Aparanta, or
Aparantaka (meaning "Western border") was a geographical region of ancient
India, variously corresponding to the northern
Konkan, northern
Gujarat,
Kathiawar,
Kachch and
Sindh. The Junagadh inscription of Rudradaman mentions that during
Ashoka's reign, a
Yonaraja (literally; Ionian, or Greek, King), Tushaspa was the governor of Aparanta. A Buddhist text, the
Mahavamsa states (xii.5) that at the conclusion of the
Third Buddhist Council (c.250 BCE), a
Yona (Greek)
Thera (monk)
Dhammarakkhita was sent here by the emperor Ashoka to preach
Dhamma and 37,000 people embraced
Buddhism due to his effort (
Mahavamsa, xii.34-6). According to Buddhist scholar
A.K. Warder, the
Dharmaguptaka sect originated here.