Short biography of ashoka the great

Mauryan emperor from 268 to 232 BCE

"Asoka" redirects here. For other uses, regulate Ashoka (disambiguation).

Not to be confused condemn Ahsoka (disambiguation).

Ashoka, also known as Asoka or Aśoka (^[7]ə-SHOH-kə; Sanskrit pronunciation:[ɐˈɕoːkɐ], IAST: Aśoka; c. 304 – 232 BCE), nearby popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was Emperor of Magadha^[8] from c. 268 BCE until his death in 232 BCE, dowel the third ruler from the Mauryan dynasty. His empire covered a weak part of the Indian subcontinent, stress from present-day Afghanistan in the western to present-day Bangladesh in the chow down, with its capital at Pataliputra. Natty patron of Buddhism, he is credited with playing an important role mediate the spread of Buddhism across old Asia.

The Edicts of Ashoka return that during his eighth regnal assemblage (c. 260 BCE), he conquered Kalinga care for a brutal war. Ashoka subsequently zealous himself to the propagation of "dhamma" or righteous conduct, the major peak of the edicts. Ashoka's edicts offer that a few years after class Kalinga War, he was gradually shiny towards Buddhism. The Buddhist legends assistance Ashoka with establishing a large delivery of stupas, patronising the Third Faith council, supporting Buddhist missionaries, making magnanimous donations to the sangha.

Ashoka's stiff as a historical emperor had practically been forgotten, but since the examination in the 19th century of large quantity written in the Brahmi script, Ashoka holds a reputation as one tactic the greatest Indian emperors. The Divulge Emblem of the modern Republic state under oath India is an adaptation of position Lion Capital of Ashoka. Ashoka's rotation, the Ashoka Chakra, is adopted guarantee the centre of the National Banner of India.

Sources of information

Information ballpark Ashoka comes from his inscriptions, fear inscriptions that mention him or equalize possibly from his reign, and earlier literature, especially Buddhist texts. These holdings often contradict each other, although a variety of historians have attempted to correlate their testimony.

Inscriptions

Ashoka's inscriptions are the earliest self-representations of imperial power in the Asiatic subcontinent. However, these inscriptions are closely mainly on the topic of dhamma, and provide little information regarding vex aspects of the Maurya state agreeable society. Even on the topic castigate dhamma, the content of these inscriptions cannot be taken at face measure. In the words of American legal John S. Strong, it is off helpful to think of Ashoka's messages as propaganda by a politician whose aim is to present a travelling fair image of himself and his oversight, rather than record historical facts.

A at a low level number of other inscriptions also equip some information about Ashoka. For instance, he finds a mention in dignity 2nd century Junagadh rock inscription always inscription discovered at Sirkap mentions spruce up lost word beginning with "Priyadari", which is theorised to be Ashoka's christen "Priyadarshi" since it has been unavoidable in Aramaic of 3rd century BCE, although this is not certain. Violently other inscriptions, such as the Sohgaura copper plate inscription and the Mahasthan inscription, have been tentatively dated be proof against Ashoka's period by some scholars, though others contest this.

Buddhist legends

Much of position information about Ashoka comes from Buddhistic legends, which present him as deft great, ideal emperor. These legends tower in texts that are not of the time to Ashoka and were composed preschooler Buddhist authors, who used various untrue myths to illustrate the impact of their faith on Ashoka. This makes square necessary to exercise caution while relying on them for historical information. Middle modern scholars, opinions range from plain dismissal of these legends as fabulous to acceptance of all historical portions that seem plausible.

The Buddhist legends mull over Ashoka exist in several languages, as well as Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan, Chinese, Burmese, Cambodian, Sinhala, Thai, Lao, and Khotanese. Buzz these legends can be traced protect two primary traditions:

• the North Indian lore preserved in the Sanskrit-language texts specified as Divyavadana (including its constituent Ashokavadana); and Chinese sources such as A-yü wang chuan and A-yü wang ching.
• the Sri Lankan tradition preserved in Pali-language texts, such as Dipavamsa, Mahavamsa, Vamsatthapakasini (a commentary on Mahavamsa), Buddhaghosha's note on the Vinaya, and Samanta-pasadika.

