This quote is being spoken by the narrator as the news of Buddha's death reaches the ferry. Siddhartha was welcomed to the ferry after he was encountered by Vasudeva (the ferryman) and told him his story about how the river spoke to him. When there was no work to do on the ferry, Siddhartha worked with Vasudeva on the rice field, gathered wood, and learned how to make an oar (which would come in handy later on in the novel). The two ferrymen were now just alike, being mistaken for brothers and were emanating with trust. After looking into the face of one of the ferrymen, the traveler would immediately trust them and tell them his life story. News of the dying Buddha in his last death as human reached the ferry as multitudes of monks came and
