An arahant. He lived in Mangana in Ceylon, and was mentioned by the Sangha to King Saddhātissa as being worthy of his special worship. The king travelled five leagues to see him, but the thera, lest the king should invite him to the palace, lay down on a bed at the time of the king's arrival and started scratching letters on the floor. The king decided that the thera was not an arahant and went away. When he was blamed for having displeased so pious a king, the thera undertook to make amends. He requested that, after his death, he should be placed in a covered palanquin containing also a second bed. This was done and the palanquin travelled by air to Anurādhapura, performing many miracles, applauded by the people. In Anurādhapura it circled round the Thūpārāma and the Silācetiya and, when it reached the Lohapāsāda, the thera Mahāvyaggha entered the palanquin, lay down on the spare bed and entered Nibbāna. The king made offerings of flowers and perfumes to the palanquin and it descended to earth, for such had been Kujjatissa's desire. The bodies were burnt and thūpas were erected over the relics. AA.i.384f.

He is probably identical with Khuddaka-Tissa (q.v.).


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