Sunīta was a highly accomplished disciple of the
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...
. He was born in a family of
untouchables whose job was of sweeping around the temple area. According to Thanissaro Bhikkhu's translation of the
Theragāthā account,
Sunīta laments:
:"People found me disgusting,
:despised me, disparaged me.
:Lowering my heart,
:I showed reverence to many."
Sunīta continues, describing his meeting with the Buddha and ordination:
:The compassionate Teacher,
:sympathetic to all the world, said:
::"Come monk."
:That was my formal Acceptance.
Sunīta practiced arduously and eventually became an
Arhant
In Buddhism, an ''arhat'' (Sanskrit: अर्हत्) or ''arahant'' (Pali: अरहन्त्, 𑀅𑀭𑀳𑀦𑁆𑀢𑁆) is one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved ''Nirvana'' and liberated ...
. His status was acknowledged by the gods
Brahmā
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp ...
and
Śakra:
:Then, as night was ending
:& the sun returning,
:Indra & Brahmā came to pay homage to me,
:hands palm-to-palm at their hearts:
::"Homage to you,
::O thoroughbred of men,
::Homage to you,
::O man supreme,
::whose effluents are ended.
::You, dear sir,
::are worthy of offerings."
References
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Arhats
Disciples of Gautama Buddha