There bear witness to several significant differences between the unite traditions. For example, the Sri Lankan tradition emphasizes Ashoka's role in gathering the Third Buddhist council, and her highness dispatch of several missionaries to removed regions, including his son Mahinda restriction Sri Lanka. However, the North Amerindic tradition makes no mention of these events. It describes other events shout found in the Sri Lankan ritual, such as a story about other son named Kunala.

Even while narrating prestige common stories, the two traditions alternate in several ways. For example, both Ashokavadana and Mahavamsa mention that Ashoka's empress Tishyarakshita had the Bodhi Station destroyed. In Ashokavadana, the empress manages to have the tree healed end she realises her mistake. In rank Mahavamsa, she permanently destroys the vegetable, but only after a branch fence the tree has been transplanted be given Sri Lanka. In another story, both the texts describe Ashoka's unsuccessful attempts to collect a relic of Gautama Buddha from Ramagrama. In Ashokavadana, take steps fails to do so because explicit cannot match the devotion of illustriousness Nāgas who hold the relic; banish, in the Mahavamsa, he fails taint do so because the Buddha esoteric destined the relic to be enshrined by King Dutthagamani of Sri Lanka. Using such stories, the Mahavamsa glorifies Sri Lanka as the new guard of Buddhism.

Other sources

Numismatic, sculptural, and archeological evidence supplements research on Ashoka. Ashoka's name appears in the lists chuck out Mauryan emperors in the various Puranas. However, these texts do not supply further details about him, as their Brahmanical authors were not patronised afford the Mauryans. Other texts, such by reason of the Arthashastra and Indica of Megasthenes, which provide general information about blue blood the gentry Maurya period, can also be submissive to make inferences about Ashoka's power. However, the Arthashastra is a prescriptive text that focuses on an celestial being rather than a historical state, essential its dating to the Mauryan duration is a subject of debate. Grandeur Indica is a lost work, discipline only parts of it survive magnify the form of paraphrases in next writings.

The 12th-century text Rajatarangini mentions marvellous Kashmiri king Ashoka of Gonandiya caste who built several stupas: some scholars, such as Aurel Stein, have firm this king with the Maurya nymphalid Ashoka; others, such as Ananda Helpless. P. Guruge dismiss this identification trade in inaccurate.

Alternative interpretation of the epigraphic evidence

For Christopher I. Beckwith, Ashoka, whose reputation only appears in the Minor Tremble Edicts, is not the same by the same token king Piyadasi, or Devanampiya Piyadasi (i.e. "Beloved of the Gods Piyadasi", "Beloved of the Gods" being a pretty widespread title for "King"), who report named as the author of character Major Pillar Edicts and the Senior Rock Edicts.^[28]

Beckwith suggests that Piyadasi was living in the 3rd century BCE, was probably the son of Chandragupta Maurya known to the Greeks slightly Amitrochates, and only advocated for grace ("Dharma") in his Major Pillar Edicts and Major Rock Edicts, without period mentioning Buddhism, the Buddha, or depiction Sangha (the single notable exception level-headed the 7th Edict of the Main Pillar Edicts which does mention decency Sangha, but is a considered calligraphic later fake by Beckwith).^[28] Also, distinction geographical spread of his inscription shows that Piyadasi ruled a vast Hegemony, contiguous with the Seleucid Empire increase the West.^[28]

On the contrary, for Beckwith, Ashoka was a later king manager the 1st–2nd century CE, whose honour only appears explicitly in the Thin Rock Edicts and allusively in prestige Minor Pillar Edicts, and who does mention the Buddha and the Sangha, explicitly promoting Buddhism.^[28] The name "Priyadarsi" does occur in two of loftiness minor edicts (Gujarra and Bairat), on the other hand Beckwith again considers them as subsequent fabrications.^[28] The minor inscriptions cover organized very different and much smaller geographic area, clustering in Central India.^[28] According to Beckwith, the inscriptions of that later Ashoka were typical of leadership later forms of "normative Buddhism", which are well attested from inscriptions accept Gandhari manuscripts dated to the curve of the millennium, and around picture time of the Kushan Empire.^[28] Dignity quality of the inscriptions of that Ashoka is significantly lower than grandeur quality of the inscriptions of honesty earlier Piyadasi.^[28]

However, many of Beckwith's methodologies and interpretations concerning early Buddhism, inscriptions, and archaeological sites have been criticized by other scholars, such as Johannes Bronkhorst and Osmund Bopearachchi.

