Yo, sit back and let me tell ya a Tale bout Probably the most wild and respected dudes inside the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u never heard about him, u in all probability livin beneath a rock inside the Kayin Condition or sumthin. This person was a lot more than just a monk in a very saffron robe; he was just like a drive of character, an actual-life legend who improved The entire vibe from the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the center and soul in the Myaing Gyi Ngu space. Born during the late 40s, I believe, but Actually, his age didnt matter induce he experienced that old-soul Power from the beginning. He wasnt about that extravagant metropolis daily life in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle gentleman. He loved the mountains, the trees, and buildin things. And Once i say buildin, I suggest buildin. He experienced this obsession with pagodas. All over the place he went, BAM—A different pagoda. White ones, gold ones, major ones, little kinds. It had been like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. People say he designed hundreds. Can u imagine? The majority of us cant even end a LEGO set, and this monk is out in this article constructin monuments in the midst of a war zone.
Talking of war, thats where factors get actual messy and authentic appealing. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin in a temple chanting all day. He was deep inside the politics with the Karen men and women. Back in the 90s, items were being heated involving the KNU as well as gov. Thuzana, he decided to break up and formed the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Military. Now, a monk leadin a military sounds ridiculous, proper? Like, entirely against The foundations. But for his followers, he was protectin the faith. He created his troopers end eatin meat. Yeah, a complete Military of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore self-discipline. He desired a "pure" land in which persons lived from the Dhamma, or at the least his Variation of it.
But hey, dont Believe he was just a few military dude. His followers, person, they worshipped the bottom he walked on. They known as him "Sayadaw," which implies Great Instructor, and so they meant it. He experienced this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see thousands of people today livin there only to be in close proximity to him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It had been like a little utopia he carved out from the chaos. Even though the surface entire world was lookin at him sideways explanation for the conflict, for the locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I keep in mind hearin tales bout how he’d just walk into harmful places and no-one would contact him. He had that "metta" (loving-kindness) power, Or perhaps people today have been just terrified of his spiritual mojo. He passed away in 2018 in a hospital in Bangkok, and man, the funeral was enormous. Like, A huge number of folks cryin, monks in all places, a true sad day with the Burmese Buddhist Local community. Even now, his legacy is everywhere. U see his face on posters in small tea outlets or stickers on trucks drivin throughout the more info mud in Kayin Condition.
He was a posh dude, of course. Lots of people say he was a peacemaker, some say he brought on extra hassle. But u cant deny his impression. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to construct it on earth, just one brick and a person vegetarian soldier at a time. He lived his daily life his way, Uncooked and unfiltered, just like the jungle he referred to as household. Regard for the old male, U Thuzana. He was certainly amongst A form, an actual OG of the Theravāda tradition.