The Buddhism transmitted to Southeast Asia is called “Southern Buddhism” or “Theravāda Buddhism.” It was first transmitted to Sri Lanka from India and then subsequently spread throughout Southeast Asia. Its transmission to Sri Lanka was comparatively early. It is said that around the third century BCE when the Sri Lankan King Devanampiya Tissa, 250-210 BCE, sent a special envoy to the Indian King Aśoka, the bhikṣu Mahinda, circa 3rd century BCE, went to convert the former to Buddhism. Thus, pre-Mahāyāna Buddhism was transmitted to the country in its early stage of development.