One of the sixteen disciples of Bávarí who visited the Buddha. His question (pucchá) to the Buddha was as to how various ills originated in the world, and the Buddha's answer, that it was through upadhi. At the end of the sermon Mettagú and his thousand followers attained arahantship (SN.vss.1006, 1049 60; SNA.ii.592).
According to the Apadána (ii.342f), he gave away alms worth sixty crores of gold before joining Bávarí.
In the time of Sumedha Buddha he was an ascetic living near Mount Asoka in Himavá, in a hermitage built for him by Vissakamma. There the Buddha visited him, and the ascetic gave him a bowl filled with ghee and oil. As a result, he was eighteen times king of the gods and fifty-one times king of men.