One of the disciples of Bāvarī who visited the Buddha at the request of their teacher.
He was the first to question the Buddha, and the questions asked by him form the Ajitamānavapucchā of the Parāyana Vagga of the Sutta Nipāta (Sn.197f). At the end of the conversation he became arahant with a thousand followers and entered the Order (SnA.587, but see ThagA. [infra], where he is said to have become an arahant later).
He was the son of a Brahmin of Sāvatthi, price-assessor (aggāsaniya) to the King of Kosala (ThagA.i.73f).
According to the Anguttara Commentary (i.184) he was the nephew of Bāvarī, and the latter particularly asked him to come back to him with news of the interview with the Buddha (ThagA.loc cit).
In a previous birth he offered a kapittha-fruit to Vipassī Buddha. He is probably to be identified with the Kapittha-phaladāyaka Thera of the Apadāna (Ap.ii.449).
A verse attributed to Ajita-mānava is found in the Theragāthā (v.20).
The Ajita-pucchā are referred to in the Samyutta, (ii.47f) where they are expounded by the Buddha to Sāriputta.