Yo, sit back and allow me to inform ya a story bout One of the more wild and revered dudes during the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u by no means heard of him, u possibly livin under a rock while in the Kayin Condition or sumthin. This guy was much more than just a monk inside of a saffron robe; he was like a drive of nature, an actual-everyday living legend who transformed the whole vibe of the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the center and soul of your Myaing Gyi Ngu location. Born inside the late 40s, I feel, but honestly, his age didnt subject result in he experienced that outdated-soul Electrical power from the start. He wasnt about that fancy city everyday living in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle male. He cherished the mountains, the trees, and buildin points. And After i say buildin, I necessarily mean buildin. He experienced this obsession with pagodas. Almost everywhere he went, BAM—An additional pagoda. White types, gold types, massive ones, little ones. It had been like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. People say he designed hundreds. Can u think about? The majority of us cant even end a LEGO set, which monk is out in this article constructin monuments in the middle of a war zone.
Speaking of war, thats where factors get real messy and true intriguing. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin in a temple chanting all day. He was deep in the politics of your Karen individuals. Back while in the 90s, factors ended up heated among the KNU and the gov. Thuzana, he decided to split and formed the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Military. Now, a monk leadin an army Seems crazy, appropriate? Like, completely from The principles. But for his followers, he was protectin the faith. He designed his troopers quit eatin meat. Yeah, a complete Military of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore self-discipline. He required a "pure" land exactly where people today lived here from the Dhamma, or a minimum of his Edition of it.
But hey, dont Consider he was just a few army dude. His followers, guy, they worshipped the bottom he walked on. They named him "Sayadaw," which implies Excellent Instructor, they usually meant it. He had this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see 1000s of folks livin there just to be around him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It was like somewhat utopia he carved out from the chaos. Even though the skin world was lookin at him sideways cause of the conflict, for the locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I remember hearin stories bout how he’d just walk into risky places and no-one would touch him. He had that "metta" (loving-kindness) energy, Or even people have been just scared of his spiritual mojo. He handed absent in 2018 within a clinic in Bangkok, and man, the funeral was substantial. Like, A large number of people cryin, monks just about everywhere, an actual unfortunate working day to the Burmese Buddhist Neighborhood. Even now, his legacy is almost everywhere. U see his confront on posters in minimal tea retailers or stickers on vehicles drivin throughout the mud in Kayin State.
He was a fancy dude, of course. A number of people say he was a peacemaker, some say he triggered extra difficulties. But u cant deny his impact. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to build it on this planet, just one brick and a single vegetarian soldier at a time. He lived his life his way, Uncooked and unfiltered, much like the jungle he named property. Respect into the previous person, U Thuzana. He was really among A sort, an actual OG of the Theravāda custom.