Buddha met Upaka while on his way to the deer park. Although Upaka started a conversation with Buddha, he did not recognise the greatness before him until years later. Here’s the story of this mysterious person named Upaka.

Upaka was a respected spiritual teacher in a small hunter’s village. His followers admired him so much that they built him a hermitage and provided him with daily alms. Over time, Upaka began to believe in his own importance, feeding his ego and convincing himself of his spiritual superiority. Little did he know, his pride would lead him down an unexpected path.

One day, after returning from a hunting trip, the Chief Hunter of the village noticed that Upaka had not been seen for days. Concerned, he visited Upaka, who was holed up in his hermitage, unable to eat or sleep. The reason? Upaka had developed a strong attraction to Cāpā, the Chief Hunter’s beautiful daughter. Overwhelmed by his desires, Upaka could not focus on anything but his longing for her. Driven by this new obsession, he asked the Chief Hunter for Cāpā’s hand in marriage.

While this request seemed absurd, the Chief Hunter held his composure out of habitual respect for Upaka. Meaning to dissuade Upaka, he asked Upaka if he had the means to support a family. Upaka, who had no practical skills, offered to help carry the hunters’ prey and sell the meat at the market, an odd proposition for someone once revered as an ascetic. Despite his misgivings, the Chief Hunter agreed to the marriage.

On the other hand, Cāpā was deeply uncomfortable. At just 15 years old, she was being married off to a man more than twice her age—a man who had once been a respected Guru to her family but now seemed to have lost his way. Yet, out of obedience to her father, she accepted her fate.

The marriage quickly deteriorated as Upaka failed to adapt to his new life in a hunter household. His spiritual ego had crumbled, and he lacked the skills to be a proper provider. Cāpā, now a mother, grew increasingly resentful as she watched her father toil while Upaka refused to hunt. She began to mock Upaka in lullabies sung to their child. Her words were biting, calling him an ex-monk, a meat vendor and a fool. She ridiculed Upaka fall from grace and referred to him as a burden on their family. She reminded her son to be a better person than his father, the least of men.

Although Upaka was deeply hurt by his wife’s mockery, he did not bother to improve himself.

Finally, after enduring this for years, Upaka could take it no longer. He declared that he had a powerful friend—one who was undefeated, a great hero—and that he would seek refuge with him. This friend was none other than the Buddha, whom Upaka had encountered years earlier but failed to recognize as a spiritual guide.

Desperate for solace, Upaka left his family behind and set out on a journey to find the Buddha. He wandered from place to place, asking for directions to the “undefeatable great hero.” His search eventually led him to Jetavana Monastery, where, to his surprise, the Buddha was already expecting him.

The Buddha greeted Upaka with kindness, recalling their previous encounter. Seeing that Upaka had aged and faced the harsh realities of life, the Buddha offered him a place in his monastic community. Upaka, eager for redemption, accepted. Under the Buddha’s guidance, he immersed himself in meditation and eventually reached the state of Anāgāmī, or non-returner. After his death, Upaka was reborn in the Suddhāvāsa heavens and soon attained full liberation as an arahant.

But what of Cāpā and their son, Subhadda? Life continued in the village after Upaka’s departure. Capa brought up her boy before handing him over to her father. Like Upaka, she renounced the world to become a Buddhist nun and attained enlightenment.

Lessons from Upaka’s Life

Upaka’s story offers many lessons on the nature of pride, relationships, and the search for inner peace. His initial pride as a spiritual teacher blinded him to his own flaws and vulnerabilities. He saw himself as superior, but when confronted with the reality of human desires and responsibilities, he faltered.

His chief disciple, on the other hand, was blinded by superstitious faith in Upaka. Instead of kicking Upaka out of his village to protect his daughter, he handed her over to Upaka. Such is the harm of superstitious blind faith.

Cāpā’s perspective is equally important. As a young woman thrust into a difficult marriage, her frustration grew when Upaka failed to rise to the occasion. Her mockery, while harsh, reflected the deep disappointment she felt in her husband’s inability to contribute meaningfully to their family life. It also shows how financial and emotional strain can damage relationships, leading to bitterness and conflict.

Upaka’s ultimate redemption came from escaping back to his former ascetic lifestyle. Being a respected figure throughout his adult life, Upaka was completely clueless about mutual expectations within a household or society. Unable to blend into his new life, Upaka became the subject of mockery.

While we may be quick to blame Upaka for failing to live up to expectations or doing a better job at self-improvement, the Buddha was more compassionate and understanding. When Upaka was driven to desperation, Buddha offered him refuge.

In that second chance at life, Upaka found redemption and became an enlightened monk.

At its core, this story reminds us that fulfillment is not limited to outward success or reputation but from a deep connection to wisdom, compassion, and self-awareness. Both Upaka and Cāpā found peace only when they turned inward, seeking enlightenment beyond the material world.

May all be well and happy.

Discussion

1. Discuss the undue influence exerted by Upaka when he was a religious authority. Is religious obedience good or harmful?
2. The challenging factors that may break a marriage.
3. Is becoming a monk or nun a form of escapism? Is it good or bad?