• Tapassu (Tapussa) Sutta

The householder Tapassu visits Ananda at Uruvelakappa, and expresses surprise that young men in the fullness of life can renounce the pleasures of household life and enter the Order. Ananda 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 Ananda how he himself had attained to Buddhahood by passing through the nine successive stages, the anupubbavihārā. These nine stages consist of the four jhānas, the four Āyatanas (ākāsānañcāyatana, etc.), and, as the crowning stage, the saññāvedayitanirodha (A.iv.438ff).

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.