I think Suvaṇṇabhūmi is Myanmar. I like how after Buddhism flourished in India, it flourished in Sri Lanka, and after that, it flourished in Myanmar and still continues to do so.
Mahāvaṃsa Chapter 12
The Establishment of the Dhamma in Various Lands
1. Moggaliputta Tissa Sends Out the Missions
After completing the Third Council, the great elder Moggaliputta Tissa, the illuminator of the Buddha’s Dispensation, looked into the future.
Seeing that the Dispensation needed to be firmly established in the frontier regions, he sent missionary elders to various countries during the month of Kattika.
He sent:
- Majjhantika Thera to Kashmir and Gandhāra.
- Mahādeva Thera to Mahisamaṇḍala.
- Rakkhita Thera to Vanavāsa.
- Yona Dhammarakkhita Thera to Aparānta.
- Mahādhammarakkhita Thera to Mahāraṭṭha.
- Mahārakkhita Thera to the Greek (Yona) country.
- Majjhima Thera to the Himalayan region.
- Soṇa and Uttara Theras to Suvaṇṇabhūmi.
And to beautiful Laṅkā he sent:
- Mahāmahinda Thera,
- Iṭṭhiya,
- Uttiya,
- Sambala,
- Bhaddasāla,
saying:
“Establish the delightful Dispensation of the Buddha in the beautiful island of Laṅkā.”
Mission to Kashmir and Gandhāra
At that time in Kashmir and Gandhāra there lived a mighty Nāga king named Aravāla.
Whenever crops ripened, he would send destructive hailstorms and then sweep the harvest into the sea.
Majjhantika Thera flew through the air and arrived there.
He sat and walked upon the surface of Aravāla’s lake.
When the Nāgas saw this, they informed their king.
Aravāla became enraged and unleashed many terrors:
- violent winds,
- thunder and rain,
- lightning,
- falling rocks,
- collapsing mountain peaks,
- terrifying Nāgas of monstrous forms,
- smoke,
- fire,
- and countless threats.
The elder calmly overcame everything through psychic power.
Then he declared:
“Even if the entire world with its gods came to frighten me, they could not produce fear in me.
Even if you lifted up the whole earth with its mountains and oceans and hurled it upon me, you would not be able to terrify me.
Rather, the harm would fall upon you yourself, O king of serpents.”
Hearing this, Aravāla was humbled.
The elder taught him the Dhamma.
The Nāga king took refuge in the Triple Gem and undertook the precepts.
Likewise:
- 84,000 Nāgas,
- Gandhabbas,
- Yakkhas,
- and Kumbhaṇḍas
were established in the Dhamma.
A Yakkha named Paṇḍaka, together with his wife Hāritā and five hundred sons, attained the first stage of realization.
The elder instructed them:
“Do not become angry as before.
Do not kill living beings.
Practice loving-kindness toward all creatures.
Let human beings live happily.”
The Nāga king then respectfully seated the elder upon a jeweled throne and stood nearby fanning him.
When the people of Kashmir and Gandhāra arrived to worship the Nāga king, they instead paid homage to the elder and listened to his teaching of the Āsīvisopama Sutta (The Simile of the Venomous Snake).
Results
- 80,000 people attained realization of the Dhamma.
- 100,000 men entered the monastic life.
Thus the Buddha’s Dispensation became firmly established in Kashmir and Gandhāra.
Mission to Mahisamaṇḍala
Mahādeva Thera went to Mahisamaṇḍala.
He taught the Devadūta Sutta (The Divine Messengers).
Results
- 40,000 people attained the Dhamma Eye.
- 40,000 entered the monastic life.
Mission to Vanavāsa
Rakkhita Thera went to Vanavāsa.
Standing in the midst of the people, he taught the Anamatagga Saṃyutta (“Beginningless Saṃsāra”).
Results
- 60,000 attained realization.
- 37,000 entered the monastic life.
- 500 monasteries were established.
Thus he firmly planted the Buddha’s Dispensation there.
Mission to Aparānta
The Greek elder Dhammarakkhita traveled to Aparānta.
He preached the Aggikkhandhopama Sutta (The Simile of the Mass of Fire).
Results
- 37,000 people drank the nectar of the Dhamma.
- Over 1,000 men and even more women entered monastic life.
- Many came from noble families.
Mission to Mahāraṭṭha
Mahādhammarakkhita Thera went to Mahāraṭṭha.
He taught the Mahānāradakassapa Jātaka.
Results
- 84,000 attained the paths and fruits.
- 13,000 entered the monastic life.
Mission to the Greek Country
Mahārakkhita Thera traveled to the land of the Greeks.
He taught the Kāḷakārāma Sutta.
Results
- 170,000 attained paths and fruits.
- 10,000 entered the monastic life.
Mission to the Himalayan Region
Majjhima Thera and four companions went to the Himalayan region.
They taught the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, the Buddha’s First Sermon.
Results
- 80 crores (800 million, in traditional reckoning) attained realization.
- Five different regions were converted.
- 100,000 people entered monastic life under each elder.
Mission to Suvaṇṇabhūmi
The elders Soṇa and Uttara traveled to Suvaṇṇabhūmi.
At that time a demoness (rakkhasī) emerged from the sea whenever a prince was born in the royal palace and devoured the newborn child.
When the elders arrived, another prince had just been born.
The people saw the elders and suspected:
“These ascetics must be companions of the demoness!”
The elders replied:
“We are monks from the Himalayas, not companions of demons.”
Soon the demoness emerged from the sea.
The people raised a great cry.
The elder created through psychic power terrifying demons twice as frightening as the actual demoness.
Surrounded on all sides by these fearsome apparitions, the demoness became terrified and fled.
The elders established protection throughout the land.
Then Soṇa Thera taught the Brahmajāla Sutta to the assembled crowd.
Results
- Many took refuge and undertook the precepts.
- 60,000 attained realization.
- 3,500 noble youths entered monastic life.
- 1,500 noble maidens also entered monastic life.
From that time onward, whenever princes were born in that kingdom, they were given names connected with Soṇa and Uttara in gratitude.