Jettha Tissa
Jettha Tissa I (267 – 277)[1] was the eldest son of Gothabhaya and brother of Mahasena. The live chronicle of Sri Lanka - Mahavamsa describes Jettha Tissa I as a cruel person and states that he, immediately after his father’s death, had all of his father’s court ministers killed and spiked their bodies around the pyre.[2]
Contents
Jat clans
Works
The king added more stories to the Lovamahapaya constructed by King Dutugamunu, turning it into a seven story building.[3] and renovated the stupa in Muthiyangana Raja Maha Viharaya.
In Mahavansa
Mahavansa/Chapter 36 tells.....A bhikkhu from the Cola people, named Samghamitta, who was versed in the teachings concerning the exorcism of spirits, and so forth, had attached himself to a thera banished thither, and he came hither embittered against the bhikkhus of the Mahävihära.
When this lawless (bhikkhu) had thrust himself into an assembly in the Thuparama and had refuted there the words of the thera living in the parivena of Samghapala, namely the thera Gothabhaya, uncle of the king on the mother's side, who had addressed the king with his (old) name, be became a constant guest in the king's house.' The king who was well pleased with him entrusted his eldest son Jetthatissa and his younger son Mahasena, to the bhikkhu. And he made the second his favourite, therefore prince Jetthatissa bore ill-will to the bhikkhu.
After his father's death Jettha Tissa became king. To punish the hostile ministers who would not go in procession with him, at the performing of the king's funeral rites, the king himself proceeded forth, and placing his younger brother at the head and then the body following close behind, and then the ministers whilst he himself was at the end (of the procession), he, when his younger brother and the body were gone forth, had the gate closed immediately behind them, and he commanded that the treasonous ministers be slain and (their bodies) impaled on stakes round about his father's pyre.
Because of this deed he came by the surname `the Cruel'. But the bhikkhu Samghamitta, for fear of the king, went hence at the time of his coronation, when he had taken counsel with Mahasena, to the further coast awaiting the time of (Mahasena's) consecrating.
He (Jettha Tissa) built up to seven stories the splendid Lohapasada, that had been left unfinished' by his father, so that it was now worth a koti (pieces) of money. When he had offered there a jewel worth sixty thousand, Jetthatissa named it the Manipasada.
He offered two precious gems to the Great Thüpa, and he built three gateways to the temple of the great Bodhi-tree. When he had built the vihara Pacinatissapabbata the ruler gave it to the brotherhood in the five settlements.
The great and beautiful stone image that was placed of old by Devanampiyatissa in the Thuparama did king Jetthatissa take away from the Thuparama, and set up in the Arama Pacinatissapabbata. He bestowed the Kalamattika-tank on the Cetiyapabbata (vihara), and when he celebrated the consecrating festival of the vihära and the pasada and (held) a great Vesakha-ceremony he distributed the six garments among the brotherhood, in number thirty thousand. Jetthatissa also made the Alambagama-tank. Accomplishing thus many works of merit, beginning with the building of the pasada the king reigned ten years.
Thus, reflecting that sovereignty, being the source of manifold works of merit, is at the same time the source of many an injustice, a man of pious heart will never enjoy it as if it were sweet food mixed with poison.
Mahavansa/Chapter 37 tells....After king Jettha Tissa's death, his younger brother Mahasena ruled twenty-seven years as king. And to consecrate him as king, the thera Samghamitta came thither from the further coast, when he heard the time (of Jetthatissa's death).