1. Mahásíva. King of Ceylon; he was the son of Mutasíva and the younger brother of Uttiya, whom he succeeded. He reigned for ten years (197 87 B.C.) and built the Nagarangana vihára for Bhaddasála Thera. He was succeeded by Súratissa. Mhv.xxi.1ff.
2. Mahásíva Thera. Resident of Vámantapabbhára. He was among the last of the arahants, and had taken part in various assemblies led by the Bodhisatta (J.iv.490; vi. 30). It is probably this Thera who is referred to as Gámantapabbháravásí Mahásíva in the Anguttara Commentary (AA.i.24, 29). He lived in Tissamaháráma at Mahágáma, and was the teacher of eighteen groups of monks. One of his pupils became an arahant, and, being aware that his teacher was yet a puthujjana, went to him and asked his leave to be taught a stanza. But Mahásíva said his pupils were so numerous that he had no time to give him a stanza. The pupil waited for a whole day and night, and then getting no chance of learning, said, "If you are so busy now how will you find time to die?" Mahásíva heard and understood, and exerted himself strenuously for thirty long years, at the end of which time he became an arahant.
3. Mahásíva. A famous Commentator, sometimes called Díghabhánaka Mahásíva. His interpretations are quoted, with respect, in the Commentaries. E.g., DA.ii.430, 511, 543, 554, 805, 881, 883; SA.iii.171, 198; Sp.iii.711; DhSA. 405; PSA. 80; AA.ii.490.
4. Mahásíva Thera. An incumbent of Bhátivanka, during the reign of Dutthagámaní. One day he went to worship at the Mahá Thúpa, and there he saw two devatás offering flowers. In their previous lives they were two women who had worked for hire on the Mahá Thúpa. Mhv.xxx.46ff.
5. Mahásíva Thera. Incumbent of Nigrodhapitthi and expert in the Tipitaka. Once, while preaching the Síhanáda Sutta in King Vasabha's palace, he described the splendours of the Relic Chamber in the Mahá Thúpa and the king expressed some difficulty in believing the report, but the Elder was able to convince the king that nothing was impossible where there was a combination of rájiddhi, deviddhi and ariyiddhi. The king was pleased, conveyed the Elder under the white umbrella to the Mahá Vihára and made great offerings, lasting for seven days, to the Mahá Thúpa. MT. 555.
6. Mahásíva Thera. Mentioned as an eminent teacher of the Vinaya (Vin.v.3; Sp.i.63). He is probably identical with one of the foregoing.
7. Mahásíva Thera. It was for him that Aggabodhi I. built a parivena and also the Kurunda vihára with a tank and a grove of coco palms. Cv.xlii.11, 16.
8. Mahásíva.-A monk of Piyangudípa. See Mahásena (5).