Upāli: How a Barber Became Buddhism's Highest Authority

Under ancient India's caste system, the world was divided into four insurmountable tiers.

Highest were the Brahmins, priests and scholars. Next were the Kshatriyas, kings and warriors. Then the Vaishyas, merchants and farmers. Lowest were the Shudras, servants and laborers.

If you were born a Shudra, your life was basically set. You could cut hair, wash feet, clean, but you could never enter a temple, never read scriptures, never possibly achieve any spiritual advancement. You were an "untouchable."

Upāli was born into exactly this situation.

He was a barber. His daily job was cutting hair, shaving faces, and trimming nails for the royalty and nobility of Kapilavastu. His skills were excellent, but his status was low.

Yet this bottom-rung barber later became Buddhism's highest authority on discipline, honored as "Foremost in Upholding Precepts" among the Buddha's Ten Great Disciples.

This isn't a simple "rags to riches" tale. It's a profound reflection on rules, equality, and true freedom.

The Decision That Changed Everything

Upāli served royalty every day, understanding the glitter and hypocrisy of palace life better than anyone. He saw princes who appeared magnificent but were full of troubles inside. He heard the plots of ministers behind closed doors. He knew these "noble" people weren't really happier than him.

After the Buddha returned home to teach the Dharma, many Śākyan princes decided to follow him and become monks. Upāli watched these once-proud aristocrats, one by one, let go of their status and don the robes.

A thought arose in his heart: If even princes are willing to give up everything, why can't I, who has nothing to give up, give it a try?

But immediately, the inferiority society had instilled in him began acting up: "Forget it, how could a Shudra become a monk? Would the Buddha accept me? Would people in the Sangha look down on me?"

He hesitated.

In the end, the princes gave him a push. Those princes about to ordain said: "We're leaving. Don't you want to come with us? Where the Buddha is, there's no distinction of caste."

Upāli gathered his courage and went with them to see the Buddha.

The Buddha's Stunning Arrangement

The Buddha saw this group, princes and their barber, come together requesting ordination.

He made an arrangement that shocked everyone: Let Upāli be ordained first.

What did this mean? In the Sangha, seniority was determined by order of ordination. Whoever ordained first, regardless of origin, was the "senior." Whoever ordained later, no matter how noble before, must bow to the senior.

Upāli ordaining first meant all those princes who came after would henceforth have to bow to him.

This arrangement dealt a direct blow to the caste system.

Some princes may have felt uncomfortable. I have to bow to someone who used to cut my hair? But the Buddha's stance was clear: Here, past identity is worthless. The only thing that matters is your practice and virtue.

That day, Upāli completed life's greatest leap, not from low to high, but from "being defined" to "self-proving."

Why Precepts, of All Things?

After ordination, Upāli chose a path different from most: focusing on the precepts.

Precepts sound dry and boring, not as mysterious as meditation, not as profound as wisdom. But Upāli discovered that precepts are the foundation of the Sangha's operation, the baseline for maintaining purity.

He began seriously studying the content and origin of every precept. Whenever the Buddha established a precept, he was there recording. He remembered not just the text but the story behind it. Why did this precept arise? What happened at the time? What was the Buddha's reasoning?

This gave him an understanding of precepts far deeper than anyone else's.

Once, a monk accidentally stepped on a small insect and came to him in fear: "Did I break the precept against killing?"

Upāli inquired carefully about what happened, then told him: "You didn't do it intentionally, and the insect was very small. This is an 'accidental violation.' It doesn't count as breaking the precept. But be more careful when walking in the future."

His answer upheld the spirit of the precepts while also embodying compassion.

The First Buddhist Council: Legislating for Buddhism

After the Buddha's passing, the Sangha faced an urgent problem: the Buddha had taught for over forty years and established so many precepts. If they weren't quickly organized and recorded, they would soon be lost.

So the senior disciple Mahākāśyapa gathered five hundred Arhats to hold the First Buddhist Council in Rājagṛha.

The division of labor was: Venerable Ānanda would recite the Sūtra Piṭaka (the Buddha's teachings), and Upāli would recite the Vinaya Piṭaka (the Buddha's precepts).

What tremendous trust and responsibility!

Using his remarkable memory and deep understanding of the precepts, Upāli recited every single precept the Buddha had established. He remembered not just the text but the background, scope, and standards for judgment of each precept.

After verification by the assembly, this content was recorded and became Buddhism's "Vinaya Piṭaka."

It can be said that without Upāli, there would be no Buddhist system of discipline today.

This former barber became the key figure in Buddhism's "legislation."

The True Meaning of Rules

Many people see precepts as constraints: can't do this, can't do that. How boring life becomes!

But Upāli proved through his life that precepts are actually the path to freedom.

Think about it: what situation does a person without rules fall into? They're led around by their desires, controlled by emotions, bound by habits. On the surface they're "free," but actually they're slaves to desire.

And someone who keeps precepts? They've drawn boundaries for themselves, knowing what mustn't be done, what lines mustn't be crossed. These boundaries protect inner purity, giving afflictions no opening.

Upāli was the strictest keeper of precepts, yet he wasn't rigid at all. His view of precepts was alive, full of wisdom. He knew when to be flexible and when to be firm. That's true "upholding precepts."

Practitioner of Equality

Another great thing about Upāli was that he never forgot his origins.

He didn't put on airs after becoming "Foremost in Upholding Precepts," didn't become smug because princes had to bow to him. He treated everyone equally, whether newly ordained nobles or monks from similarly humble backgrounds.

Through his attitude, he practiced the Buddha's teaching of "equality of all beings."

Once, several princes who had recently ordained refused to bow to him, feeling it was shameful to bow to a former barber. When the Buddha learned of this, he criticized them severely:

After this incident, no one dared look down on Upāli again.

Not because the Buddha defended him, but because his ability and character convinced everyone from the heart.

Lessons for Today

Upāli's story still carries powerful relevance today.

Our society still has various hidden "castes": academic credentials, family background, wealth, connections. Many people are defined by these labels, feeling they can't change their fate.

But Upāli teaches us: Where you come from doesn't matter. What matters is who you choose to become.

He didn't complain about social injustice, didn't use his origin as an excuse. He just steadily did his work, learning precepts, keeping precepts, transmitting precepts.

In the end, he proved his worth through capability, becoming someone even princes admired.

Upāli's story is the best proof.