An Arahant. He belonged to a brahmin family of Rājagaha and, having attained great proficiency in the Vedas, became a teacher of five hundred young men. When the Buddha visited Rājagaha, Tissa was so struck by his majesty that he joined the Order, later winning Arahantship. The Theragāthā contains verses uttered by him regarding certain monks who were jealous of his great renown.

In the time of Piyadassī Buddha, Tissa was an ascetic. Seeing the Buddha absorbed in concentration (samādhi) in a forest-grove, he built over him an arbour of silo flowers and for seven days paid him homage.¹⁶

He is evidently identical with Saḷalamaṇḍapiya of the Apadāna.¹⁷