1. King of Ceylon (77 59 B.C.). He was the brother of Dutthagámaní and was about a year younger. When he was ten, at the ceremony of initiation, he was forced to make a vow that he would never fight against his brother; but when his father, Kákavannatissa, died, he seized the throne in the absence of Dutthagámaní. Up to that time he had been in charge of the Díghavápi district. Dutthagámaní now made war upon him, but was defeated at Cúlanganiyapitthi. Later the tide turned, and Tissa had to flee to a monastery. Dutthagámaní surrounded the monastery, but some young monks carried Tissa out on a bed, covered up like a dead body. Gámaní discovered the ruse, but refrained from action. Through the intervention of Godhagatta Tissa Thera, the brothers were reconciled, and, thereafter, seem to have been devoted to one another.
After Gámaní's conquest of Anurádhapura, Tissa seems to have returned as governor of Díghavápi. When Gámaní lay dying, Tissa was sent for to complete the work of the Mahá Thúpa, that the king might see it before his death. This he got done by means of temporary structures, cunningly devised. He was enjoined to retain unimpaired all the services on behalf of the religion inaugurated by his brother, and, when the latter died, he was succeeded by Tissa, who ruled for eighteen years. He rebuilt the Lohapásáda after it was burnt down, and erected many viháras - Dakkhinágiri, Kallakálena, Kalambaka, Pettangaválika, Velangavitthika, Dubbalavápitissaka, Dúratissaka, Mátuviháraka and Díghavápi. He built a vihára to every yojana on the road from Anurádhapura to Díghavápi. He had two sons, Lañjatissa and Thúlathana.
Tissa was reborn after death in Tusita, and will be the second Chief Disciple of Metteyya Buddha. Mhv.xxii.73, 83; xxiv2ff.; xxxii.83; xxxiii.4 17; Dpv.xx 2, 4ff.
He was a very pious king, entirely devoted to the cause of religion. Various stories are mentioned about him in the Commentaries (See, e.g., Kálabuddharakkhita). He once walked five leagues to Mangana to pay his respects to Kujjatissa (q.v.) (AA.i.384f). On another occasion, he gave snipe to a novice from Kanthaka sálaparivena who would, however, accept only very little. Pleased with his moderation, the king paid him great honour (AA.i.264). He seems to have been specialty fond of the monks of Cetiyagiri (See VibhA.473). He was, apparently, also known as Dhammika Tissa. Dhammika Tissa once distributed one hundred cartloads of sugar (gula) among twelve thousand monks. A seven year old novice was sent by a monk who had just come to Cetiyagiri from Anurádhapura to fetch for him some sugar, about the size of a kapittha fruit. The attendant offered to give him a plateful, but the novice refused to take so much. The king heard the conversation, and, pleased with the novice, sent a further four hundred cartloads of sugar to be given to the Order (E.g., SA.iii.48). See also the story of Kukkutagiri.
2. Saddhátissa.-A minister. He once gave to Pindapatikatissa Thera of Sudassanapadhanasala a bowl of food which he had bought for 8 kahapanas. The monk became an arahant before eating it. The deity of the king's parasol applauded and king Saddhátissa having sent for him gave him the district of Vaddhamanananagara. Later he shared with 30,000 monks water brought to him by the devas during a drought. The king hearing of this gave him Antaraganga. Sometime afterwards he became a sotápanna, gladdened by the sight of 12,000 monks walking round Ambatthala cetiya clad in robes given by him. Ras.ii.9f.