Mahādhammarakkhita

• 1. Mahādhammarakkhita Thera

  An arahant. He lived at Asokārāma. Once, Tissa, brother of Asoka, saw him seated at the foot of a tree meditating, fanned by a Nāga with a sāla branch. Tissa was later ordained by him. Mhv.v.161, 167; ThigA.i.505; but see Sp.i.561, according to which it was Yonaka Mahādhammarakhita who ordained Tissa; also SA.iii.125.

  After the Third Council he was sent as messenger of Buddhism to Mahārattha. There he preached the Mahānārada Kassapa Jātaka, and eighty four thousand people were converted, thirteen thousand joining the Order. Mhv.xii.5, 37; Dpv.viii.8; Sp.i.67.

• 2. Mahādhammarakkhita. An ancient Commentator, generally called Tipitaka Mahādhammarakkhita, who is quoted several times in the Commentaries. He was a contemporary of Dīghabhānaka Abhaya. E.g., DhSA.267, 278, 286f.; Vibhā.81; PSA.405.

• 3. Mahādhammarakkhita. An Elder of Tulādhāra vihāra in Rohana. Tipitaka Cūlābhaya went to him from the Mahāvihāra in order to learn from him the Doctrine. At the end of the teaching, Dhammarakkhita asked Abhaya to give him a subject for meditation, for, he said, Abhaya had a greater knowledge than he of that matter. The subject was given, and soon after Dhammarakkhita attained Nibbāna, and died while preaching at the Lohapāsāda. Vsm.96f.

• 4. Mahādhammarakkhita. See Yonaka Mahādhammarakkhita.