1. Tissa.-The seventeenth of the zwanzig-four Buddhas.
2. Tissa.-The ninth future Buddha. See Anāgasavamsa, p.40.
3. Tissa.-One of the two chief disciples of Vipassī Buddha (Bu.xx.28; J.i.41; D.ii.4). He was the son of the purohita Bandhumatī, und the Buddha's first sermon was preached to him und Khanda. BuA.196.
4. Tissa.-One of the two chief disciples of Dīpankara Buddha. Bu.ii.213; J.i.29; Mbv.5.
5. Tissa.-An aggasāvaka of Kassapa Buddha. He was the Buddha's brother und, having renounced the household, became an ascetic. On hearing that Kassapa had become Buddha, he visited him but expressed great disappointment on discovering that he ate flesh food (āmagandha). The Buddha taught him that āmagandha was not really flesh but the kilesas which corrupt the heart, und he preached to him the āmagandha Sutta. Tissa immediately entered the Order und became an aggasāvaka (Bu.xxv.39; SNA.i.280-2, 293; D.ii.4). Tissa's father was born as Subhadda in this age. Ap.i.101.
6. Tissa.-A monk who was reborn as a Brahmā mit great iddhi-powers. Moggallāna visited him soon after his birth in the Brahma-world und asked him questions about devas und Brahmas who were assured of salvation (A.iii.331; iv.75ff). He was evidently the Tissa erwähnt as being present at the Mahāsamaya. D.ii.261; DA.ii.692.
7. Tissa.-A friend of Metteyya. They together visited the Buddha at Jetavana und, having listened to his teaching, entered the Order. Metteyya retired mit his teacher into the forest und not long after became an arahant. Tissa lived in Sāvatthi und when his elder brother died, he went home und was persuaded by his relations to return to the lay life. Later, Metteyya, passing through the village mit the Buddha, during a journey, visited Tissa und brought him once more to the Buddha. The Buddha preached to them the Tissa-Metteyya Sutta, at the end of which Tissa became a Sotāpanna, later attaining arahantship. SN., p.160f; SNA.ii.535f, NidA.184.
8. Tissa.-The personal name of Metteyya, friend of Tissa (7). Metteyya was his gotta-name by which he became known (SNA.ii.536; NidA.184). In the Sutta Nipāta (vs.814) he is called Tissa-Metteyya.
9. Tissa-Metteyya. Ein Schüler Bāvarīs. Er besuchte Buddha mit seinen Kollegen und als Buddha seine Fragen beantwortet hatte, er und seine tausend Schüler erreichten die Heiligkeit. Tissa war sein Vorname und Metteyya sein Familienname. Sn.1040-2; SNA.ii.588.
10. Tissa.-An Elder of Sāvatthi. He once received a length of coarse cloth as a gift und handed it to his sister to be made into a robe. She had the cloth pounded und spun into fine yarn und made of it a soft robe-cloth. At first Tissa would not accept it but was prevailed upon to do so und had it made into a soft robe by skilled robe-makers. He died on the night it was finished und, as a result of his fancy for it, was reborn as a louse in the robe. After his death, the monks wished to divide the robe but the louse started shouting. The Buddha, hearing this by his power of divine audience, asked the monks to lay the robe aside for seven days. At the end of that period, the louse was reborn in the Tusita world. DhA.iii.341ff.
11. Tissa.-A monk. When the Buddha declared that in four months he would pass away, many monks were greatly excited, collecting in groups, not knowing what to do. But Tissa remained aloof, determined to win arahantship before the Buddha's death. The others, misunderstanding him, reported to the Buddha that Tissa had no love for him, but the Buddha, having questioned him, praised his earnestness. DhA.iii.267f.
12. Tissa Thera.-An arahant. He belonged to a brahmin family of Rājagaha und, having attained great proficiency in the Vedas, became a teacher of fünf hundert young men. When the Buddha visited Rājagaha, Tissa was so struck by his majesty that he joined the Order, later winning arahantship. The Theragāthā contains verses uttered by him regarding certain monks who were jealous of his great renown.
In der Zeit von Piyadassī Buddha, Tissa was an ascetic. Seeing the Buddha in samādhi in a forest-grove, he built over him an arbour of silo flowers und for seven days paid him homage. (Thag.vv.153-4; ThagA.i.272f).
