Mahinda (Buddhist monk)

Mahinda (Sinhala: මිහිඳු මහරහතන් වහන්සේ) (285 BCE – 205 BCE) was an Indian Buddhist monk depicted in Buddhist sources as bringing Buddhism to Sri Lanka. He was a Mauryan prince and the first-born son of Emperor Ashoka from his first wife Queen Devi, and the older brother of Princess Sanghamitra.

Mahinda was sent as a Buddhist missionary to the Anuradhapura Kingdom in Sri Lanka. Mahinda attained arhatship and resided at Mihintale. He played an important role in proliferating Buddhism throughout the Indian subcontinent.

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