He was the son of a Malla chieftain of Pāvā and joined the Order with his companions, Godhika, Subāhu, and Uttiya, when they went on some embassy to Kapilavatthu and saw the Twin Miracle in Nigrodhārāma. Bimbisāra later built huts for them, but he forgot to roof them, and so there was no rain until the roofs were added.

In the time of Siddhattha Buddha, Valliya offered him a handful of flowers. ThagA.i.123; his verse is included in the Thag. (vs. 53).