Foremost in Upholding the Precepts: The Disciplined Life of Venerable Upāli – From a Humble Barber to a Compiler of the Vinaya

In the rigidly stratified society of ancient India, there was a barber of humble origin who, through his strict observance and profound understanding of the precepts, won the admiration of the Buddha and became Venerable Upāli, "Foremost in Upholding the Precepts" in the Sangha. His story transcends the barriers of caste, demonstrating the truth of equality in the Dharma and that all beings have Buddha-nature.

Humble Origins: A Barber Under the Caste System

Venerable Upāli was born in Kapilavastu in ancient India, belonging to the Śūdra caste. In India at that time, society was strictly divided into four castes: Brahmins (priests), Kṣatriyas (nobles, warriors), Vaiśyas (merchants, farmers), and Śūdras (laborers, servants). The Śūdras were the lowest caste, considered lowly and impure, and were discriminated against by the other castes.

Upāli's profession was a barber, which was considered a humble occupation at the time. His daily work was to cut the hair, beards, and nails of the royalty and nobility. Despite a hard life and low status, Upāli always maintained a kind and upright heart.

The Cause of Ordination: Equality Beyond Caste

After the Buddha attained enlightenment and returned to his hometown of Kapilavastu to teach the Dharma, many Śākya princes became monks to follow him. Although Upāli was not a Śākya, he was full of reverence for the Buddha's teachings. He longed to escape the shackles of the caste system and pursue true liberation.

One day, Upāli gathered his courage, came before the Buddha, and requested to be ordained. The Buddha looked at him with compassion and asked, "Upāli, do you know that practicing as a monk is very hard? Can you let go of your current life and abide by the precepts of the Sangha?"

Upāli replied firmly, "World-Honored One, I am willing to let go of everything, abide by the precepts, and practice diligently!"

The Buddha gladly agreed to Upāli's request for ordination and personally tonsured him. This was an extremely rare event in Indian society at that time. According to traditional views, people of the Śūdra caste were not qualified to become monks. The Buddha's action fully embodied the Buddhist concept of "all beings are equal."

Life in the Sangha: Foremost in Upholding the Precepts, Strict with Oneself

After becoming a monk, Venerable Upāli devoted his entire body and mind to practice. He adhered to the precepts established by the Buddha with unwavering diligence, never committing even the slightest transgression.

The precepts are the code of conduct for the Buddhist Sangha and the foundation of practice. The content of the precepts covers all aspects of life, from clothing, food, lodging, and transportation to speech and behavior, with detailed regulations.

Venerable Upāli not only strictly observed the precepts but also had a deep understanding of their application (when they could be flexible and when they must be strictly followed). He could accurately judge whether a precept had been broken and the severity of the transgression based on the specific situation.

Once, a monk felt great remorse for accidentally stepping on an insect. He did not know if he had broken the precept against killing and asked Venerable Upāli for advice.

Venerable Upāli carefully inquired about the incident and then told him, "You did not kill intentionally, and the insect was very small. This is an 'accidental transgression' and does not count as breaking the precept. But to avoid similar incidents in the future, you should be more careful when you walk."

Venerable Upāli's explanation was both in accordance with the precepts and full of compassion. In this way, he helped the monks in the Sangha to better understand and observe the precepts.

The Buddha's Praise: A Model for the Sangha

Venerable Upāli's spirit of upholding the precepts was highly praised by the Buddha. The Buddha repeatedly praised Venerable Upāli as "Foremost in Upholding the Precepts" in the Sangha assemblies and called on all monks to learn from him.

The Buddha said, "The monk Upāli is foremost among those who uphold the Vinaya in my Dharma. His understanding and practice of the precepts have reached the highest level. You should take him as your model, diligently uphold the precepts, and purify your body and mind."

Venerable Upāli did not become arrogant because of the Buddha's praise. He always maintained a humble and cautious attitude and continued to practice diligently. He not only strictly observed the precepts himself but also often explained them to other monks, helping them solve problems in their practice.

The First Council: The Reciter of the Vinaya Piṭaka

After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, the Sangha decided to hold the First Council to preserve his teachings. The council was to compile the Dharma spoken by the Buddha throughout his life and the precepts he established into a unified canon.

At this council, Venerable Upāli was chosen to be the reciter of the Vinaya Piṭaka (the collection of monastic rules). This was a very important task, as the Vinaya is the code of conduct for the Buddhist Sangha and the foundation for the practice of all Buddhists.

With his deep understanding of the precepts and his amazing memory, Venerable Upāli recited the precepts established by the Buddha throughout his life completely and accurately. His recitation was verified by the assembly and recorded in writing, becoming the Buddhist Vinaya Piṭaka.

Venerable Upāli's contribution to the First Council was immeasurable. He laid a solid foundation for the establishment and transmission of the Buddhist precepts. It can be said that without Venerable Upāli, the Buddhist precepts would not exist as they do today.

Humility and Equality: A Sage Beyond Caste

Although Venerable Upāli came from a humble background, he was never ashamed of it. He earned everyone's respect through his practice and virtue.

In the Sangha, he treated all monks equally. Whether they were princes of noble birth or commoners of humble origin, he treated them all the same, never discriminating based on caste.

Once, several Śākya prince-monks, because of Venerable Upāli's humble origins, were unwilling to bow to him. When the Buddha learned of this, he severely criticized them, saying, "Although Upāli comes from a humble background, he is strict in upholding the precepts and noble in his conduct. You should learn from him, not look down on him."

The Buddha's teaching made these prince-monks feel very ashamed. They realized their mistake, apologized to Venerable Upāli, and said that they would humbly learn from him in the future.

With his own actions, Venerable Upāli interpreted the Buddha's teaching of "all beings are equal." He transcended the barriers of caste and became a respected sage.

Conclusion: A Model of Precepts, an Example of Equality

The life of Venerable Upāli was a journey from humility to nobility, from an ordinary person to a sage. With his strict observance of the precepts, his deep understanding of the Dharma, and his equal compassion for all beings, he became a great practitioner in Buddhist history.

His story gives us profound inspiration: birth is not important; what is important is our practice and virtue. The precepts are the foundation of practice; upholding them can help us purify our body and mind and attain liberation. All beings are equal; we should respect everyone and not discriminate based on caste, status, wealth, or other factors.

The spirit of Venerable Upāli will forever inspire us on the path of practice to strictly uphold the precepts, to be diligent and unremitting, to pursue the truth, and to benefit all beings. His figure, upholding the precepts, is the most precious legacy left to future practitioners.