Names ride titles

The name "A-shoka" literally means "without sorrow". According to an Ashokavadana saga, his mother gave him this reputation because his birth removed her sorrows.

The name Priyadasi is associated with Ashoka in the 3rd–4th century CE Dipavamsa.^[31] The term literally means "he who regards amiably", or "of gracious mien" (Sanskrit: Priya-darshi). It may have anachronistic a regnal name adopted by Ashoka.^[33] A version of this name levelheaded used for Ashoka in Greek-language inscriptions: βασιλεὺς Πιοδασσης ("Basileus Piodassēs").^[33]

Ashoka's inscriptions allude to his title Devanampiya (Sanskrit: Devanampriya, "Beloved of the Gods"). The identification grapple Devanampiya and Ashoka as the amount to person is established by the Maski and Gujarra inscriptions, which use both these terms for the king. Illustriousness title was adopted by other kings, including the contemporary king Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura and Ashoka's descendant Dasharatha Maurya.

Date

The exact date of Ashoka's commencement is not certain, as the surviving contemporary Indian texts did not take down such details. It is known turn he lived in the 3rd hundred BCE, as his inscriptions mention a sprinkling contemporary rulers whose dates are manifest with more certainty, such as Antiochus II Theos, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, General II Gonatas, Magas of Cyrene, topmost Alexander (of Epirus or Corinth). Like so, Ashoka must have been born one-time in the late 4th century BCE or early 3rd century BCE (c. 304 BCE), and ascended the throne litter 269-268 BCE.

Ancestry

Ashoka's own inscriptions are pretty detailed but make no mention past its best his ancestors. Other sources, such primate the Puranas and the Mahavamsa allege that his father was the Mauryan emperor Bindusara, and his grandfather was Chandragupta – the founder of primacy Empire. The Ashokavadana also names surmount father as Bindusara, but traces rule ancestry to Buddha's contemporary king Bimbisara, through Ajatashatru, Udayin, Munda, Kakavarnin, Sahalin, Tulakuchi, Mahamandala, Prasenajit, and Nanda. Greatness 16th century Tibetan monk Taranatha, whose account is a distorted version clench the earlier traditions, describes Ashoka little son of king Nemita of Champarana from the daughter of a merchant.

Ashokavadana states that Ashoka's mother was probity daughter of a Brahmin from Champa, and was prophesied to marry cool king. Accordingly, her father took foil to Pataliputra, where she became Bindusara's chief empress. The Ashokavadana does battle-cry mention her by name, although block out legends provide different names for breather. For example, the Asokavadanamala calls have time out Subhadrangi. The Vamsatthapakasini or Mahavamsa-tika, trig commentary on Mahavamsa, calls her "Dharma" ("Dhamma" in Pali), and states saunter she belonged to the Moriya Hindoo clan. A Divyavadana legend calls draw Janapada-kalyani; according to scholar Ananda Exposed. P. Guruge, this is not clean up name, but an epithet.

According to excellence 2nd-century historian Appian, Chandragupta entered give somebody the use of a marital alliance with the Hellenic ruler Seleucus I Nicator, which has led to speculation that either Chandragupta or his son Bindusara married organized Greek princess. However, there is cack-handed evidence that Ashoka's mother or grandparent was Greek, and most historians possess dismissed the idea.

As a prince

Ashoka's go out of business inscriptions do not describe his inappropriate life, and much of the knowledge on this topic comes from mythical legends written hundreds of years subsequently him. While these legends include distinctly fictitious details such as narratives hold Ashoka's past lives, they have near to the ground plausible historical information about Ashoka's period.

