Yo, sit back and allow me to convey to ya a Tale bout Among the most wild and respected dudes while in the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u never ever heard about him, u probably livin less than a rock inside the Kayin Point out or sumthin. This guy was extra than simply a monk inside a saffron robe; he was like a power of mother nature, a real-daily life legend who transformed The complete vibe of your borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the heart and soul on the Myaing Gyi Ngu place. Born while in the late 40s, i think, but Actually, his age didnt subject bring about he experienced that previous-soul Electrical power from the beginning. He wasnt about that fancy metropolis life in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle male. He liked the mountains, the trees, and buildin items. And After i say buildin, I signify buildin. He experienced this obsession with pagodas. Just about everywhere he went, BAM—An additional pagoda. White kinds, gold ones, big ones, smaller types. It was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. Individuals say he created hundreds. Can u picture? Most of us cant even finish a LEGO set, which monk is out here constructin monuments in the middle of a war zone.
Talking of war, thats where by items get real messy and real attention-grabbing. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin inside a temple chanting all day long. He was deep while in the politics on the Karen people. Back inside the 90s, matters were heated concerning the KNU along with the gov. Thuzana, he chose to break up and fashioned here the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Now, a monk leadin an army Appears insane, ideal? Like, entirely in opposition to the rules. But for his followers, he was protectin the religion. He produced his troopers end eatin meat. Yeah, a complete Military of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore willpower. He required a "pure" land in which people lived because of the Dhamma, or no less than his Variation of it.
But hey, dont Believe he was just a few navy man. His followers, gentleman, they worshipped the bottom he walked on. They named him "Sayadaw," which implies Terrific Trainer, and so they intended it. He experienced this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see Countless individuals livin there just to be around him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It was like slightly utopia he carved out on the chaos. Regardless of whether the skin planet was lookin at him sideways reason behind the conflict, to your locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I try to remember hearin stories bout how he’d just walk into unsafe spots and nobody would contact him. He experienced that "metta" (loving-kindness) energy, Or possibly men and women were being just frightened of his spiritual mojo. He handed away in 2018 inside of a medical center in Bangkok, and man, the funeral was large. Like, Many people cryin, monks everywhere you go, a true unhappy working day with the Burmese Buddhist Group. Even now, his legacy is almost everywhere. U see his facial area on posters in minor tea outlets or stickers on vehicles drivin in the mud in Kayin Point out.
He was a fancy dude, needless to say. Some people say he was a peacemaker, some say he caused additional difficulty. But u cant deny his effects. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to construct it on this planet, 1 brick and a single vegetarian soldier at a time. He lived his life his way, raw and unfiltered, much like the jungle he identified as home. Regard towards the previous man, U Thuzana. He was definitely among A sort, a true OG on the Theravāda tradition.