1. Dhammapála Thera.-An arahant. He was a brahmin of Avanti and studied in Takkasilá. While returning from there after completing his studies, he saw a monk dwelling apart and, having heard the Dhamma from him, entered the Order and became an arahant. We are told that one day, while meditating, he saw two novices climbing a tree in the vihára to pick flowers. The bough broke and they fell, but he, with his iddhi-power, caught them and put them down unhurt.
In the time of Atthadassí Buddha he gave to the Buddha a pilakkha-fruit (Thag.vs.203f; ThagA.i.326f). He is probably identical with Pilakkhaphaladáyaka of the Apadána. Ap.i.298.
2. Dhammapála.-A brahmin, son of the Bodhisatta. See Mahá-Dhammapála.
3. Dhammapála.-The Bodhisatta born as the son of Mahá-Dhammapála. For his story see the Mahá-Dhammapála Játaka.
4. Dhammapála.-The Bodhisatta born as the son of King Mahápatápa. For his story see the Culla-Dhammapála Játaka.
5. Dhammapála.-A name given to Vidhurapandita. J.vi.289, 291.
6. Dhammapála Kumára.-The son of Vidhurapandita (q.v.). He is identified with Ráhula. J.vi.290, 300, 329.
7. Dhammapála.-The name of the family (kula) of Dhammapála, and the village in Kási where he lived (J.iv.50; PvA.61). See the Mahá-Dhammapála Játaka.
8. Dhammapála.-A celebrated author, generally referred to as Ácariya. Various works are attributed to him, but as there seem to have been several authors of the same name (Gv. (p.66f.) mentions four), it is difficult to assign their works separately. The best known, distinguished by the name of Ácariya, is said (Gv. p.69) to have written fourteen books. The Sásanavamsa (p.33) records that he lived at Badaratittha in South India.
His works show that he was a native of Káñcipura. His period is uncertain, though it is generally agreed that he is posterior to Buddhaghosa. He seems to have studied in the Mahávihára, because he mentions this fact in the introduction to his books (e.g., the Petavatthu Commentary). It is quite likely that he studied the Tamil Commentaries as well and that he wrote at Badaratittha. (Hiouen Thsang, Beal.ii.229, says that Dhammapála was a clever youth of Káñcipura and that the king gave him his daughter. But Dhammapála, not wishing to marry, prayed before an image of the Buddha. The gods took him to a place far away where he was ordained by the monks).
The Khuddaka Nikáya was his chief study, and seven of his works are commentaries on the books of poetry preserved in the Canon - the Thera- and Theri-Gáthá, Udána, Vimána- and Peta-Vatthu, Itivuttaka and Cariyápitaka. His other works are a commentary on the Netti, and on the Visuddhi-magga (called the Paramatthamañjúsá), tíkás (called Línatthavannaná) on Buddhaghosa's Commentaries to the Four Nikáyas and another on the Játakatthakathá. He is also credited with having written a tíká on the Buddhavamsa Commentary and on the Abhidhammatthakathá.
9. Dhammapála.-A thera of Ceylon, generally called Culla-Dhammapála. He was the senior pupil of Vanaratana Ananda and wrote the Saccasankhepa. He is also credited with tíkás on several works, including a Línathavannaná on Ananda's Múlatiká. Gv.60, 70; also P.L.C., 203f, 211.
10. Dhammapála.-A Burmese scholar of Arimaddana. Gv.67.