Also called Mahādhammadinna. An Arahant. He resided at Talaṅga (Talaṅgatissa-pabbata) (q.v.) He was one of the monks who partook of the meal of sour gruel given by Duṭṭhagāmaṇī when in dire distress for want of food. Dhammadinna distributed his share among ten thousand monks in Piyaṅgudīpa (Mhv.xxxii.52). He is also mentioned (MT.606) as having accepted a meal given by Sāliya and his wife when they were blacksmiths in a previous birth. Dhammadinna had a nephew who became an Arahant in the tonsure-hall. Dhammadinna read to him the Tipiṭaka, and he learnt them all on that occasion (VibhA.389). Dhammadinna’s teacher was Mahānāga of Uccatalaṅka (v.l. Uccavālika). Dhammadinna visited him in his old age, knowing that, though he himself thought he had attained Arahantship, this was not the case. By a display of psychic-power, Dhammadinna convinced Mahānāga of his error and gave him a subject of meditation. Almost immediately after, the elder became an Arahant (VibhA.489; Vism.634 f). Once, while teaching the Apaṇṇaka Sutta, at Tissamahārāma, Dhammadinna pointed his fan downwards, whereupon the earth opened to the depth of Avīci, revealing all that was there. Similarly, he showed all things to the height of the Brahma-world. During his discourse he frightened the audience with the fear of hell and lured them with the bliss of heaven (Vism.392).

The Majjhimanikāya Commentary records that soon after the ordination of Dhammadinna many monks, on his advice, became Arahants. (MA.i.149 ff. A variation of what is evidently the same story is found in AA.i.25). Hearing of this, the monks of Tissamahārāma sent a number of their colleagues to fetch him. He taught them, and they attained Arahantship and remained with him. Three times this happened. On the fourth occasion an aged monk was sent. He gave the message of the monks and Dhammadinna started at once to go to them. On the way, at Haṅkana (v.l. Taṅgana) and at Cittalapabbata, he persuaded two monks, who thought they were Arahants, to display their psychic-power, and, thereby convinced them of their error; thereupon he gave them topics of meditation. On his arrival at Tissamahārāma, the monks failed to pay him their respects. He thereupon made the earth tremble and returned to his own vihāra. The Saddhammasaṅgaha (p.88 f) relates the story of a blind rat-snake who heard Dhammadinna recite the four foundations of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna) and was later born as Tissāmacca, minister of Duṭṭhagāmaṇī.