He was born in the family of a householder of Sāvatthi and was called Sirimā on account of the unfailing success of his family. His younger brother was Sirivaḍḍha. They were both present when the Buddha accepted Jetavana, and, struck by his majesty, they entered the Order. Sirivaḍḍha, though possessed of no special attainments, received great honour from the laity and recluses, but Sirimā was little honoured. Nevertheless, exercising calm and insight, he soon won Arahantship. Ordinary monks and novices continued to disparage him, and the Thera had to blame them for their faulty judgment. Sirivaḍḍha, agitated by this, himself became an Arahant.

In the time of Padumuttara Buddha, before the Buddha’s appearance in the world, Sirimā was an ascetic, named Devala, with a large following, and, having learnt the power of the Buddha through a study of the science of prognostication, he built a sand thūpa, to which he paid homage in the name of past Buddhas. The Buddha was born in the world, his birth being accompanied by various omens. The ascetic showed these to his pupils, and, having made them eager to see the Buddha, died, and was reborn in the Brahma world. Later, he appeared before them, inspiring them to greater exertions (Thag.vss. 159-60; ThagA.i.279 f).

He is evidently identical with Pulinuppādaka Thera of the Apadāna. Ap.ii.426.