Yo, sit back and allow me to convey to ya a Tale bout one of the most wild and respected dudes within the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u never heard about him, u possibly livin under a rock from the Kayin Point out or sumthin. This male was more than just a monk inside a saffron robe; he was similar to a pressure of nature, an actual-life legend who modified the whole vibe of the borderlands.
U Thuzana, he was the guts and soul from the Myaing Gyi Ngu region. Born during the late 40s, i think, but Actually, his age didnt make any difference result in he had that old-soul Power from the beginning. He wasnt about that extravagant metropolis existence in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle man. He liked the mountains, the trees, and buildin items. And Once i say buildin, I suggest buildin. He experienced this obsession with pagodas. All over the place he went, BAM—A further pagoda. White types, gold ones, major ones, modest types. It was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. People today say he crafted hundreds. Can u visualize? Many of us cant even finish a LEGO set, which monk is out here constructin monuments in the middle of a war zone.
Talking of war, thats the place factors get actual messy and genuine fascinating. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin in a very temple chanting all day long. He was deep from the politics on the Karen folks. Back again from the 90s, things had been heated concerning the KNU and the gov. Thuzana, he made a decision to split and fashioned the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Military. Now, a monk leadin a military Seems outrageous, correct? Like, absolutely from The foundations. But for his followers, he was protectin the faith. He built his soldiers halt eatin meat. Yeah, an entire army of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore self-discipline. He needed a "pure" land the place folks lived from the Dhamma, or a minimum of his Variation of it.
But hey, dont Assume he was just some military guy. His followers, male, they worshipped the bottom he walked on. They known as him "Sayadaw," which suggests Terrific Instructor, and so they meant it. He had this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see Countless folks livin there simply to be near him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It was like somewhat utopia he carved out from the chaos. Whether or not the outside globe was lookin at him sideways explanation for the conflict, into the locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.
I recall hearin stories bout how he’d just wander into perilous locations and nobody would contact him. He experienced that "metta" (loving-kindness) ability, Or even individuals had been just petrified of his spiritual mojo. He passed away in 2018 within a clinic in Bangkok, and gentleman, the funeral was huge. Like, 1000s of folks cryin, monks just about everywhere, an actual unfortunate working day for that Burmese Buddhist Group. Even now, his legacy is everywhere you go. U see his facial area on posters in small tea shops or stickers on vehicles drivin from 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 brought about more issues. But u cant deny his effects. He wasnt just U Thuzana Sayadaw talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to make it on the planet, one brick and a person vegetarian soldier at a time. He lived his lifetime his way, Uncooked and unfiltered, just like the jungle he named residence. Respect into the aged male, U Thuzana. He was genuinely among A form, an actual OG with the Theravāda tradition.