Yo, sit down and allow me to tell ya a Tale bout One of the more wild and revered dudes inside the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u in no way heard about him, u possibly livin less than a rock inside the Kayin Condition or sumthin. This man was more than simply a monk in a very saffron robe; he was like a drive of character, a true-lifestyle legend who modified The full vibe with the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the heart and soul of your Myaing Gyi Ngu space. Born inside the late 40s, I feel, but Truthfully, his age didnt issue lead to he had that previous-soul Electricity from the beginning. He wasnt about that fancy town existence in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle gentleman. He liked the mountains, the trees, and buildin matters. And Once i say buildin, I imply buildin. He experienced this obsession with pagodas. Everywhere you go he went, BAM—Yet another pagoda. White kinds, gold types, major ones, little ones. It was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. Folks say he developed hundreds. Can u consider? Many of us cant even finish a LEGO established, which monk is out in this article constructin monuments in the middle of a war zone.
Talking of war, thats wherever matters get real messy and serious interesting. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin within a temple chanting all day long. He was deep during the politics from the Karen people today. Back within the 90s, factors ended up heated amongst the KNU as well as the gov. Thuzana, he decided to break up and shaped the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Now, a monk leadin an army Seems outrageous, correct? Like, fully versus the rules. But for his followers, he was protectin the faith. He designed his soldiers halt eatin meat. Yeah, a whole army of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore discipline. He required a "pure" land the place persons lived through the Dhamma, or a minimum of his Model of it.
But hey, dont Feel he was just some armed forces male. His followers, man, they worshipped the bottom he walked on. They named him "Sayadaw," meaning Fantastic Teacher, and so they meant it. He experienced this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see 1000s of men and women livin there only to be near him. No booze, no read more meat, just pure devotion. It was like somewhat utopia he carved out from the chaos. Even if the skin planet was lookin at him sideways explanation for the conflict, to the locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I keep in mind hearin tales bout how he’d just walk into dangerous places and no-one would touch him. He had that "metta" (loving-kindness) electric power, Or perhaps persons had been just frightened of his spiritual mojo. He handed away in 2018 inside of a clinic in Bangkok, and person, the funeral was large. Like, Countless individuals cryin, monks all over the place, an actual unhappy working day to the Burmese Buddhist Group. Even now, his legacy is almost everywhere. U see his face on posters in tiny tea stores or stickers on vehicles drivin in the mud in Kayin Point out.
He was a posh dude, of course. Some individuals say he was a peacemaker, some say he induced more problems. But u cant deny his affect. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to build it on earth, 1 brick and a single vegetarian soldier at any given time. He lived his daily life his way, raw and unfiltered, much like the jungle he known as house. Respect for the previous gentleman, U Thuzana. He was certainly one of A sort, an actual OG of the Theravāda custom.