Courtesy:  AI Overview

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Sri Lanka has produced several highly influential Buddhist figures, but the most renowned for their lasting missionary legacy are

Arahant Mahinda (and his sister Sanghamittā Therī) in ancient times, and Anagarika Dharmapala in the modern era. 

Arahant Mahinda and Sanghamittā Therī (Ancient Era)

Arahant Mahinda, the son of the Indian Emperor Ashoka, is the pivotal figure who introduced Buddhism to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BCE. 

• Key Accomplishment: He converted King Devanampiya Tissa and the royal household, leading to the widespread adoption of Buddhism as the national religion of the Sinhalese people. This event is considered the foundation of the Buddha Sasana (the Buddha’s message and monastic order) on the island. Article 9 of Sri Lanka’s modern Constitution is mandated to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana as a fundamental obligation of the State, a practice that has prevailed in Sri Lanka since the time of King Devanampiya Tissa (Third Century BC)
• Lasting Legacy:
  • Established the Sangha: Mahinda established the first community of monks (Bhikkhu Sangha) in Sri Lanka. The first Sinhalese monk was the nephew of King Devanampiyatissa, namely Arittha Thera.
  • Established the Bhikkhuni Order: His sister, Sanghamittā Therī, arrived later with a sapling of the sacred Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment, and established the order of nuns (Bhikkhuni Sangha).
  • Cultural & Architectural Impact: Their arrival spurred a wave of stupa (pagoda) and monastery construction, including the Thuparama, which became major centers of worship and the cradle of an unique Sinhala Buddhist civilization and culture that persists to this day.
  • Literary Preservation: The Buddhist scriptures (Tipitaka) were first committed to writing in Sri Lanka during the first century BCE, a monumental effort that preserved the Theravada canon for the world.

Anagarika Dharmapala (Modern Era)

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Anagarika Dharmapala was a key figure in the global Buddhist revival movement. 

• Key Accomplishment: He was a pioneer in teaching the Dhamma in Asia, North America, and Europe, becoming the first global Buddhist Missionary. He was a leading voice against colonial suppression of Buddhism and played a crucial role in re-establishing a Buddhist identity in Sri Lanka and India.  He lived from 1864 to 1933. He is remembered for his missionary work in three continents and his pioneering role in the Sri Lankan independence movement,
• Lasting Legacy:
  • Maha Bodhi Society: He founded the Maha Bodhi Society in 1891 to revive Buddhism in India and regain Buddhist control of ancient shrines like Bodh Gaya and Sarnath. This organization continues its work today.
  • Pioneered Western Missions: Dharmapala was instrumental in founding the London Buddhist Vihara in 1926, which helped introduce Theravada Buddhism to the West.
  • “Protestant Buddhism” & Social Reform: He promoted a modern, lay-oriented form of Buddhism focused on ethics, self-reliance, and social consciousness, which deeply influenced Sri Lankan society and nationalism. 

Other notable modern missionaries include Narada Maha Thera, Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero, and Asoka Weeraratna, who further propagated the Dhamma in many countries, including Europe and the United States, through teaching, writing, and establishing viharas and meditation centers. 

Narada Maha Thera, born Sumanapala Perera was a Theravada Buddhist monk, scholar, translator, educator and Buddhist missionary who was for many years the Superior of Vajiraramaya in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He was a popular figure in his native country, Sri Lanka, and beyond. Wikipedia ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narada_Maha_Thera)

Born: July 14, 1898,Colombo 13

Died: October 2, 1983 (age 85 years), Siri Vajirarama Temple, Colombo

Lineage: Amarapura Nikaya

Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero: A respected monk of the 20th century, he was a master of Buddhist meditation and known for reviving both samatha and vipassana meditation techniques. He also served as President of the Amarapura Sangha Sabha and was influential in propagating Buddhism both in Sri Lanka and abroad.

Asoka Weeraratna: A follower of Anagarika Dharmapala and widely renowned as the ‘Deveni Dharmapala’ (second Anagarika), he founded the German Dharmaduta Society (1952), Berlin Buddhist Vihara in Germany (1957) which is housed in Das Buddhistische Haus ( founded by Dr. Paul Dahlke in 1924) and the Mitirigala Nissarana Vanaya (1967) a highly respected forest hermitage in Sri Lanka to promote deep meditation for monks and lay people alike. 

Courtesy:  AI Overview

see also

• Buddhist Studies: Profiles of Theravadin Buddhists – BuddhaNet
• https://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/theravada/

Profiles of Theraveda Buddhists * Ananda Metteyya (Charles Henry Allan Bennett, 1872 -1923) * Ba Khin, Sayaji U Ba Khin (1899-1971)

buddhanet.net

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·  Buddhism in Sri Lanka – Wikipedia

·  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_in_Sri_Lanka

The Buddhist revival also resulted in the spreading of Buddhism in Western countries. Anagarika Dharmapala and Asoka Weeraratna pi…