He was once an officer of Pasenadi, but later left the world. A conversation between him and Dhanuggaha-Tissa it was which, overheard by Pasenadi’s spies, led to Pasenadi changing his tactics and defeating Ajātasattu. J.iv.343; but see J.ii.403, where Dhanuggaha-Tissa’s companion is called Utta, which is probably a wrong reading of Datta.

In the conversation Mantidatta is addressed as Datta, which was evidently his personal name, the prefix Manti being given him as the king’s minister and to distinguish him from others.