Only son of Duṭṭhagāmaṇī. He renounced the throne and married Asokamālā, an outcaste (caṇḍāla) girl (Mv.xxxiii.1 f). In his previous birth he had been a smith, named Tissa, in Muṇḍagaṅgā, and his wife was Nāgā (Sumanā). The couple gave a meal with pork to eight Arahants, (for their names see MT.606) led by Dhammadinna Thera of Talaṅgatissa-pabbata. It is said that on the day of birth the whole of Sri Lanka was filled with paddy, hence his name.

Sāli was very pious, and all the revenues given to him by his father he gave away in charity. He kept the fast days in the Issarasamaṇa-vihāra and built the Sālipabbata-vihāra (MT.606).

He will be the son of Metteyya Buddha in his next birth. MT.xxxii.83. See also Ras.ii.114 f.