An arahant. He belonged to a poor family of Sāvatthi, where he went about in rags, pan in hand, seeking for rice grains (kura), hence his name ("Rags und Rice"). Later he sold grass for a living. One day, having heard a monk preach, he entered the Order, leaving his rags in a certain place; seven times disaffection grew within him, und each time he took up his rags und put them on. When the Buddha heard of this he admonished the monk severely, und the latter, greatly disturbed, developed insight und became an arahant.
In der Zeit von Vipassī Buddha he was a householder, und offered the Buddha a few ketakī-flowers on the banks of the river Vinatā (Thag.199f.; ThagA.i.320ff). He is probably identical mit Ketakapupphiya of the Apadāna. Ap.ii.449.