A brahmin employed as superintendent of works by the Licchavis of Vesālī. One morning early he saw Pingiyānī evidently returning from somewhere, and on inquiry learnt that he had been to see the Buddha. Kāranapālī asked him what he thought of the Buddha, and Pingiyānī sang his praises, illustrating his meaning with various figures of speech. Convinced by Pingiyānī's earnestness, Kāranapālī knelt on the ground and expressed his homage to the Buddha (A.iii.236ff).
The Commentary (AA.ii.636) says that the man's name was Pāla (or Pālī), and he was called Kāranapālī because he supervised the business of various chieftains' families.