He belonged to a brahmin family of Rājagaha and was initiated at the age of seven. When he was seventeen, he fell into bad company, gave all he had to a courtesan and broke his vow of celibacy. He was then filled with remorse at the thought of what he had done, but the Buddha appeared before him and he entered the Order, becoming an Arahant in the tonsure-hall.

He had been a householder in the time of Vipassī Buddha and had given to the Buddha an amoda-fruit (Thag.137 f; ThagA.i.256 f).

He is evidently identical with Amodaphaliya Thera of the Apadāna. Ap.ii.447.