Yo, sit back and let me convey to ya a story bout The most wild and revered dudes in the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u under no circumstances heard about him, u likely livin below a rock in the Kayin Condition or sumthin. This dude was far more than just a monk in a very saffron robe; he was like a force of nature, a true-lifetime legend who altered The entire vibe with the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the guts and soul in the Myaing Gyi Ngu space. Born inside the late 40s, i think, but Actually, his age didnt make a difference induce he had that old-soul Strength from the beginning. He wasnt about that extravagant town daily life in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle guy. He liked the mountains, the trees, and buildin things. And After i say buildin, I imply buildin. He experienced this obsession with pagodas. Everywhere he went, BAM—another pagoda. White kinds, gold types, big kinds, compact kinds. It absolutely was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. Folks say he crafted hundreds. Can u think about? The majority of us cant even end a LEGO set, and this monk is out right here constructin monuments in the middle of a war zone.
Speaking of war, thats exactly where matters get genuine messy and authentic interesting. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin inside a temple chanting all day long. He was deep from the politics of your Karen men and women. Again in the 90s, items were heated involving the KNU and also the gov. Thuzana, he chose to split and formed the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Now, a monk leadin an army Seems nuts, proper? Like, totally in opposition to The foundations. But for his followers, he was protectin the religion. He check here created his soldiers cease eatin meat. Yeah, an entire Military of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore willpower. He wished a "pure" land in which folks lived via the Dhamma, or at least his version of it.
But hey, dont Consider he was just a few army guy. His followers, guy, they worshipped the bottom he walked on. They referred to as him "Sayadaw," which implies Great Teacher, and they intended it. He had this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see A huge number of men and women livin there in order to be near him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It was like a little bit utopia he carved out of your chaos. Even if 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 bear in mind hearin tales bout how he’d just stroll into hazardous places and nobody would touch him. He experienced that "metta" (loving-kindness) electric power, or maybe folks ended up just terrified of his spiritual mojo. He passed away in 2018 in a very hospital in Bangkok, and male, the funeral was massive. Like, A huge number of individuals cryin, monks all over the place, an actual unhappy day for your Burmese Buddhist Local community. Even now, his legacy is all over the place. U see his facial area on posters in small tea retailers or stickers on trucks drivin in the mud in Kayin Point out.
He was a complex dude, for sure. A number of people say he was a peacemaker, some say he brought on extra trouble. But u cant deny his impression. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to build it on this planet, a person brick and one vegetarian soldier at a time. He lived his daily life his way, Uncooked and unfiltered, much like the jungle he named household. Respect into the old male, U Thuzana. He was truly certainly one of A form, a true OG with the Theravāda tradition.