Chaplain to Brahmadatta, king of Benares. He was a former birth of Devadatta (J.iii.161). His story is given in the Dhonasákha Játaka (q.v.).
Called Pingiya mánava, nephew and pupil of Bávarí. At the time that he visited the Buddha with the other disciples he was 120 years old and very feeble. At the end of his discussion with the Buddha, as recorded in the Pingiya Sutta (SN. vs. 1120 23), because of his feebleness, he failed to reach any attainment. Thereupon he praised the Buddha and begged of him to go on. The Buddha preached to him further, and he became an anágámí, failing, however, to attain arahantship because his mind wandered to his maternal uncle, Bávarí. His one thousand pupils, however, became arahants. Later, with the Buddha's leave, he visited Bávarí and told him the glad tidings, describing the Buddha's glory (SN.vs.1131 45). At the end of his statement, the Buddha, seeing that the minds of both of them were mature, sent forth a ray of light from Sávatthi and, appearing before them, preached to them. Thereupon Bávarí became an anágámí and Pingiya an arahant (SNA.ii.603ff).
Pingiya was called mánava, even at the age of 120. (SNA.ii.413).
One of the seven anágamíns born in the Avihá world, in the company of Ghatíkárá (S.i.35, 60). He is described as a bhikkhú, and is therefore probably identical with Pingiya (2). The story of the latter having attained arahantship must, in that case, have been a later legend. It is also possible that Pingiya is a variant reading for Pingiyání.
A dog, mentioned in the Pútimamsa Játaka. J.iii.535.