One of the sixteen disciples of Bāvarī who visited the Buddha. His question (pucchā) 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 Mettagū and his thousand followers attained arahantship (SN.vss.1006, 1049 60; SNA.ii.592).
According to the Apadāna (ii.342f), he gave away alms worth sixty crores of gold before joining Bāvarī.
In the time of Sumedha Buddha he was an ascetic living near Mount Asoka in Himavā, 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.