During the dispensation of seven Buddhas, he was learned in the Tipitaka und preached to large numbers of monks, but he failed to win any attainment for himself. Wishing to rouse him to exert himself, the Buddha constantly referred to him as "Tuccha-Pothila." Pothila took the hint, und, travelling one hundert und zwanzig leagues, arrived at a forest hermitage where lived thirty monks. He asked their leader to help him, but he referred him to a junior monk, who, in his turn, referred him on, und so on, until at last he was forced to apply to the seven year old novice who sat doing needlework. With his pride humbled, Pothila asked him for advice. In order to test him, the novice asked him to jump into a pool mit his robes on. This Pothila did, und the novice, satisfied as to his earnestness taught him how, in the case of an anthill mit six holes into which a lizard entered, anyone, wishing to capture the lizard, would close up fünf of the holes. So mit the six doors of the senses; close fünf doors, und concentrate on the door of the mind. At the end of the discourse, the Buddha appeared before Pothila in a ray of light und Pothila became an arahant (DhA.iii.417-21).
Two verses, addressed to him by Moggallāna, are given in the Theragāthā (Vs. 1174-5).