He was always friendly with the nuns and stood up for them in discussions with the monks. This was reported to the Buddha, who sent for him and taught the Kakacūpama Sutta (M.i.122 ff).

In the Saṃyuttanikāya (S.ii.12 f) is recorded a discussion between Moliya Phagguna and the Buddha, regarding the nutriment of consciousness (viññāṇāhāra). Moliya asks a question as to who feeds on consciousness. The Buddha rejects the question as being wrongly put and similar questions follow, which the Buddha puts in a different form and to which he provides the answers. In another context (S.ii.50), in the same collection, Kalārakhattiya is reported as saying to Sāriputta that Moliya Phagguna had reverted to the lay life.

Buddhaghosa (SA.ii.22; MA.i.315) explains that the man’s name was Phagguna and that he was given the title of Moli because he wore a large knot of hair on the top of his head while he was a layman, and that the name persisted after he joined the Order.

See also Phagguna.