1. Mahātissa. A thera who lived in Bhaggari in Ceylon. He was an
arahant, and is mentioned as being among the last of those who took part in
various assemblies that followed the departure of the Bodhisatta during
different births, such as the Kuddālaka Samāgama, Mūgapakkha, etc. J.vi.30.
2. Mahātissa. Called Vanavāsī Mahātissa. He was a colleague of Alindakavāsī
Mahāphussadeva of Ceylon, and witnessed Sakka and other deities waiting on the
latter in recognition of his holiness. Mahātissa perceived only the radiance of
the devas and questioned Phussadeva, who did not, however, give a direct answer.
SNA.i.55f.; Vibhā.352.
3. Mahātissa Thera. Called
Ambakhādaka-Mahātissa. He lived at Ciragumba, and is mentioned as an example of
a monk who refused to eat food which came to him as a result of signifying in
words that he desired it. Vsm.43.
4. Mahātissa Thera. He lived in
Cetiyagiri, and one day, while on his way to Anurādhapura, saw a woman who was
leaving her husband, having quarrelled with him. She was beautifully dressed,
and seeing the Elder, smiled at him, in order to show her perfect teeth. The
Elder looked at her, and acquiring the perception of "the foul" through thinking
of the bones of her teeth, became an arahant. The husband followed his wife and
asked the Elder if he had seen her. The Elder replied, "I know not if it was man
or woman, but I saw a lump of bones." Vsm.20f., 194.
5. Mahātissa Thera.
Of Punnavallika. One full moon day, at evening, he went to the courtyard of the
Mahā Thūpa, saw the moonlight, and turning towards the shrine, entered into
rapture, the Buddha being his object of thought. He habitually recalled this
experience thenceforth until, one day, he was able to travel through the air to
the Mahā Thūpa. Vsm.143; DhSA.116.
6. Mahātissa. An Elder of the
Mahākarañjiya Vihāra. He became an arahant by developing ānāpānasati, and was
thus able to limit his life term. Vsm.292.
7. Mahātissa Thera. While
begging for alms in Kalyānigāma his mind was defiled by the sight of an
"uncommon" form (visabhāgarūpa, naked woman?). SNA.i.6f.
8. Mahātissa
Thera. An incumbent of the Mandalārāma near Bhokkantagāma. He was a reciter
of the Dhammapada. Sumanā, wife of Lakuntaka Atimbara, related the story of her
past in the assembly of monks in association with this Thera. DhA.iv.51.
9. Mahātissa. A man of the Okkāka race, father of Dappula I. His wife was
Sanghasivā, and they had two other sons, Aggabodhi and Maniakkhika, and one
daughter. Cv.xlv.38.
10. Mahātissa Thera. Incumbent of Kotapabbata
Viharā and teacher of Asubhakammika Tissa. He was an arahant, and heard, with
his divine ear, the description given in the Lohapāsāda by Cittagutta Thera of
the marvels of the Mahā Thūpa. Mahātissa told Cittagutta that the description
was not full enough. MT. 552f.
11. Mahātissa Thera. Incumbent of
Kambugallaka Vihāra. He was a colleague of Kupikkala Mahātissa, and interceded
on behalf of Vattagāmanī when that king's ministers wished to leave him. Later,
the ministers appointed him to look after all the monasteries built by them.
Mhv.xxxiii.76, 89ff.; MT. 619, 622.
12. Mahātissa Thera. Incumbent of
Kupikkala Vihāra. When Vattagāmanī was in hiding in the forest of Vessagiri, the
Elder once provided him with a meal, and the king, out of gratitude, made him a
grant of land (Mhv.xxxiii.49). Later, the ministers wanted to revolt against the
king on account of his cruelty to Tanasīva, but the Elder and his colleague
Mahātissa from Kambugallaka, prevented them from doing so (Mhv.xxxiii.76). When
Vattagāmanī built the Abhayagiri Vihāra, he gave it into the charge of
Mahātissa. Mhv.xxxiii.83.
13. Mahātissa Thera. An incumbent of the
Mahāvihāra. He was expelled by reason of his association with families. His
pupil Bahalamassutissa thereupon seceded from the Mahāvihāra and established a
new sect in Abhayagiri. Mhv.xxxiii.95ff.
14. Mahātissa Thera.
Incumbent of Anurārāma. Vohārīka Tissa was so pleased with him that he ordered
alms to be regularly given to him in the Mucelapattana. Mhv.xxxvi.30.
15.
Mahātissa Thera.
Even when sixty years old he did not realize that he was a puthujjana. Then,
one day, his pupil Dhammadinna of Talangara came to him, asking for his company
in a journey to Tissamahā-vihāra, where he had been asked to preach. Mahātissa
greeted him, and in the course of conversation, Dhammadinna discovered that his
teacher was under the false impression that he was an arahant. Wishing to show
him his error, he persuaded Mahātissa, by his iddhi power, to create a pond, and
in the pond a lotus, which a young girl was picking. At the sight of the girl,
Mahātissa was possessed by lust, and realized that he was no arahant.
Dhammadinna withdrew, and that same day Mahātissa put forth effort and attained
arahantship. AA.i.25.
16. Mahātissa. An incumbent of Cittalapabbata.
He was troubled by lustful thoughts and consulted his teacher. The Thera asked
him to prepare a cell for him, which he did with great care. The Thera then
asked him to occupy it for one night, since he had taken so much trouble over
it. That night Mahātissa put forth effort and became an arahant. AA.i.26.
