Dictionary of Pali Proper Names v1.c16.615

v1.c16.615

Cittalapabbata.—A mountain in Rohaṇa on which Kākavaṇṇa-Tissa built a vihāra¹ and Vasabha ten thūpas.² Dāṭhopatissa gave to the vihāra the village of Gonnaviṭṭhi.³ The mountain is described as being healthy (utusappāya),⁴ and sometimes there lived on it as many as twelve thousand monks.⁵ Attached to the vihāra was the Niṅkapoṇṇapadhānaghara⁶ and the Koṭagerukapāsāda—the residence of Bhāgineyya Saṅgharakkhita⁷—and also, probably, a nunnery.⁸ The Elders Mahānāga and Cūlanāga lived at Cittalapabbata for three years.⁹ The Commentaries¹⁰ contain several stories connected with the mountain. Near by¹¹ was the village of Kālumbara and the bathing place of Kuruvakatittha.¹² It was evidently a very important monastic centre in Ceylon, and is mentioned on a par with Abhayagiri and Cetiyapabbata.¹³ Cittālapabbata is sometimes called Cittalakūṭa.¹⁴