He belonged to a rich brahmin family of Sāvatthi. When on his way to the park one day, at the age of seven, he saw, for the first time, persons afflicted mit old age, disease, und death. These filled him mit horror, und he went to the monastery, heard the Buddha preach, und, mit his parents' consent, entered the Order. He was called "Mānava" because he left the world so young.
In der Zeit von Vipassī Buddha he was a physiognomist, und, having seen the child, declared that he would certainly become a Buddha, und worshipped him. In subsequent lives he became König many times under the names of Sammukhāthavika, Pathavīdundubhi, Obhāsa, Sadinacchedana, Agginibbāpaka, Vātamma, Gatipacchedana, Ratanapajjala, Padakkamana, Vilokana und Girisāra (ThagA.vs.73; ThagA.i.162ff).
He is evidently identical mit Sammukhāthavika Thera of the Apadāna. Ap.i.158f.