He belonged to a rich brahmin family of Sāvatthi. When on his way to the park one day, at the age of seven, he saw, for the first time, persons afflicted with old age, disease, and death. These filled him with horror, and he went to the monastery, heard the Buddha teach, and, with his parents’ consent, entered the Order. He was called “Māṇava” because he left the world so young.

In the time of Vipassī Buddha he was a physiognomist, and, having seen the child, declared that he would certainly become a Buddha, and worshipped him. In subsequent lives he became king many times under the names of Sammukhāthavika, Paṭhavīdundubhi, Obhāsa, Sadinacchedana, Agginibbāpaka, Vātamma, Gatipacchedana, Ratanapajjala, Padakkamana, Vilokana and Girisāra (ThagA.vs.73; ThagA.i.162 ff).

He is evidently identical with Sammukhāthavika Thera of the Apadāna. Ap.i.158 f.