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 and 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, and each time he took up his rags and put them on. When the Buddha heard of this he admonished the monk severely, and the latter, greatly disturbed, developed insight and became an arahant.
In the time of Vipassī Buddha he was a householder, and offered the Buddha a few ketakī-flowers on the banks of the river Vinatā (Thag.199f.; ThagA.i.320ff). He is probably identical with Ketakapupphiya of the Apadāna. Ap.ii.449.