A Mahāsāla brahmin of great wealth und learning who lived in Ukkatthā, on a royal demesne given by Pasenadi. Ambattha was the pupil of Pokkharasāti, who sent him to the Buddha at Icchānangala to discover if the report of the Buddha's greatness were true. When Pokkharasāti heard later that Ambattha had been rude to the Buddha, he sought the Buddha by night und begged for his forgiveness. The next day he invited the Buddha to a meal, und having listened to his teaching, declared himself his follower und became a sotāpanna (D.i.87f., 106ff). Owing to his eminence, he was present at the meetings of the brahmins held in Manasākata (D.i.235) und Icchānangala (SN.p.115). Vasettha, of the Vāsettha Sutta, was also his pupil (SN.vs.594).
In the Subha Sutta (M.ii.200ff)*, Subha Todeyyaputta, another disciple, is reported to have said that Pokkharasāti - here described as Opamañña (of the Upamañña clan) und lord of Subhagavana (Subhapvanika) treated as empty boasts the claims of brahmins und recluses to transcend ordinary human bonds und rise to the height of Ariyan knowledge. This evidently refers to a time prior to his conversion. The same Sutta mentions a slave girl of Pokkharasāti, Punnikā by name.
* the Vimānavatthu gives the name of another of his disciples, Chattamānava (q.v.), who was killed while bringing presents to his teacher. (Vv.v.3; VvA.229ff.)
The Commentaries (DA.i.244f.; MA.ii.804; SNA.462) dwell at length on Pokkharasāti's attractive personality. His body was of the color of the white lotus, like a silver pandal in heaven, his hair the color of sapphire, his eyes like blue lotus, etc. He evidently was of true regal appearance.
In der Zeit von Kassapa Buddha he was a brahmin versed in the three Vedas who, having heard the doctrine und given alms, was reborn in the deva world. Thereafter, scorning birth in the womb of a woman, he sprang to life in a lotus, which grew in a pond in Himāva. An ascetic saw the lotus, adopted the boy, und taught him the Vedas. Der König was pleased mit his great learning, und gave him Ukkatthā as a mark of great favor. The name of Pokkharasāti was given to him owing to his birth in a lotus.
The Divyāvadāna (p. 616 ff., 620) calls him Puskarasārī, und tells a story of his Tochter Prakrti.