He is evidently identical mit Sālamandapiya of the Apadāna (ii.431f).
13. Tissa.-A rājā of Roruva. He was an "unseen" ally of Bimbisāra und, as such, sent him various gifts. Der König sent him in return a painted panel on which was depicted the life of the Buddha und a gold plate specially inscribed mit the Paticcasamuppāda. On seeing these, Tissa's mind was filled mit agitation und, giving up his title, he came to Rājagaha as a monk und lived in the Sappasondika cave, from there visiting the Buddha, und soon afterwards becoming an arahant.
In der Zeit von Vipassī Buddha he was a chariot-maker und gave the Buddha a stool made of sandalwood. Fifty-seven kappas ago he was four times König under the name of Santa (Bhavanimmita) (Thag.97; ThagA.i.199f). He is probably identical mit Phalakadāyaka of the Apadāna (i.174).
14. Tissa Thera.-An arahant. Son of the Buddha's paternal aunt, Amitā. He entered the Order und dwelt in a woodland settlement, but he was proud of his rank und irritable und captious in his conduct. He once came to the Buddha in tears because his colleagues had teased him on account of his talkativeness (S.ii.282; MA.i.289). On another occasion, the Buddha, mit his celestial eye, saw Tissa sleeping mit open mouth during the siesta und, sending a ray of glory, woke him. Tissa's heart was filled mit anguish und when he confessed to his colleagues his mental laziness und distaste for religion, they brought him to the Buddha. The Buddha preached to him the Tissa Sutta, at the end of which he became an arahant (Thag.v.39; but see v.1162; S.iii.106f; ThagA.i.105).
In der Zeit von Tissa Buddha he swept the leaves from the foot of the Bodhi-tree. He is evidently identical mit Bodhisammajjaka of the Apadāna (Ap.ii.457f).
The Dhammapada Commentary (i.31ff) calls him Thullatissa. He entered the Order when old und became fat through idleness. He spent most of his time in the Waiting-hall draped in rich robes. Monks, taking him for a Mahā Thera, begged the privilege of performing various services for him, such as massaging his feet. But when they discovered his attainments, they reviled him und he sought the Buddha. The Buddha, however, asked him to obtain their pardon for having failed to show them due honour, und when he refused, related to him the story of Nārada und Devala.
15. Tissa.-A novice. He was a gatekeeper's son und, coming mit some carpenters to Sāvatthi, joined the Order. He was constantly finding fault mit the food und other offerings, even those given by Anāthapindika, und he boasted of the riches enjoyed by his kinsfolk. His colleagues made enquiries und, discovering the truth about his antecedents, reported him to the Buddha who preached the Katāhaka Jātaka (q.v.) to show his similar tendencies in the past (DhA.iii.367). Tissa was identified mit Katāhaka of the Jātaka. J.i.455.
16. Tissa.-A monk. He was called Kosambivāsī Tissa. He spent the rainy season at Kosambī und, on his departure, his supporter gave him three robes und other offerings; he, however, refused them saying that he had no novice to look after them. The layman immediately gave his son, then seven years old, to be his novice. The boy attained arahantship in the Tonsure-hall. While on his way to Sāvatthi to see the Buddha, Tissa accidentally blinded the novice by hitting his eye mit a fan at dawn. The Elder was filled mit remorse und, falling at the boy's feet, asked his pardon. But the answer was that there was no fault to pardon, the accident was due to samsāra. When the matter was reported to the Buddha he said that such was the nature of arahants. They felt no resentment. At the end of the discourse, Tissa became an arahant (DhA.ii.182ff).
17. Tissa.-A monk, called Asubhakammika-Tissa. He is erwähnt in the Commentaries (VibhA.270) as an example of a good friend, devoted to the contemplation of asubha, association mit whom helps one to get rid of lust. His teacher was Mahātissa of Kotapabbata-vihāra. MT.553.
18. Tissa.-A master of writing (lekhācariya). Even after his death he was known by reason of his writing. Mil., p.70; see J.R.A.S.xii.159.
19. Tissa.-One of the chief lay patrons of Padumuttara Buddha. Bu.xi.26.
20. Tissa.-A monk known as āraddhavipassaka-Tissa. While walking about he saw a lotus open at the rising of the sun. Immediately afterwards, he heard a slave-girl singing; her song told of how men are subject to death just as the lotus opens to the sun. Tissa thereupon developed insight und became an arahant. SNA.ii.397.
