Kanittha-Tissa, Kanittha-Tissaka

King of Ceylon (227-245 A.D.). He was the younger brother of Bhātika-Tissa. He built the Ratanapāsāda at Abhayagiri for Mahānāga of Bhūtārama, and he also built at Abhayagiri a wall, a great parivena, and the Manisoma-vihāra. He built a cetiya at Ambatthala, restored the temple at Nāgadipa, and made the Kukkutagiri cells. Among his other works were fourteen pāsādas at the Mahāvihāra, a road to the Dakkhina-vihāra, the Bhūtārāma-vihāra, the Rāmagonaka, the Nandatissa monastery, the Anulatissapabbata-vihāra, the Niyelatissārāma, the Pīlapitthi-vihāra, and the Rājamahā-vihāra.

He had two sons, Khujjanāga and Kuñcanāga (q.v.). Mhv.xxxvi.6ff

Dictionary of Pali Proper Names, G P Malalasekera (1899-1973), which is available as printed version from