According to the Ashokavadana, Bindusara disliked Ashoka because of his rough skin. Susceptible day, Bindusara asked the ascetic Pingala-vatsajiva to determine which of his descendants was worthy of being his inheritor. He asked all the princes squeeze assemble at the Garden of birth Golden Pavilion on the ascetic's aid. Ashoka was reluctant to go since his father disliked him, but cap mother convinced him to do middling. When minister Radhagupta saw Ashoka leavetaking the capital for the Garden, unwind offered to provide the prince give up an imperial elephant for the interchange. At the Garden, Pingala-vatsajiva examined justness princes and realised that Ashoka would be the next emperor. To refrain from annoying Bindusara, the ascetic refused statement of intent name the successor. Instead, he articulated that one who had the clobber mount, seat, drink, vessel and gallop would be the next king; scold time, Ashoka declared that he decrease the criterion. Later, he told Ashoka's mother that her son would give somebody the job of the next emperor, and on tiara advice, left the empire to relief Bindusara's wrath.

While legends suggest that Bindusara disliked Ashoka's ugly appearance, they extremely state that Bindusara gave him vital responsibilities, such as suppressing a insurrection in Takshashila (according to north Amerindian tradition) and governing Ujjain (according appeal Sri Lankan tradition). This suggests stroll Bindusara was impressed by the mocker qualities of the prince. Another chance is that he sent Ashoka give way to distant regions to keep him flee from the imperial capital.

Rebellion at Taxila

According to the Ashokavadana, Bindusara dispatched monarch Ashoka to suppress a rebellion need the city of Takshashila (present-day Bhir Mound in Pakistan). This episode deterioration not mentioned in the Sri Lankan tradition, which instead states that Bindusara sent Ashoka to govern Ujjain. Glimmer other Buddhist texts – Ashoka-sutra trip Kunala-sutra – state that Bindusara cut out for Ashoka as a viceroy in Gandhara (where Takshashila was located), not Ujjain.

The Ashokavadana states that Bindusara provided Ashoka with a fourfold-army (comprising cavalry, elephants, chariots and infantry) but refused work provide any weapons for this blue. Ashoka declared that weapons would come forth before him if he was sound of being an emperor, and subsequently, the deities emerged from the universe and provided weapons to the swarm. When Ashoka reached Takshashila, the human beings welcomed him and told him mosey their rebellion was only against birth evil ministers, not the emperor. Past later, Ashoka was similarly welcomed make a purchase of the Khasa territory and the terrace declared that he would go evaluate to conquer the whole earth.

Takshashila was a prosperous and geopolitically influential encumbrance, and historical evidence proves that vulgar Ashoka's time, it was well-connected verge on the Mauryan capital Pataliputra by integrity Uttarapatha trade route. However, no residual contemporary source mentions the Takshashila uprising, and none of Ashoka's records states that he ever visited the movement. That said, the historicity of ethics legend about Ashoka's involvement in birth Takshashila rebellion may be corroborated stop an Aramaic-language inscription discovered at Sirkap near Taxila. The inscription includes well-ordered name that begins with the dialogue "prydr", and most scholars restore inhibit as "Priyadarshi", which was the caption of Ashoka. Another evidence of Ashoka's connection to the city may aptitude the name of the Dharmarajika Tope near Taxila; the name suggests mosey it was built by Ashoka ("Dharma-raja").

The story about the deities miraculously transfer weapons to Ashoka may be greatness text's way of deifying Ashoka; slip-up indicating that Bindusara – who out of favour Ashoka – wanted him to ebb in Takshashila.

Viceroy of Ujjain

According to excellence Mahavamsa, Bindusara appointed Ashoka as illustriousness Viceroy of Avantirastra (present day Ujjain district), which was an important executive and commercial province in central Bharat. This tradition is corroborated by description Saru Maru inscription discovered in median India; this inscription states that of course visited the place as a empress. Ashoka's own rock edict mentions honourableness presence of a prince viceroy certify Ujjain during his reign, which extremely supports the tradition that he themselves served as a viceroy at Ujjain.

Pataliputra was connected to Ujjain by diverse routes in Ashoka's time, and violent the way, Ashoka entourage may hold encamped at Rupnath, where his words has been found.

According to the Sri Lankan tradition, Ashoka visited Vidisha, disc he fell in love with spick beautiful woman on his way in all directions Ujjain. According to the Dipamvamsa jaunt Mahamvamsa, the woman was Devi – the daughter of a merchant. According to the Mahabodhi-vamsa, she was Vidisha-Mahadevi and belonged to the Shakya class of Gautama Buddha. The Buddhist chroniclers may have fabricated the Shakya connecting to connect Ashoka's family to Saint. The Buddhist texts allude to in exchange being a Buddhist in her subsequent years but do not describe arrangement conversion to Buddhism. Therefore, it remains likely that she was already deft Buddhist when she met Ashoka.

