Chief of the lay disciples of Dīpaṅkara Buddha. Bu.ii.215.

Tapassu Sutta.– The householder Tapassu visits Ānanda at Uruvelakappa, and expresses surprise that young men in the fullness of life can renounce the pleasures of household life and enter the Order. Ānanda takes Tapassu to the Buddha, who is having his siesta at the foot of a tree in the Mahāvana, and repeats Tapassu’s remark. The Buddha tells Ānanda how he himself had attained to Buddhahood by passing through the nine successive abidings (anupubbavihārā). These nine stages consist of the four rūpa-jhānas, the four formless arūpa-jhānas (ākāsānañcāyatana, etc.), and, as the crowning stage, the cessation of perception and feeling (saññāvedayitanirodha) (A.iv.438 ff).

The Tapassu mentioned is evidently identical with the brother of Bhalluka mentioned above.

The Commentary (AA.ii.814) on this passage makes no attempt to distinguish him from any other.