Maps of Ancient Buddhist India
Asokassa Pesanā
Asoka's Missions
The map shown above is approx. 1,600 km from East to West and 2,200 km from North to South
There is a discrepency about the Asokan Missions. According to the Edicts King Asoka himself sent them out, but according to Pāḷi sources, like the Vinayanidāna and Mahāvaṁsa it was his preceptor and advisor, the elder Moggaliputtatissa. Here is a summary of the monks involved and the places they went to according to the Mahāvaṁsa:
Majjhantika to Kasmīra and Gandhāra
Mahādeva to Mahisamaṇḍala
Rakkhita to Vanavāsī
Dhammarakkhita to Aparantikā
Mahādhammarakkhita to Mahāraṭṭha
Mahārakkhita to Yonaloka
Majjhima to the Himālayas
Soṇa and Uttara to Suvaṇṇabhūmi
Mahinda, Iṭṭhiya, Uttiya, Sambala and Bhaddasāla to Laṁkādīpa
from Mahāvaṁsa, XII, verses 1-8:
Thero Moggaliputto so, Jinasāsanajotako,
The elder Moggaliputta, the light of the Victor's Dispensation,
Niṭṭhāpetvāna Saṁgītiṁ, pekkhamāno anāgataṁ.
Having brought the (3rd) Council to a close, looked towards the future.
Sāsanassa patiṭṭhānaṁ paccantesu avekkhiya
Having seen the establishment of the Dispensation in the border countries
Pesesi Kattike māse te te there tahiṁ tahiṁ.
During the month of Kattika (November) he sent various elders here and there.
Theraṁ Kasmīragandhāraṁ Majjhantikam-apesayi,
He sent the elder Majjhantika to Kasmīra and Gandhāra,
Apesayī Mahādevattheraṁ Mahisamaṇḍalaṁ.
He sent the elder Mahādeva to Mahisamaṇḍala.
Vanavāsiṁ apesayi theraṁ Rakkhitanāmakaṁ,
To Vanavāsī he sent the elder by the name of Rakkhita,
Tathāparantakaṁ Yonadhammarakkhitanāmakaṁ.
But the Greek by the name of Dhammarakkhita to Aparantikā.
Mahāraṭṭhaṁ Mahādhammarakkhitattheranāmakaṁ,
To Mahāraṭṭha (he sent) the elder by the name of Mahādhammarakkhita,
Mahārakkhitatheraṁ taṁ Yonalokam-apesayi.
He sent to the world of the Greeks the elder Mahārakkhita.
Pesesi Majjhimaṁ theraṁ Himavantapadesakaṁ,
He sent the elder Majjhima to the place of the snows (Himālaya),
Suvaṇṇabhūmiṁ there dve Soṇam-uttaram-eva ca.
To Suvaṇṇabhūmi (he sent) two elders, Soṇa and Uttara.
Mahāmahindattheraṁ taṁ thera Iṭṭhiyam-Uttiyaṁ,
That Great Elder Mahinda, Iṭṭhiya and Uttiya,
Sambalaṁ Bhaddasālañ-ca, sake saddhivihārike,
Sambala and Bhaddasāla,It appears two others accompanied Mahinda to Laṁkā, they are the novice Sumana, and the upāsaka Bhanduka.01 his attendant monks,
“Laṁkādīpe manuññamhi manuññaṁ Jinasāsanaṁ
* He sent these five elders, (saying): “You must establish
Patiṭṭhāpetha tumhe” ti pañca there apesayi.
In the pleasant Island of (Śrī) Laṁkā the pleasant Dispensation of the Victor.”