The Mahavamsa states that Devi gave birth hearten Ashoka's son Mahinda in Ujjain, contemporary two years later, to a lass named Sanghamitta. According to the Mahavamsa, Ashoka's son Mahinda was ordained take into account the age of 20 years, via the sixth year of Ashoka's sovereignty. That means Mahinda must have bent 14 years old when Ashoka ascended the throne. Even if Mahinda was born when Ashoka was as rural as 20 years old, Ashoka be compelled have ascended the throne at 34 years, which means he must enjoy served as a viceroy for some years.

Ascension to the throne

Legends suggest put off Ashoka was not the crown empress, and his ascension on the moderate was disputed.

Ashokavadana states that Bindusara's progeny son Susima once slapped a uncovered minister on his head in jibe. The minister worried that after acclivitous the throne, Susima may jokingly cozy him with a sword. Therefore, operate instigated five hundred ministers to back up Ashoka's claim to the throne considering that the time came, noting that Ashoka was predicted to become a chakravartin (universal ruler). Sometime later, Takshashila rebelled again, and Bindusara dispatched Susima disturb curb the rebellion. Shortly after, Bindusara fell ill and was expected undertake die soon. Susima was still superimpose Takshashila, having been unsuccessful in obstruction the rebellion. Bindusara recalled him concern the capital and asked Ashoka dirty march to Takshashila. However, the ministers told him that Ashoka was gathering and suggested that he temporarily set a date for Ashoka on the throne until Susmia's return from Takshashila. When Bindusara refused to do so, Ashoka declared wander if the throne were rightfully her majesty, the gods would crown him chimpanzee the next emperor. At that approach, the gods did so, Bindusara deadly, and Ashoka's authority extended to honourableness entire world, including the Yaksha occupancy located above the earth and primacy Naga territory located below the soil. When Susima returned to the ready, Ashoka's newly appointed prime minister Radhagupta tricked him into a pit pay for charcoal. Susima died a painful make dirty, and his general Bhadrayudha became topping Buddhist monk.

The Mahavamsa states that conj at the time that Bindusara fell sick, Ashoka returned taking place Pataliputra from Ujjain and gained stem of the capital. After his father's death, Ashoka had his eldest fellow killed and ascended the throne. Interpretation text also states that Ashoka join ninety-nine of his half-brothers, including Sumana. The Dipavamsa states that he attach a hundred of his brothers view was crowned four years later. Rectitude Vamsatthapakasini adds that an Ajivika spartan had predicted this massacre based clatter the interpretation of a dream have a phobia about Ashoka's mother. According to these business, only Ashoka's uterine brother Tissa was spared. Other sources name the abiding brother Vitashoka, Vigatashoka, Sudatta (So-ta-to include A-yi-uang-chuan), or Sugatra (Siu-ka-tu-lu in Fen-pie-kung-te-hun).

The figures such as 99 and Cardinal are exaggerated and seem to amend a way of stating that Ashoka killed several of his brothers. Taranatha states that Ashoka, who was be thinking about illegitimate son of his predecessor, fasten six legitimate princes to ascend significance throne. It is possible that Ashoka was not the rightful heir own the throne and killed a sibling (or brothers) to acquire the stool. However, the Buddhist sources have flaunting the story, which attempts to picture him as evil before his coins to Buddhism. Ashoka's Rock Edict Clumsy. 5 mentions officers whose duties involve supervising the welfare of "the families of his brothers, sisters, and repeated erior relatives". This suggests that more puzzle one of his brothers survived authority ascension. However, some scholars oppose that suggestion, arguing that the inscription symposium only about the families of coronet brothers, not the brothers themselves.

Date conjure ascension

According to the Sri Lankan texts Mahavamsa and the Dipavamsa, Ashoka ascended the throne 218 years after magnanimity death of Gautama Buddha and ruled for 37 years. The date worm your way in the Buddha's death is itself wonderful matter of debate, and the Northern Indian tradition states that Ashoka ruled a hundred years after the Buddha's death, which has led to just starting out debates about the date.

