Sanghamitta (also spelled Sanghamitta) was a historical figure in early Buddhist tradition. She is traditionally identified as the daughter of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (ruled c. 268–232 BCE) and his chief queen, Devi (also known as Asandhimitra). According to Buddhist chronicles, she became a bhikkhunī (Buddhist nun) and played a key role in the spread of Buddhism to Sri Lanka.
Early life and ordination
Sanghamitta was born into the royal family of the Mauryan Empire. The Buddhist text Mahavamsa recounts that she was instructed in the monastic precepts by the Buddhist monk Mahinda, who was her brother and also a son of Ashoka. She received full ordination as a bhikkhunī in the Theravāda tradition.
Mission to Sri Lanka
In 250 BCE, Sanghamitta is said to have traveled to the island of Sri Lanka (then called Lanka) at the invitation of King Devanampiya Tissa, who had previously been converted to Buddhism by her brother Mahinda. Her mission was to establish the bhikkhunī order (the nuns' sangha) on the island and to introduce monastic discipline for women.
Bodhi Tree sapling
One of the most celebrated aspects of Sanghamitta’s mission is the transportation of a sapling from the original Bodhi Tree (under which the Buddha attained enlightenment) in Bodh Gaya, India, to Sri Lanka. According to the Mahavamsa, this sapling was planted in Anuradhapura and became the focus of an important religious site, later known as the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi. The tree is reputed to be the oldest living historically documented tree in the world.
Legacy
Sanghamitta is venerated in Theravāda Buddhist traditions, especially in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, and other countries where the bhikkhunī lineage traces its origin to her. Several Buddhist festivals and commemorations honor her contribution to the establishment of the order of nuns. Statues and monasteries bearing her name exist in various Buddhist-majority nations.
Historical sources
The primary source for Sanghamitta’s biography is the Mahavamsa, a 5th‑century Pali chronicle of Sri Lankan history. Additional references appear in later commentarial literature and in inscriptions from the Mauryan period that mention Ashoka’s patronage of Buddhism, though direct contemporary evidence for Sanghamitta herself is limited.
Scholarly assessment
Modern scholars recognize Sanghamitta as a significant figure in the transmission of Buddhism, while also noting that the historical details are derived from later religious texts rather than contemporaneous records. Consequently, aspects of her life—such as the exact date of the mission and the identity of the Bodhi Tree sapling—are treated with caution in academic discourse.
