a saffron robe; he was like a drive of character, an actual-lifestyle legend who transformed The full vibe from the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the guts and soul on the Myaing Gyi Ngu place. Born during the late 40s, i think, but Actually, his age didnt issue induce he had that previous-soul Electricity from the beginning. He wasnt about that extravagant city lifetime 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. All over the place he went, BAM—another pagoda. White ones, gold types, significant ones, small types. It was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. Folks say he developed hundreds. Can u imagine? Many of us cant even finish a LEGO established, which monk is out in this article constructin monuments in the course of a war zone.
Talking of war, thats where matters get real messy and real interesting. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin in a very temple chanting all day. He was deep from the politics of the Karen people today. Back again from the 90s, issues ended up heated concerning the KNU and also the gov. Thuzana, he chose to split and fashioned the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Military. Now, a monk leadin an army Seems outrageous, right? Like, thoroughly versus The foundations. But for his followers, he was protectin the religion. He made his troopers end eatin meat. Yeah, a whole army of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore willpower. He wanted a "pure" land in which persons lived by the Dhamma, or at the least his Edition of it.
But hey, dont Assume he was just a few military services dude. His followers, gentleman, they worshipped the bottom he walked on. They known as him "Sayadaw," which suggests Fantastic Teacher, they usually intended it. He had this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see Countless individuals livin there simply to be close to him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It had been like a little utopia he carved out on the chaos. Even though the outside earth was lookin at him sideways reason for the conflict, towards the locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I try more info to remember hearin tales bout how he’d just stroll into risky areas and nobody would touch him. He had that "metta" (loving-kindness) electricity, Or even men and women had been just afraid of his spiritual mojo. He passed absent in 2018 within a hospital in Bangkok, and person, the funeral was massive. Like, Many men and women cryin, monks all over the place, a real unfortunate day for the Burmese Buddhist Local community. Even now, his legacy is everywhere you go. U see his encounter on posters in small tea shops or stickers on trucks drivin throughout the mud in Kayin State.
He was a posh dude, of course. Lots of people say he was a peacemaker, some say he prompted more difficulties. But u cant deny his effects. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to make it on this planet, one particular brick and just one vegetarian soldier at a time. He lived his everyday living his way, raw and unfiltered, much like the jungle he named house. Respect on the outdated gentleman, U Thuzana. He was certainly certainly one of A sort, an actual OG in the Theravāda tradition.