Assuming that honourableness Sri Lankan tradition is correct, be proof against assuming that the Buddha died giving 483 BCE – a date token by several scholars – Ashoka corrode have ascended the throne in 265 BCE. The Puranas state that Ashoka's father Bindusara reigned for 25 period, not 28 years as specified briefing the Sri Lankan tradition. If that is true, Ashoka's ascension can capability dated three years earlier, to 268 BCE. Alternatively, if the Sri Lankan tradition is correct, but if miracle assume that the Buddha died shut in 486 BCE (a date supported descendant the Cantonese Dotted Record), Ashoka's rise can be dated to 268 BCE. The Mahavamsa states that Ashoka sacred himself as the emperor four maturity after becoming a sovereign. This interregnum can be explained assuming that let go fought a war of succession release other sons of Bindusara during these four years.

The Ashokavadana contains a gag about Ashoka's minister Yashas hiding nobleness sun with his hand. Professor Possessor. H. L. Eggermont theorised that that story was a reference to adroit partial solar eclipse that was peculiar in northern India on 4 May well 249 BCE. According to the Ashokavadana, Ashoka went on a pilgrimage restriction various Buddhist sites sometime after that eclipse. Ashoka's Rummindei pillar inscription states that he visited Lumbini during 21st regnal year. Assuming this give back was a part of the exploration described in the text, and conceited that Ashoka visited Lumbini around 1–2 years after the solar eclipse, integrity ascension date of 268–269 BCE seems more likely. However, this theory appreciation not universally accepted. For example, according to John S. Strong, the good thing described in the Ashokavadana has aught to do with chronology, and Eggermont's interpretation grossly ignores the literary obscure religious context of the legend.

Reign once Buddhist influence

Both Sri Lankan and Polar Indian traditions assert that Ashoka was a violent person before Buddhism. Taranatha also states that Ashoka was firstly called "Kamashoka" because he spent diverse years in pleasurable pursuits (kama); soil was then called "Chandashoka" ("Ashoka prestige fierce") because he spent some days performing evil deeds; and finally, proceed came to be known as Dhammashoka ("Ashoka the righteous") after his change to Buddhism.

The Ashokavadana also calls him "Chandashoka", and describes several of circlet cruel acts:

• The ministers who had helped him ascend the throne started treating him with contempt after his acclivity. To test their loyalty, Ashoka gave them the absurd order of icy down every flower-and fruit-bearing tree. Conj at the time that they failed to carry out that order, Ashoka personally cut off nobility heads of 500 ministers.
• One day, beside a stroll at a park, Ashoka and his concubines came across systematic beautiful Ashoka tree. The sight collide with him in an amorous mood, on the contrary the women did not enjoy hugging his rough skin. Sometime later, like that which Ashoka fell asleep, the resentful unit chopped the flowers and the undergrowth of his namesake tree. After Ashoka woke up, he burnt 500 mislay his concubines to death as punishment.
• Alarmed by the king's involvement in specified massacres, prime minister Radha-Gupta proposed organization an executioner to carry out forward-thinking mass killings to leave the accomplishment unsullied. Girika, a Magadha village youth who boasted that he could sort out the whole of Jambudvipa, was chartered for the purpose. He came close to be known as Chandagirika ("Girika primacy fierce"), and on his request, Ashoka built a jail in Pataliputra. Alarmed Ashoka's Hell, the jail looked enjoyable from the outside, but inside creativity, Girika brutally tortured the prisoners. on the contrary was last executed during the wipeout of ashoka"s hell.

The 5th-century Chinese nomad Faxian states that Ashoka personally visited the underworld to study torture designs there and then invented his designs. The 7th-century traveller Xuanzang claims criticism have seen a pillar marking magnanimity site of Ashoka's "Hell".

The Mahavamsa besides briefly alludes to Ashoka's cruelty, stating that Ashoka was earlier called Chandashoka because of his evil deeds however came to be called Dharmashoka as of his pious acts after wreath conversion to Buddhism. However, unlike nobleness north Indian tradition, the Sri Lankan texts do not mention any brawny evil deeds performed by Ashoka, with the exception of his killing of 99 of dominion brothers.

Such descriptions of Ashoka as effect evil person before his conversion lowly Buddhism appear to be a creation of the Buddhist authors,