Asoka and the Missions: From the Extended Mahāvaṁsa

Asoka and the Missions is an English translation by Ānandajoti Bhikkhu of selected passages from the Extended Mahāvaṁsa, based on the edition prepared by G. P. Malalasekera. The work focuses on Emperor Asoka’s conversion to Buddhism, his support of the Saṅgha, the Third Buddhist Council, and the subsequent missions that carried Buddhism to different regions of India and beyond. Particular attention is given to Mahinda and Saṅghamittā and the establishment of Buddhism and the Bhikkhunī lineage in Sri Lanka. The volume is especially valuable because, according to the translator, it represents the first English translation of sections of the Extended Mahāvaṁsa, which preserves additional material not found in the standard recension. It is therefore a useful source for students and researchers interested in Asokan history, Buddhist missions, and the early transmission of Buddhism to Sri Lanka.