He belonged to a brahmin family of Sávatthi and entered the Order after hearing the Buddha preach. He attained to entire purity of conduct, but, because of some action in his former life, was attacked by leprosy, and his limbs gradually decayed. He therefore lived in the infirmary. One day Sáriputta, while visiting the sick, saw him and gave him an exercise on contemplation of feeling. Practising this, Samitigutta developed insight and became an arahant. Then he remembered his past action and uttered a verse (Thag.vs.81).
In the past he was a householder and offered jasmine flowers to Vipassí Buddha. In another birth he saw a Pacceka Buddha and insulted him, calling him a "leprous starveling" and spitting in his presence. For this he suffered long in hell, and was reborn on earth in the time of Kassapa Buddha. He became a Paribbájaka, and, losing his temper with a follower of the Buddha, cursed him "May you become a leper." He also soiled the bath powders placed by people at bathing places; hence his affliction in the present age (ThagA.i.175 f).
He is evidently identical with Játipújaka of the Apadána. Ap.i.154.