Yo, sit down and let me notify ya a Tale bout Among the most wild and respected dudes from the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u never heard about him, u in all probability livin less than a rock while in the Kayin State or sumthin. This male was extra than simply a monk in the saffron robe; he was similar to a power of character, a true-lifestyle legend who transformed the whole vibe in the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the guts and soul of the Myaing Gyi Ngu spot. Born within the late 40s, I do think, but Actually, his age didnt issue induce he experienced that old-soul Electricity from the start. He wasnt about that fancy town life in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle guy. He cherished the mountains, the trees, and buildin factors. And Once i say buildin, I indicate buildin. He had this obsession with pagodas. Everywhere you go he went, BAM—One more pagoda. White kinds, gold ones, major types, smaller kinds. It was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. Individuals say he crafted hundreds. Can u picture? Most of us cant even complete a LEGO established, and this monk is out right here constructin monuments in the course of a war zone.
Talking of war, thats wherever points get serious messy and authentic attention-grabbing. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin inside a temple chanting all day long. He was deep from the politics in the Karen men and women. Again from the 90s, points were heated among the KNU as well as the gov. Thuzana, he made a decision to break up and shaped the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Now, a monk leadin a military sounds crazy, correct? Like, completely from The foundations. But for his followers, he was protectin the religion. He created his troopers quit eatin meat. Yeah, a complete Military of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore self-discipline. He wanted a "pure" land where folks lived by the Dhamma, or at the least his Model of it.
But hey, dont think he was just a few armed service man. His followers, male, they worshipped the bottom he walked on. They referred to as him "Sayadaw," which means Wonderful Teacher, they usually meant it. He had this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see A huge number of individuals livin there just to be around him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It was like just a little utopia he carved out in the chaos. Regardless of whether the skin world was lookin at him sideways reason for the conflict, towards the locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I don't forget hearin tales bout how he’d just wander into hazardous areas and nobody would contact him. He had that "metta" (loving-kindness) power, Or perhaps people had been just terrified of his spiritual mojo. He handed away in 2018 in the hospital in Bangkok, and male, the funeral was substantial. Like, Many individuals cryin, monks just about everywhere, a real unfortunate day for your Burmese Buddhist community. Even now, his legacy is in all places. U see his encounter on posters in little tea outlets or stickers on vans drivin in the mud in Kayin Point out.
He was a fancy dude, for sure. Lots of people say he was a peacemaker, some say he induced additional difficulties. But u cant deny his affect. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to create it in the world, one brick and one vegetarian soldier at any given time. He lived his existence his way, raw and unfiltered, much more info like the jungle he named property. Regard towards the old man, U Thuzana. He was actually amongst a kind, an actual OG of the Theravāda custom.