20a: Teaching Ven. Rāhula – 646 

 

Buddha’s brother-in-law enjoyed earthly pleasures to the fullest, like Devas 
enjoying celestial luxuries, for full seven days before they went out of the city, 
as though going out for joyful garden sports, escorted by regiments of elephants, 
cavalry, chariots and infantry. 

On arrival at the border, the four regiments of the army were ordered to return 
while they went into the neighbouring country of Malla. Once inside the country 
of Malla, the six princes took off their ornaments, wrapped them up with outer 
garments and handed the bundle to their barber Upāli, by way of a parting gift, 
saying: “My dear friend Upāli, you may return home. This should keep you 
going to an advanced age.” 

Upāli, the barber, wept, rolling on the ground at the feet of the princes, as he 
was loath to part from his masters but he dared not disobey their command. So 
he was obliged to make his way home carrying the bundle of gifts. When Upāli 
parted from his masters, there was a loud and fearsome noise, as if the large, 
thick forest wailed and the great earth quaked and trembled in lamentation. 

A little while after Upāli had separated from the princes he stopped and thought 
to himself: “The Sakyan royal families are harsh and ruthless. They might 
misjudge and wrongly conclude: ‘This barber, Upāli, has dispatched the six 
princes,’ and they might order me to be killed. If even these princes could 
abandon kingly luxuries and splendour to receive ordination, discarding 
priceless ornaments as they would spittle, why would a lowly, wretched person 
like me not be able to receive ordination?” So thinking and realising, he took 
out the precious things he had brought and hanging them on a tree, said: “I have 
given up these properties through generosity. Anyone who finds them is free to 
take them as he pleases.” 

As soon as the six princes saw the barber, Upāli, coming from a distance, they 
questioned: “Friend Upāli, why have you returned to us?” Then he explained all 
that had occurred to him and what he had done. Then the princes told him: 
“Upāli, not going back to the royal city

192

 is very good indeed! As you have 

thought, members of the royal Sakyan family are harsh and ruthless. Supposing 
you had returned, they might have had you executed under the false impression 
that you had done away with the six princes.” 

                                                      

192

 According to Sri Lankan sources, your returning to us.