Sunita 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 legends, he was ...
. 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
Arahant
In Buddhism, an ''Arhat'' () or ''Arahant'' (, 𑀅𑀭𑀳𑀦𑁆𑀢𑁆) is one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved '' Nirvana'' and has been liberated from the endless cycle of rebirth.
The und ...
. His status was acknowledged by the gods
Brahmā
Brahma (, ) 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. 212–226.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hin ...
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