old-path-white-clouds-thich-nhat-hanh

Chapter Forty-Three
Everyone’s Tears Are Salty
King Pasenadi’s visit to Jetavana stirred interest among the people and added to the stature of the Buddha’s sangha. Palace officials
noticed how King Pasenadi did not miss a single weekly Dharma talk, and many of them began to join him. Some did so out of admiration
for the Buddha’s teaching, while others went only in hopes of pleasing the king. The number of intellectuals and young people visiting
Jetavana also mounted daily. During the three months of retreat, more than a hundred fifty young men were ordained by Sariputta. Religious
leaders of other sects that had long enjoyed the king’s patronage began to feel threatened, and some of them began to regard Jetavana
Monastery with less than sympathetic eyes. The retreat season concluded with a large service at which the king offered new robes to every
bhikkhu and distributed food and other basic necessities to poor families. At this ceremony, the king and his family formally took the three
refuges.
After the retreat, the Buddha and other bhikkhus traveled to neighboring regions in order to spread the Dharma to more and more
people. One day, as the Buddha and bhikkhus were begging in a village near the banks of the Ganga, the Buddha spotted a man carrying
nightsoil. The man was an untouchable named Sunita. Sunita had heard about the Buddha and bhikkhus, but this was the first time he had
ever seen them. He was alarmed, knowing how dirty his clothes were and how foul he smelled from carrying nightsoil. He quickly moved
off the path and made his way down to the river. But the Buddha was determined to share the Way with Sunita. When Sunita veered from
the path, the Buddha did the same. Understanding the Buddha’s intent, Sariputta and Meghiya, the Buddha’s attendant at the time,
followed him. The rows of other bhikkhus came to a halt and they quietly watched.
Sunita was panic-stricken. He hastily put the buckets of nightsoil down and looked for a place to hide. Above him stood the bhikkhus in
their saffron robes, while before him approached the Buddha and two other bhikkhus. Not knowing what else to do, Sunita waded up to
his knees in water and stood with his palms joined.
Curious villagers came out of their homes and lined the shore to watch what was happening. Sunita had veered off the path because he
was afraid he would pollute the bhikkhus. He could not have guessed the Buddha would follow him. Sunita knew that the sangha included
many men from noble castes. He was sure that polluting a bhikkhu was an unforgivable act. He hoped the Buddha and bhikkhus would
leave him and return to the road. But the Buddha did not leave. He walked right up to the water’s edge and said, “My friend, please come
closer so we may talk.”
Sunita, his palms still joined, protested, “Lord, I don’t dare!”
“Why not?” asked the Buddha.
“I am an untouchable. I don’t want to pollute you and your monks.”
The Buddha replied, “On our path, we no longer distinguish between castes. You are a human being like the rest of us. We are not afraid
we will be polluted. Only greed, hatred, and delusion can pollute us. A person as pleasant as yourself brings us nothing but happiness. What
is your name?”
“Lord, my name is Sunita.”
Sunita protested, “Lord, I do not dare come closer. I am an untouchable.”