He belonged to a Licchavi rājā’s family, and while still young, and learning various arts, such as training elephants, he was filled with the desire for renunciation. One day he went to a vihāra where the Buddha was teaching, entered the Order, and not long after became an Arahant.

After the Buddha’s death, when the chief Elders were living in various places prior to their agreed meeting for the recital of the Dhamma, he saw Ānanda, still a learner (sekha), teaching the Doctrine to a large assembly. Wishing to urge him to higher attainment, Vajjiputta uttered a verse, and this verse was among those that led to Ānanda’s attainment of Arahantship. The verse is found in Thag.vs.119. In S.i.199 the verse is attributed to a forest deva who wished to agitate Ānanda. In Rockhill (op.cit., 155 f ), Vajjiputta was Ānanda’s attendant at the time and taught the people while Ānanda meditated.

Ninety-four world-cycles ago, Vajjiputta had seen a Pacceka Buddha begging for alms and had given him plantain fruits. ThagA.i.236 f.