Saddha Tissa of Anuradhapura

Saddha Tissa
සද්ධා තිස්ස
Saddha Tissa; සද්ධා තිස්ස
King of Anuradhapura
Reign	137 BC – 119 BC
Predecessor	Dutugamunu
Successor	Thulatthana
Born	Thissamaharama, Hambanthota
Issue	Lanja Tissa; Thulatthana; Khallata Naga; Valagamba
House	House of Vijaya
Father	Kavan Tissa
Mother	Viharamahadevi
Religion	Theravāda Buddhism

Saddha Tissa (Sinhala: සද්ධා තිස්ස, [sadda: θissə]), also known as Sadaha Tiss (Sinhala: සැදැහැ තිස්, [sædæɦæ θis]), was the king of Anuradhapura (Sri Lanka) from 137 BC to 119 BC.^[1] Saddha Tissa was the son of Kavan Tissa of Ruhuna and the brother of Dutthagamani. He was the ruler of Digamadulla, the present day eastern province of Sri Lanka.

Since crown prince Saliya married a Chandala girl, King Dutugamunu’s younger brother, Saddha Tissa was consecrated as King.^[1] King Saddha Tissa continued the remaining work in Mahathupa.

During Saddha Tissa's reign, there was a major fire in the Lovamahapaya. The king subsequently reconstructed the Lowa Maha Paaya at one third of the cost with seven levels, two less than before.^[1]

King Saddha Tissa built the Dighavapi vihara and the Duratissa reservoir.^[1] The Duratissa reservoir has an embankment 3,400 feet (1,000 m) long and 14 feet (4.3 m) high. The top of the bank is 15 feet (4.6 m) wide. The reservoir has a capacity of 336 million cubic feet (9,500,000 m³) and a surface area of 1,230 acres (500 ha).^[2]

After King Saddha Tissa’s death, Mahasangha supported the second son of the king, Thulatthana.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Obeyesekere, Donald (1999). Outlines of Ceylon History. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. pp. 38–39.
^ Parker, Henry (1909). Ancient Ceylon. London: Luzac & Co. p. 393.