U Thuzana Sayadaw and the Meaning of Respect in Burmese Theravāda Life

Yo, sit back and allow me to convey to ya a Tale bout Just about the most wild and respected dudes while in the Burmese Theravāda scene. We talkin bout U Thuzana Sayadaw. If u never ever heard about him, u probably livin under a rock within the Kayin Condition or sumthin. This man was extra than simply a monk in a very saffron robe; he was just like a pressure of nature, an actual-life legend who adjusted The full vibe from the borderlands.

U Thuzana, he was the center and soul from the Myaing Gyi Ngu spot. Born in the late 40s, I believe, but Truthfully, his age didnt make a difference cause he experienced that previous-soul energy from the beginning. He wasnt about that extravagant town life in Yangon. Nah, he was a jungle male. He loved the mountains, the trees, and buildin things. And After i say buildin, I necessarily mean buildin. He experienced this obsession with pagodas. All over the place he went, BAM—An additional pagoda. White kinds, gold ones, big kinds, compact types. It absolutely was like he was tryin to pin the earth down with holiness. Individuals say he designed hundreds. Can u imagine? Many of us cant even finish a LEGO set, and this monk is out here constructin monuments in the course of a war zone.

Talking of war, thats exactly where items get authentic messy and genuine attention-grabbing. U Thuzana wasnt just sittin within a temple chanting all day. He was deep in the politics on the Karen persons. Back while in the 90s, factors ended up heated amongst the KNU and the gov. Thuzana, he chose to break up and shaped the DKBA—the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Now, a monk leadin a military Seems crazy, proper? Like, completely versus the rules. But for his followers, he was protectin the religion. He created his soldiers prevent eatin meat. Yeah, a complete army of vegetarians! That’s legit some hardcore self-discipline. He preferred a "pure" land the place people lived with the Dhamma, or at the least his Edition of it.

But hey, dont Consider he was just a few army dude. His followers, person, they worshipped the bottom he walked on. They known as him "Sayadaw," which suggests Terrific Teacher, and they meant it. He had this aura. If u went to Myaing Gyi Ngu, u would see Many people livin there just to be in close proximity to him. No booze, no meat, just pure devotion. It absolutely was like a bit utopia he carved out in the chaos. Even when the surface earth was lookin at him sideways explanation for the conflict, to your locals, he was there daddy, there protector, there saint.

I try to remember hearin tales bout how he’d just stroll into hazardous spots and nobody would touch him. He had that "metta" (loving-kindness) energy, Or even persons were just scared of his spiritual mojo. He passed absent in 2018 inside of a medical center in Bangkok, and person, the funeral was large. Like, 1000s of people today cryin, monks all over the place, a true unfortunate working day for the Burmese Buddhist Group. Even now, his legacy is everywhere. U see his encounter on posters in small tea outlets or stickers on trucks drivin with the mud in Kayin Condition.

He was a complex dude, needless to say. website Some people say he was a peacemaker, some say he triggered extra issues. But u cant deny his effects. He wasnt just talkin bout Nirvana; he was tryin to develop it on this planet, a person brick and one vegetarian soldier at any given time. He lived his existence his way, raw and unfiltered, just like the jungle he referred to as household. Regard for the previous person, U Thuzana. He was actually considered one of a kind, an actual OG on the Theravāda tradition.