Yo, sit down and allow me to explain to ya a Tale bout Probably the most wild and revered dudes from the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u never heard of him, u probably livin less than a rock in the Kayin Condition or sumthin. This male was much more than simply a monk inside of a saffron robe; he was like a drive of character, a real-everyday living legend who modified The complete vibe of the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the heart and soul on the Myaing Gyi Ngu location. Born while in the late 40s, I feel, but Actually, his age didnt make any difference cause he had that aged-soul Strength from the start. He wasnt about that fancy city existence in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle person. He liked the mountains, the trees, and buildin points. And Once i say buildin, I signify buildin. He had this obsession with pagodas. Everywhere you go he went, BAM—another pagoda. White kinds, gold types, huge types, smaller types. It absolutely was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. Individuals say he designed hundreds. Can u envision? The majority of us cant even complete a LEGO established, which monk is out in this article constructin monuments in the middle of a war zone.
Speaking of war, thats exactly where items get authentic messy and actual attention-grabbing. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin inside a temple chanting all day. He was deep from the politics in the Karen men and women. Again while in the 90s, read more points had been heated amongst the KNU as well as gov. Thuzana, he made a decision to break up and formed the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Now, a monk leadin a military Seems nuts, suitable? Like, fully in opposition to the rules. But for his followers, he was protectin the faith. He produced his soldiers stop eatin meat. Yeah, an entire Military of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore willpower. He wished a "pure" land in which individuals lived by the Dhamma, or a minimum of his version of it.
But hey, dont Consider he was just some army guy. His followers, man, they worshipped the ground he walked on. They known as him "Sayadaw," which suggests Great Instructor, plus they meant it. He experienced this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see A large number of individuals livin there only to be close to him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It had been like a little utopia he carved out of the chaos. Regardless of whether the surface entire world was lookin at him sideways cause of the conflict, towards the locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I try to remember hearin stories bout how he’d just wander into harmful sites and no-one would touch him. He experienced that "metta" (loving-kindness) ability, Or even folks had been just frightened of his spiritual mojo. He handed absent in 2018 in a hospital in Bangkok, and man, the funeral was huge. Like, 1000s of people cryin, monks all over the place, an actual sad day with the Burmese Buddhist Group. Even now, his legacy is everywhere you go. U see his facial area on posters in minor tea stores or stickers on vehicles drivin through the mud in Kayin State.
He was a posh dude, of course. A number of people say he was a peacemaker, some say he prompted much more hassle. But u cant deny his effects. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to construct it in the world, a single brick and 1 vegetarian soldier at any given time. He lived his existence his way, raw and unfiltered, much like the jungle he referred to as home. Regard to the old gentleman, U Thuzana. He was truly among A form, a real OG on the Theravāda custom.