Yo, sit back and let me explain to ya a Tale bout Probably the most wild and respected dudes from the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u in no way heard of him, u probably livin under a rock in the Kayin Condition or sumthin. This dude was a lot more than simply a monk inside of a saffron robe; he was similar to a pressure of mother nature, an actual-everyday living legend who altered The full vibe on the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the center and soul of the Myaing Gyi Ngu place. Born during the late 40s, I believe, but honestly, his age didnt issue lead to he had that previous-soul energy from the beginning. He wasnt about that extravagant metropolis lifestyle in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle man. He beloved the mountains, the trees, and buildin things. And Once i say buildin, I mean buildin. He had this obsession with pagodas. Everywhere he went, BAM—another pagoda. White ones, gold ones, huge kinds, little ones. It was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. Individuals say he designed hundreds. Can u think about? Many of us cant even end a LEGO established, which monk is out here constructin monuments in the middle of a war zone.
Talking of war, thats the place issues get real messy and actual attention-grabbing. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin within a temple chanting all day long. He was deep within the politics with the Karen men and women. Back while in the 90s, points were heated amongst the KNU along with the gov. Thuzana, he chose to break up and formed the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Now, a monk leadin an army sounds crazy, right? Like, entirely versus the rules. But for his followers, he was protectin the faith. He made his troopers stop eatin meat. Yeah, an entire army of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore willpower. He preferred a "pure" land wherever individuals lived with the Dhamma, or a minimum of his version of it.
But hey, dont Consider he was just some navy male. His followers, gentleman, they worshipped the ground he walked on. They identified as him "Sayadaw," which means Wonderful Trainer, and they meant it. He experienced this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see A large number of folks livin there simply to be in close proximity to him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It had been like slightly utopia he carved out from the chaos. Even if the surface entire world was lookin at him sideways cause of the conflict, into the locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I don't forget hearin tales bout how he’d just walk into dangerous places and nobody would contact him. He experienced that "metta" (loving-kindness) power, Or perhaps here men and women were just afraid of his spiritual mojo. He passed absent in 2018 inside a clinic in Bangkok, and male, the funeral was large. Like, A large number of people today cryin, monks all over the place, an actual sad working day with the Burmese Buddhist Neighborhood. Even now, his legacy is almost everywhere. U see his facial area on posters in minor tea outlets or stickers on vehicles drivin with the mud in Kayin Point out.
He was a posh dude, needless to say. Some individuals say he was a peacemaker, some say he caused a lot more difficulty. But u cant deny his influence. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to build it on the planet, one brick and 1 vegetarian soldier at a time. He lived his existence his way, raw and unfiltered, just like the jungle he referred to as house. Regard into the previous man, U Thuzana. He was certainly one among A sort, a true OG in the Theravāda tradition.