出身首陀羅，屬卑賤的奴隸階層，是王族的理髮師。見王子們出家，心生嚮往。原本擔心佛陀不准，然佛陀不但允許，並且先於王子之前為他剃度。根據戒法，王子們必須向較早出家的優波離頂禮，這實乃佛陀廣開門戶，四姓平等攝化的第一步。出家後，優波離精於戒律，被譽為持戒第一，後於第一次經典結集時誦出律藏。

Born into the sudra caste, Upali was a slave and served as an imperial barber. He became inspired when he saw the princes renouncing. Initially, the thought he would not be allowed to renounce but, not only did the Buddha allow him to do so, he was tonsured before the princes. According to the regulations, the princes were required to pay respect to Upali, who had been ordained earlier. This was the Buddha’s first step toward establishing social equality in opposition to the caste system. After Upali became a monk, he was noted for being foremost in upholding the precepts and recited the Vinaya Pitaka at the First Buddhist Council.

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