• Upatissagāma

1. Upatissagāma. A brahmin village near Rājagaha. It was the birthplace of Sāriputta (ThagA.iii.93; DhA.i.73). Its real name was Nālaka, but it was called Upatissagāma, evidently because its chieftains belonged to the Upatissa clan. It is probable that Sāriputta's father, who was head of the village (gāmasāmi), was also called Upatissa. See SnA.i.326.

2. Upatissagāma (sometimes called Upatissanagara). The settlement founded by Vijaya's chaplain, Upatissa, on the banks of the Gambhīra-nadī, about seven miles to the north of Anurādhapura (Mhv.vii.44; Mhv.Trs.58, n.4; Dpv. ix.36; x.5).

It was the seat of government till Anurādhapura became the capital (See, e.g., Mhv.viii.4; x.48). Soon after Mahinda's arrival in Ceylon many young men joined the Order, and among them there were five hundred from Upatissagāma (Mhv.Xvii.60).