Mahinda was the son of Emperor Ashoka. He became a monk at the age of 20 with Moggaliputta-Tissa as his preceptor. Mahinda together with four other monks were sent to Sri Lanka to spread Buddhism. They preached the teachings of the Buddha to King Devanampiyatissa (247 BC-207 BC), who then become the first Sri Lankan monarch to become a Buddhist. Mahinda brought with him the Pāli Canon.

See also: Sri Lankan Buddhism

Mahinda Mahinda