Yo, sit back and allow me to tell ya a Tale bout Just about the most wild and respected dudes while in the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u never heard about him, u probably livin underneath a rock in the Kayin State or sumthin. This man was additional than simply a monk within a saffron robe; he was just like a power of nature, a true-existence legend who transformed the whole vibe from the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the guts and soul with the Myaing Gyi Ngu location. Born from the late 40s, i think, but Actually, his age didnt subject cause he had that aged-soul Strength from the start. He wasnt about that extravagant city everyday living in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle person. He cherished the mountains, the trees, and buildin items. And After i say buildin, I suggest buildin. He experienced this obsession with pagodas. Everywhere he went, BAM—A different pagoda. White ones, gold ones, significant kinds, compact kinds. It absolutely was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. People say he created hundreds. Can u consider? Most of us cant even finish a LEGO established, and this monk is out right here constructin monuments in the middle of a war zone.
Speaking of war, thats the place factors get authentic messy and authentic attention-grabbing. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin inside of a temple chanting all day. He was deep within the politics on the Karen people today. Back again while in the 90s, points have been heated between the KNU and here the gov. Thuzana, he chose to break up and fashioned the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Now, a monk leadin a military sounds nuts, appropriate? Like, absolutely towards The principles. But for his followers, he was protectin the religion. He produced his soldiers quit eatin meat. Yeah, a complete Military of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore willpower. He required a "pure" land exactly where folks lived from the Dhamma, or no less than his Variation of it.
But hey, dont Assume he was just a few military services man. His followers, person, they worshipped the bottom he walked on. They termed him "Sayadaw," which suggests Great Teacher, and they intended it. He had this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see A huge number of individuals livin there only 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 outside globe 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 tales bout how he’d just wander into dangerous destinations and nobody would touch him. He had that "metta" (loving-kindness) electricity, Or possibly individuals ended up just frightened of his spiritual mojo. He handed absent in 2018 inside a hospital in Bangkok, and person, the funeral was massive. Like, 1000s of people cryin, monks all over the place, a true sad day for that Burmese Buddhist Group. Even now, his legacy is everywhere you go. U see his deal with on posters in minimal tea shops or stickers on vehicles drivin from the mud in Kayin State.
He was a fancy dude, needless to say. Some individuals say he was a peacemaker, some say he induced more trouble. But u cant deny his impact. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to build it on earth, just one brick and a single vegetarian soldier at any given time. He lived his lifestyle his way, Uncooked and unfiltered, just like the jungle he identified as residence. Regard into the aged male, U Thuzana. He was actually one of A sort, an actual OG on the Theravāda custom.