Ubakikuta
Presentation
Ubakikuta (Upagupta) is the 5th Indian patriarch of Zen and the spiritual master of the great Mauryan emperor Aśoka in the 3rd century B.C. He accompanied the emperor in the construction of the 84,000 *stūpas* across his empire and helped him spread the *Dharma* through skillful means (*upāya*). Venerated far beyond the Sarvāstivādin school to which he belonged, he is a central figure in popular devotion in Burma (Shin Upagutta), Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, where he is believed to be capable of protecting against natural disasters.
Biography
Upagupta (Sanskrit: उपगुप्त; venerated in Southeast Asia under the names Shin Upagutta, Preah Uppakut, Upakhut) is the 5th Indian patriarch in the Zen lineage. He lived approximately in the 3rd century BCE and was the spiritual master of the Maurya emperor Aśoka (the great Buddhist emperor).
In the Sarvāstivādin tradition, Upagupta is considered the 5th patriarch after Mahākāśyapa, Ānanda, Madhyāntika and Śāṇavāsin. In the Chan/Zen lineage, he is the 5th patriarch, a disciple of Śāṇavāsa (Shōnawashu).
According to the Sanskrit text Aśokāvadāna (the "Deeds of Aśoka"), Upagupta was the spiritual guide of Emperor Aśoka in the 3rd century BCE. He accompanied him in the construction of the 84,000 stūpas across his empire and helped him spread the Dharma. Upagupta was renowned for his ability to convert crowds through skillful means (upāya).
Because his name is absent from the Pāli literature of Theravāda, historians believe Upagupta belonged to the Sarvāstivādin school. Yet, his worship has spread far beyond this school: throughout Southeast Asia (Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Bangladesh), he is a central figure of popular devotion.
Veneration in Southeast Asia
In Burma, Upagupta is venerated under the name Shin Upagutta. It is believed that he resides in a copper palace floating in the southern ocean and that he protects devotees from natural disasters, particularly floods and storms. Incantations in Pāli are recited to invoke his invisible presence.
It is said that Upagupta mastered the nāga (mythical serpent beings). His iconography often depicts him seated, legs crossed, holding an alms bowl. Large festivals are dedicated to him, notably in Shwegyin, near Bago, during the rainy season.
In Cambodia, he is called Preah Uppakut; in Laos and Northern Thailand, Upakhut (อุปคุต). This veneration transcends the boundaries of Theravāda and Mahāyāna, making Upagupta one of the most universal Buddhist saints.
Legacy in the Zen Tradition
In the Zen lineage, Upagupta occupies the 5th position between Śāṇavāsa (4th) and Dhītika (6th). Keizan Jōkin's Denkōroku dedicates a chapter to his transmission. His reputation as a great missionary and master of skillful means makes him a model for the transmission of the Dharma outside of India.
Sources
- Keizan Jōkin, Denkōroku — Case 5 (Ubakikuta)
- Aśokāvadāna (Sanskrit text)
- John S. Strong, The Legend of King Aśoka, Princeton University Press, 1983
- Wikipedia — Upagupta
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