Let $k$ be a field, and let $| \ |$ be a norm on $k$.  The norm induces a metric.  To construct the completion $\hat{k}$ as a normed field, the standard recipe is to take the quotient of the ring $\mathcal{C}(k)$ of all Cauchy sequences in $k$ -- viewed as a subring of $k^{\infty} = \prod_{i=1}^{\infty} k$ -- by the maximal ideal $\mathfrak{m}_0$ of all sequences converging to $0$.

This brings up the following [idle] question: what are the maximal ideals of $\mathcal{C}(k)$?  The prime ideals?

My vague recollection had been that $\mathfrak{m}_0$ was the unique maximal ideal of $\mathcal{C}(k)$, but this is evidently not the case: for every $n$, there is a maximal ideal $\mathfrak{m}_n$ consisting of sequences whose $n$th coordinate is $0$, the residue field being $k$ again.  It is easy to see though that $\mathfrak{m}_0$ is the unique maximal ideal containing the prime ideal $\mathfrak{c} = \bigoplus_{i=1}^{\infty} k$.  (Note that $\mathfrak{c}$ is not prime in $k^{\infty}$, but it is prime in $\mathcal{C}(k)$.)

Now this reminds me of filters.  The prime ideals of the (zero-dimensional) ring $k^{\infty}$ correspond precisely to the ultrafilters on $\mathbb{Z}^+$.  The principal ultrafilter of all sets containing $n$ pulls back to the maximal ideal $\mathfrak{m}_n$.  Since every nonprincipal ultrafilter contains the Frechet filter of cofinite sets, it follows that it pulls back to $\mathfrak{m}_0$.  But is it true that every maximal ideal of $\mathcal{C}(k)$ is pulled back from a prime (= maximal) ideal of $k^{\infty}$?  [Edit: yes!  See M. Emerton's answer below.] If so, is this an instance of a general theorem? 

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Addendum: 

Note that in the case that the norm is trivial -- so that the induced metric is the discrete metric -- a sequence converges iff it is eventually constant, so a sequence converges to $0$ iff it has only finitely many nonzero terms: $\mathfrak{c} = \mathfrak{m}_0$.  The converse also holds: for any nontrivial norm there exist nowhere zero sequences converging to $0$, e.g. $\{x^n\}$ for any $x \in k$ with $0 < |x| < 1$.

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Once the original question is worked out, I am also curious about generalizations.  What is the analogue for the ring of minimal Cauchy filters in an arbitrary topological ring?