Yo, sit down and allow me to tell ya a Tale bout Among the most wild and respected dudes within the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u never ever heard of him, u likely livin below a rock while in the Kayin Condition or sumthin. This male was more than simply a monk inside a saffron robe; he was just like a force of nature, a true-daily life legend who transformed The full vibe with the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the heart and soul of your Myaing Gyi Ngu space. Born during the late 40s, I feel, but Actually, his age didnt subject trigger he experienced that previous-soul energy from the start. He wasnt about that extravagant city life in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle man. He loved the mountains, the trees, and buildin points. And when I say buildin, I signify buildin. He experienced this obsession with pagodas. Just about everywhere he went, BAM—An additional pagoda. White ones, gold ones, large kinds, little ones. It absolutely was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. Persons say he created hundreds. Can u envision? The majority of us cant even end a LEGO established, which monk is out right here constructin monuments in the midst of a war zone.
Talking of war, thats where things get true messy and real attention-grabbing. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin in the temple chanting all day. He was deep within the politics with the Karen people. Back from the 90s, points were being heated amongst the KNU plus the gov. Thuzana, he chose to split and shaped the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Military. Now, a monk leadin an army sounds crazy, ideal? Like, absolutely from The principles. But for his followers, he was protectin the faith. He produced his troopers prevent eatin meat. Yeah, an entire army of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore self-control. He required a "pure" land wherever people today lived via the Dhamma, or at least his Edition of it.
But hey, dont Feel he was just a few armed service guy. His followers, gentleman, they worshipped the ground he walked on. They termed him "Sayadaw," which implies Great Instructor, plus they intended it. He experienced this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see Sayadaw Thuzana A large number of folks livin there only to be in close proximity to him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It absolutely was like somewhat utopia he carved out in the chaos. Although the skin globe was lookin at him sideways reason for the conflict, to the locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I remember hearin stories bout how he’d just wander into risky locations and nobody would contact him. He experienced that "metta" (loving-kindness) electrical power, Or perhaps men and women ended up just frightened of his spiritual mojo. He passed absent in 2018 inside a clinic in Bangkok, and man, the funeral was big. Like, Countless men and women cryin, monks in all places, an actual unfortunate day for that Burmese Buddhist Local community. Even now, his legacy is just about everywhere. U see his encounter on posters in small tea retailers or stickers on vans drivin through the mud in Kayin Point out.
He was a fancy dude, of course. A number of people say he was a peacemaker, some say he prompted much more difficulties. But u cant deny his effects. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to construct it on earth, a single brick and just one vegetarian soldier at a time. He lived his daily life his way, Uncooked and unfiltered, just like the jungle he named property. Respect for the old guy, U Thuzana. He was actually one of A sort, an actual OG from the Theravāda custom.