Yo, sit down and let me inform ya a story bout Among the most wild and respected dudes from the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u hardly ever heard about him, u almost certainly livin under a rock in the Kayin Condition or sumthin. This person was extra than simply a monk inside of a saffron robe; he was similar to a drive of nature, an actual-life legend who transformed The full vibe of the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the heart and soul with the Myaing Gyi Ngu location. Born in the late 40s, i think, but Actually, his age didnt subject result in he had that outdated-soul energy from the beginning. He wasnt about that extravagant town lifetime in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle person. He loved the mountains, the trees, and buildin factors. And After i say buildin, I mean buildin. He had this obsession with pagodas. Everywhere you go he went, BAM—Yet another pagoda. White kinds, gold kinds, big kinds, modest kinds. It was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. Men and women say he created hundreds. Can u visualize? Most of us cant even finish a LEGO set, which monk is out right here constructin monuments in the midst of a war zone.
Speaking of war, thats where by items get true messy and serious intriguing. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin in the temple chanting all day long. He was deep from the politics in the Karen men and women. Back while in the 90s, things ended up heated amongst the KNU and the gov. Thuzana, he decided to break up and formed the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Now, a monk leadin a military sounds crazy, right? Like, totally towards The foundations. But for his followers, he was protectin the faith. He produced his soldiers stop eatin meat. Yeah, an entire army of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore willpower. He preferred a "pure" land wherever folks lived via the Dhamma, or a minimum of his Variation of it.
But hey, dont Imagine he was just a few armed forces guy. His followers, gentleman, they worshipped the bottom he walked on. They identified as him "Sayadaw," meaning Fantastic Trainer, plus they intended it. He had this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see A large number of folks livin there just to be in the vicinity of him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It was like slightly utopia he carved out of your chaos. Although the skin earth was lookin at him sideways cause of the conflict, to your locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I remember hearin stories bout how he’d just stroll into harmful places and no-one would touch him. He had that "metta" (loving-kindness) electric power, or maybe click here people today had been just terrified of his spiritual mojo. He handed absent in 2018 inside a healthcare facility in Bangkok, and guy, the funeral was massive. Like, 1000s of individuals cryin, monks all over the place, a true unfortunate day for the Burmese Buddhist community. Even now, his legacy is just about everywhere. U see his deal with on posters in small tea stores or stickers on vans drivin throughout the mud in Kayin Condition.
He was a fancy dude, needless to say. Lots of people say he was a peacemaker, some say he brought on far more difficulties. But u cant deny his impression. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to create it on earth, 1 brick and 1 vegetarian soldier at any given time. He lived his existence his way, raw and unfiltered, just like the jungle he termed property. Respect to the old person, U Thuzana. He was really among A sort, a true OG in the Theravāda tradition.