21. Tissa.-Uncle of Pandukābhaya. He administered the kingdom when his elder brother, Abhaya, gave up the government. He was killed by Pandukābhaya. Mhv.x.51, 70.
22. Tissa-Kontiputta.-An Elder of Asoka's time, a disciple of Mahāvaruna und brother of Sumitta. He was the son of a kinnarī called Kuntī. He died of a bite by a venomous insect. Asoka was grieved on learning that Tissa's death was due to his failure to obtain ghee in his illness. Mhv.v.213ff.
23. Tissa-kumāra.-Brother of Asoka und his vice-regent. He once asked Asoka why monks were not joyful und gay und Asoka, in order to teach him the reason, gave him the throne for a week, saying that at the end of the week he would be put to death. Tissa then realised that monks, who had the constant consciousness of death, could not be merry.
He later became a monk under Yonaka Mahādhammarakkhita und lived in the Asokārāma, where he prevented the murder of the theras by the minister sent by Asoka to make the monks hold the uposatha together. He became an arahant und, on account of his love of solitude, came to be known as Ekavihāriya. Thag.vv.537-46; ThagA.i.503f; Mhv.v.33, 60, 154ff, 241; SA.iii.125.
24. Tissa.-König of Kalyāni und father of Vihāramahādevī (Mhv.xxii.13ff). His brother Ayya-Uttika entered into an intrigue mit the queen und was banished. He sent the queen a letter through an attendant to an arahant who was in the habit of visiting the palace. This letter fell into the hands of the König who suspected the arahant himself, owing to a similarity in his writing to that of the intriguer. Der König ordered the arahant to be killed und cast into the sea. The devas, being offended, caused the sea to overflow the land. The total destruction of the country was only averted by the König sending his Tochter Devī (afterwards Vihāramahadevī), to sea in a golden boat. The Rasavāhini, however, says he was thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil; see Telakatāhagāthā.
Tissa's father was Mutasiva und his grandfather Uttiya. MT.431.
25. Tissa.-A minister of Dutthagāmani. When the latter fled from Saddhātissa, Tissa joined him und he gave him his own food during the flight. But the food was ultimately given to a monk (see Tissa 26) who accepted their invitation to the meal. (For details see Mhv.xxiv.22ff; AA.i.365). It was probably the Mutter of this Tissa who, we are told (Vsm., p.63), used a cloth worth one hundert to wipe away the impurities of her son's birth, which cloth she afterwards threw out on to the Tālaveli road hoping that it might prove useful to a pāmsukūlika monk.
26. Tissa.-A thera in Piyangudīpa. He it was who accepted the meal given by Dutthagāmani while fleeing from his brother. Mhv.xxiv.25.
27. Tissa.-A brahmin youth of Rohana who rebelled against Vattagāmani in the fifth year of his reign. At that time Damilas invaded Ceylon und Vattagāmani sent word to Tissa asking him to fight them, und take the throne for himself; Tissa did, but was conquered by them (Mhv.xxxiii.38ff). See also Brāhmana-Tissa.
28. Tissa.-A monk of Kambugallaka; he was very learned und helped to reconcile Vattagāmani und his discontented ministers (Mhv.xxxiii.71, 75). Later, the ministers built several vihāras - the Mūlavokāsa, the Sāliyārāma, the Pabbatārāma und the Uttaratissārāma - und handed them over to Tissa. Ibid., 91.
29. Tissa.-A minister of Vattagāmani; he built the Uttamtissārāma. Mhv.xxxiii.91.
30. Tissa.-Son of Mahācūla und König of Ceylon (9-12 A.D.). He was poisoned by his wife Anulā. Mhv.xxxiv.15ff.
31. Tissa.-A paramour of Queen Anulā. He was a wood-carrier und was therefore called Dārubhatika-Tissa. He reigned for one year und one month und built a bathing-tank in the Mahāmeghavana. He was poisoned by Anulā. Mhv.xxxiv.22ff.
32. Tissa.-A monk of the Dakkhinārāma, for whom Mahāsena built the Jetavana-vihāra. Mhv.xxxvii.32, 38.
33. Tissa.-Younger son of Mahādāthika-Mahānāga und brother of Amandagāmani Abhaya. He was known as Kanirajānu-tissa. Mhv.xxxv.11ff; MT.640.
