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Jeṭṭhatissa

1. Jeṭṭhatissa I.– King of Sri Lanka (323‑33 A.C.), elder son of Goṭhābhaya, the younger being Mahāsena. He slew all the ministers who were disloyal to his father and earned the title of “The Cruel.” He rebuilt the Lohapāsāda to a height of seven storeys and renamed it the Maṇipāsāda, from the costly jewels he offered in it. He also built the Pācīnatissapabbata-vihāra and the Ālambagāma reservoir. Mhv.xxxvi.118 ff; Dpv.xxii.61, 66.

2. Jeṭṭhatissa II.– King of Sri Lanka, brother (?) and successor of Sirimeghavaṇṇa. He ruled for nine years and was a very skilful carver in ivory. Cv.xxxvii.100‑4; Cv. Trs.1.9, n.1.

3. Jeṭṭhatissa III.– Son of King Saṅghatissa. When Moggallāna III usurped the throne Jeṭṭhatissa fled to the Malaya country. From there he helped Asiggāhaka Silāmeghavaṇṇa in his fight with Moggallāna, but on discovering that Silāmeghavaṇṇa wished to kill him also, he fled once more to Malaya. Later, he made his headquarters at Ariṭṭhapabbata, and from there led an army against Aggabodhi III, who was then on the throne. Aggabodhi fled to Jambudīpa, and Jeṭṭhatissa became king as Jeṭṭhatissa III. He reigned for only five months, during which time he did several meritorious works. Aggabodhi returned with an army, and in the battle that followed Jeṭṭhatissa slew himself at the sight of his army suffering defeat. His queen entered the Order and became proficient in the Abhidhamma. Cv.xliv.28, 55, 61, 70, 86‑106.