Daughter of Asoka and sister of Mahinda.
She was born in Ujjeni and was married to Aggibrahmá - who later joined the Order - and had by him a son, Sumana. She was ordained in her eighteenth year together with Mahinda, her preceptor being Dhammapálá and her teacher Ayupálá. (Mhv.v.190 208; xiii.4, 11; DPv.vi.17; vii.18, 19; xv.77, 90; xvii.20; xviii.11, 25; Sp.i.51).
After her ordination and attainment of arahantship she lived in Pátaliputta, and, when Anulá and other women of Devánampiyatissa's court at Anurádhapura wished to enter the Order, Devánampiyatissa, at Mahinda's suggestion, sent an embassy, led by Arittha, to Asoka, asking that Sanghamittá might be sent to Ceylon, and with her a branch of the Bodhi tree for Anurádhapura. Asoka granted the request, and sent Sanghamittá, by sea, with eleven other nuns, carrying a branch of the Bodhi tree. On the way, when Nágas surrounded the Bodhi tree, Sanghamittá frightened them away by assuming the form of a Garuda. She landed at Jambukola, and, after her arrival at Anurádhapura, ordained Anulá and her companions. She lived at the Upásiká-vihára, and had twelve buildings erected there for the use of the nuns. Later, the king built for her the Hatthálhaka vihára.
She died at the age of fifty nine, in the ninth year of the reign of King Uttiya, and celebrations, lasting one whole week, were held in her honour throughout Ceylon. Her body was cremated to the east of the Thúpáráma near the (later) Cittasálá, in sight of the Bodhi tree, on a spot indicated by the Therí herself before her death. Uttiya had a thúpa erected over her ashes. Mhv.xviii.13f.; xix.5, 20, 53, 65, 68ff., 83f.; xx.48ff.; Sp.i.90f.