Yo, sit down and allow me to convey to ya a Tale bout The most wild and revered dudes during the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u hardly ever heard about him, u likely livin beneath a rock from the Kayin State or sumthin. This guy was much more than just a monk inside of a saffron robe; he was similar to a force of mother nature, a true-existence legend who transformed The full vibe of the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the heart and soul from the Myaing Gyi Ngu space. Born from the late 40s, I do think, but honestly, his age didnt issue result in he had that aged-soul Strength from the start. He wasnt about that extravagant metropolis lifetime in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle man. He cherished the mountains, the trees, and buildin items. And After i say buildin, I mean buildin. He had this obsession with pagodas. All over the place he went, BAM—An additional pagoda. White types, gold ones, significant types, small types. It was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. People today say he created hundreds. Can u visualize? Many of us cant even end a LEGO set, and this monk is out in this article constructin monuments in the course of a war zone.
Speaking of war, thats wherever issues get authentic messy and real attention-grabbing. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin inside a temple chanting all day long. He was deep from the politics of your Karen folks. Back within the 90s, matters ended up heated concerning the KNU as well as the gov. Thuzana, he made a decision to split and formed the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Military. Now, a monk leadin an army Appears mad, right? Like, thoroughly versus the rules. But for his followers, he was protectin the faith. He made his troopers halt eatin meat. Yeah, a complete Military of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore discipline. He required a "pure" land where persons lived from the Dhamma, or no less than his version of it.
But hey, dont Consider he was check here just a few army man. His followers, guy, they worshipped the bottom he walked on. They named him "Sayadaw," which means Excellent Teacher, plus they meant it. He experienced this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see A huge number of people livin there just to be in close proximity to him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It was like slightly utopia he carved out of the chaos. Although the outside globe was lookin at him sideways explanation for the conflict, to your locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I recall hearin stories bout how he’d just walk into dangerous areas and no-one would contact him. He experienced that "metta" (loving-kindness) electricity, Or possibly people had been just terrified of his spiritual mojo. He handed away in 2018 within a hospital in Bangkok, and male, the funeral was big. Like, A huge number of individuals cryin, monks everywhere you go, a true unfortunate working day for that Burmese Buddhist Local community. Even now, his legacy is just about everywhere. U see his encounter on posters in tiny tea shops or stickers on trucks drivin in the mud in Kayin State.
He was a fancy dude, needless to say. A lot of people say he was a peacemaker, some say he caused much more difficulties. But u cant deny his influence. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to develop it on this planet, one particular brick and one vegetarian soldier at any given time. He lived his existence his way, Uncooked and unfiltered, just like the jungle he known as property. Regard to the previous gentleman, U Thuzana. He was genuinely certainly one of a kind, an actual OG in the Theravāda custom.