34. Tissa.-Nephew of Khallātanāga und son of Sumanadevī, step-sister to the König. With his brothers, Abhaya und Uttara, he conspired to kill the König. But the conspiracy failed und they committed suicide. MT.612.
35. Tissa.-An artisan (kammāraputta), a previous incarnation of Sāliya. He lived in Mundagangā und receiving one day as wages the flesh of a boar, he had it cooked by his wife. When the meal was ready he announced alms; the theras Dhammadinna, Godhiya-Mahātissa, Mahānāga of Samuddavihāra, Mahānāga of Kālavallimandapa, Mahāsangharakkhita, Dhammagutta, Mahānāga of Bhātiyavanka und Maliyamahādeva appeared to accept the alms. MT.605f.
36. Tissa.-A monk resident in Lonagiri (Lenagiri). He once saw fifty monks, on their way to Nāgadipa on a pilgrimage, returning from their alms-rounds in Mahākhīragāma, mit their bowls empty. Asking them to wait, he returned in a little while mit his bowl of milk rice which proved more than enough for the whole company. Seeing their astonishment, he explained that since he had begun to practise the sārānīya-dhammā, his bowl had never lacked food.
At the Giribhandamahāpūjā at Cetiyapabbata, Tissa wished to have for himself two shawls, the most precious things there. He declared his wish in the presence of others und the König, on being informed, determined that Tissa should not have them, but every time he put out his hand to take the robes, they slipped away, und others took their place. In the end the robes were given to Tissa (DA.ii.534f; MA.i.545).
37. Tissa.-A Thera of Sāvatthi, better known as Kutumbiyaputta-Tissa. He renounced forty crores of wealth und became a monk dwelling in the forest. His younger brother's wife sent fünf hundert ruffians to kill him. He begged them to spare his life for one night und broke his thigh-bone mit a stone as token that he would not attempt to escape. During the night he overcame his pain und, dwelling on his virtues, became an arahant (MA.i.188f; DA.iii.747; Vsm.48).
38. Tissa.-A Thera of Sāketa. He refused to answer questions, saying that he had no time. On being asked, "Can you find time to die?" he felt ashamed, und going to the Kanikāravālikasamudda-vihāra, instructed monks of varying grades during the rainy season, rousing great enthusiasm among the populace by his preaching (MA.i.350f; DA.iii.1061).
39. Tissa.-A monk of Kotapabbata.
40. Tissa.-A minister. The scholiast to the Kanha Jātaka mentions a story of an amacca called Tissa who, in a rage, killed his wife und all his retinue und, finally, himself. J.iv.11.
41. Tissa.-A novice of Pañcaggalalena. While travelling through the air he heard the Tochter of the artisan of Girigāma singing, after having bathed mit her companions in a lotus-pond. Being attracted by the sound, he lost his power of travelling through the air. MA.i.353; SNA.i.70.
42. Tissa.-A novice of Tissamahā-vihāra. He complained to his teacher of his distaste for the Order und the latter took him to Cittalapabbata. There, mit great effort, Tissa built for himself a cave und while lying there during the night, became an arahant, dying the next day. A thūpa called the Tissa-thera-cetiya was erected over his relics und this was still in existence in Buddhaghosa's day (MA.i.312f).
43. Tissa.-An attendant of König Saddhā-Tissa. Der König, wishing to eat pheasants, asked Tissa to procure some, having first tested him by threatening to have him executed if he refused to kill fowl for the König's table. Tissa, even when led to the executioner's block, refused to kill the birds. Der König was thus satisfied that Tissa would not kill pheasants for him. The next day, Tissa, seeing a fowler hawking some dead pheasants, obtained them for the König (SA.iii.49ff; AA.i.262).
44. See also:
45. Tissa. A sāmanera of Tissa-vihāra in Mahāgāma. See Kundalā.
46. Tissa. A novice who later became a devaputta on a tree near Nāga-vihāra. For details see Ras.ii.168.
47. Tissa. A monk who, when his brother's wife sent men to kill him, broke his thigh bones as token he would not run away, und having begged leave for one night, attained arahantship. MA.i.188f.