Home > History MCQ for Competitive Exams with Answers > To which place did Ashoka send his son and daughter to preach Buddhism?
To which place did Ashoka send his son and daughter to preach Buddhism?
A
Sumatra
B
Cambodia
C
Javadvipa
D
Ceylon
Correct Answer:
D
Ceylon
- Emperor Ashoka sent his son Mahinda (Mahendra) and daughter Sanghamitta to Ceylon (modern-day Sri Lanka) in the 3rd century BCE.
- This decision followed the Kalinga War (c. 261 BCE), after which Ashoka embraced Buddhism and adopted the policy of Dhamma (moral law).
- Mahinda, a Buddhist monk, arrived during the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa.
- Through religious discussions, Mahinda converted the king and many of his subjects to Buddhism.
- Royal patronage helped Buddhism spread rapidly across the island.
- Sanghamitta later brought a sacred sapling of the Bodhi Tree from Bodh Gaya.
- The sapling was planted at Anuradhapura, becoming an important religious symbol.
- Their mission firmly established Theravada Buddhism in Sri Lanka, making it a major center of Buddhist learning and tradition.