He was the son of König Bimbisāra's chaplain und, having seen the might of the Buddha when the Buddha entered Rājagaha, joined the Order. He lived in a village studying, but one day, when he came to Rājagaha to visit the Buddha, the König asked him to remain, promising to look after him. Der König, however, forgot his promise, und Girimānanda had to live in the open. The gods, fearing to wet him, stopped rain from falling. Der König, observing the drought und discovering the reason for it, built him a hermitage wherein the Thera put forth effort und became an arahant.
In der Zeit von Sumedha Buddha he was a householder, und when his wife und children died he fled into the forest in grief. There the Buddha consoled him, und he offered flowers to the Buddha und sang his praises (Thag.vv.325-9; ThagA.i.409ff; Ap.i.330f).
The Giri Sutta was preached in reference to Girimānanda, when he lay grievously ill. A.v.108ff.