Yo, sit down and let me explain to ya a story bout one of the most wild and respected dudes while in the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u by no means heard about him, u possibly livin beneath a rock in the Kayin State or sumthin. This dude was much more than simply a monk in the saffron robe; he was like a force of character, a real-life legend who altered the whole vibe of the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the center and soul of your Myaing Gyi Ngu space. Born from the late 40s, i think, but Truthfully, his age didnt make any difference lead to he had that old-soul Strength from the start. He wasnt about that fancy metropolis daily life in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle guy. He beloved the mountains, the trees, and buildin points. And when I say buildin, I imply buildin. He experienced this obsession with pagodas. In all places he went, BAM—A different pagoda. White ones, gold kinds, major kinds, small kinds. It absolutely was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. Men and women say he crafted hundreds. Can u picture? Most of us cant even complete a LEGO established, and this monk is out in this article constructin monuments in the course of a war zone.
Talking of war, thats in which matters get true messy and actual appealing. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin within a temple chanting all day. He was deep during the politics on the Karen folks. Back again in the 90s, items were heated among the KNU and the gov. Thuzana, he decided to break up and formed the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Now, a monk leadin an army Appears crazy, proper? Like, completely against The principles. But for his followers, he was protectin the religion. He produced his troopers cease eatin meat. Yeah, an entire Military of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore discipline. He wished a "pure" land where persons lived from the Dhamma, or no less than his version of it.
But hey, dont Assume he was just a few armed forces person. His followers, man, they worshipped the ground he walked on. They called him "Sayadaw," which implies Fantastic Trainer, plus they intended it. He had this aura. If u went read more to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see A huge number of individuals livin there just to be near him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It was like just a little utopia he carved out of your chaos. Even if the outside environment was lookin at him sideways cause of the conflict, into the locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I remember hearin tales bout how he’d just walk into perilous locations and nobody would contact him. He had that "metta" (loving-kindness) electricity, Or perhaps individuals had been just terrified of his spiritual mojo. He handed absent in 2018 inside a healthcare facility in Bangkok, and guy, the funeral was enormous. Like, A huge number of men and women cryin, monks everywhere, an actual unhappy working day to the Burmese Buddhist Neighborhood. Even now, his legacy is just about everywhere. U see his confront on posters in minimal tea outlets or stickers on trucks drivin through the mud in Kayin State.
He was a complex dude, obviously. Lots of people say he was a peacemaker, some say he triggered more trouble. But u cant deny his influence. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to create it on the planet, one particular brick and a single vegetarian soldier at a time. He lived his existence his way, raw and unfiltered, just like the jungle he named household. Regard for the outdated male, U Thuzana. He was definitely certainly one of A form, a true OG on the Theravāda tradition.