{{redirect|Ashoka}}
{{redirect|Asoka}}
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{{Infobox Monarch
| name =Asoka the Great
| title =[[Mauryan dynasty|Mauryan]] emperor
| image =[[Image:Ashoka2.jpg|149px]]
| caption =<small>Modern reconstruction of Ashoka's portrait.</small>
| reign =[[273 BC]]-[[232 BC]]
| coronation =
| othertitles =Devanampriya Priyadarsi, Dhamma
| full name =Asoka Maurya
| predecessor =[[Bindusara]]
| successor =[[Dasaratha Maurya]]
| suc-type =[[Emperor]]
| heir = [[Mahindra]]
| queen = Maharani [[Devi]]
| consort = Rani [[Kaurwaki]]
| spouse 1 = Rani [[Tishyaraksha]]
| spouse 2 = Rani [[Padmavati]]
| spouse 3 = Kaurwaki
| spouse 4 =
| spouse 5 =
| spouse 6 =
| issue =
| royal house = [[Maghada]]
| dynasty =[[Mauryan dynasty]], Magadha (India)
| royal anthem =
| father =[[Bindusara]]
| mother =Rani Dharma
| brothers =[[[Vitthashoka]], [[Susima]]
| date of birth = 304 BC
| place of birth = [[Pataliputra]] (Modern Day, [[Patna]])
| date of death = 232 BC
| place of death = [[Pataliputra]]
| date of burial = [[Cremated]] 232 BC, less than 24 hours after death
| place of burial = Ashes immersed in [[Ganges]] River, possibly at [[Varanasi]]
|}}
'''Ashoka''' ([[Devanāgarī]]: अशोकः, [[IAST]]: ''{{IAST|Aśokaḥ}}'', {{IPA2|aɕoːkə(h<sup>ə</sup>)}}, [[Prakrit]] Imperial title: '''Devanampriya Priyadarsi''' ([[Devanāgarī]]: देवानांप्रिय प्रियदर्शी), "''He who is the beloved of the Gods and who regards everyone amiably''") and '''Dhamma''' ([[Devanāgarī]]: धम्मः), "''Lawful, Religious, Righteous''") ([[304 BC]] – [[232 BC]]) was an [[India]]n emperor, of the [[Maurya Empire|Maurya Dynasty]] who ruled from [[273 BC]] to [[232 BC]]. Often cited as one of India's greatest emperors, Ashoka reigned over most of present-day [[India]] after a number of military conquests. His empire stretched from present-day [[Afghanistan]] and parts of [[Iran|Persia]] in the west, to the present-day [[Bengal]] and [[Assam]] states of India in the east, and as far south as the [[Mysore]] state. His reign was headquartered in Magadha (present-day [[Bihar]] state of India). He embraced [[Buddhism]] from the prevalent Vedic tradition after witnessing the mass deaths of the war of [[Kalinga (India)|Kalinga]], which he himself had waged out of a desire for conquest. He was later dedicated in the propagation of Buddhism across Asia and established monuments marking several significant sites in the life of [[Gautama Buddha]].
His name "{{IAST|aśoka}}" means "without sorrow" in [[Sanskrit]]. In his [[Edicts of Ashoka|edicts]], he is referred to as Devānāmpriya ([[Devanāgarī]]: देवानांप्रिय)/{{IAST|Devānaṃpiya}} or "The Beloved Of The Gods", and Priyadarśin ([[Devanāgarī]]: प्रियदर्शी)/{{IAST|Piyadassī}} or "He who regards everyone amiably".
[[Science fiction]] novelist [[H. G. Wells]] wrote of Ashoka:
{{quote|In the history of the world there have been thousands of kings and emperors who called themselves 'their highnesses,' 'their majesties,' and 'their exalted majesties' and so on. They shone for a brief moment, and as quickly disappeared. But Ashoka shines and shines brightly like a bright star, even unto this day.}}
Along with the [[Edicts of Ashoka]], his legend is related in the later 2nd century ''[[Ashokavadana|{{IAST|Aśokāvadāna}}]]'' ("''Narrative of Ashoka''") and ''[[Divyavadana|{{IAST|Divyāvadāna}}]]'' ("''Divine narrative''"), and in the [[Sinhalese language|Sinhalese]] text ''[[Mahavamsa]]''.
An emblem excavated from his empire is today the national emblem of India.
==Embrace of Buddhism==
:''Main article: [[Buddhism in India]]''
[[Image:Ashoka Chakra.svg|right|thumb|200px|The [[Ashoka Chakra]], featured on the flag of the [[India|Republic of India]]]]
Ashoka was a Hindu by birth but later converted to Buddhism after the battle of Kalinga.
According to legend, one day after the war was over Ashoka ventured out to roam the eastern city and all he could see were burnt houses and scattered corpses. This sight made him sick and he cried the famous quotation, "What have I done?" Upon his return to Pataliputra, he could get no sleep and was constantly haunted by his deeds in Kalinga. The brutality of the conquest led him to adopt [[Buddhism]] under the guidance of the Brahmin Buddhist [[sage]]s [[Radhaswami]] and [[Manjushri]]<ref> [http://etext.library.adelaide.edu.au/f/fa-hien/f15l/chapter27.html "Bodhisattva that the Brahman," see Chap. xvi] </ref> and he used his position to propagate the relatively new philosophy to new heights, as far as ancient [[Rome]] and [[Egypt]]. When the war against Kalinga ended, Asoka's warriors had killed over 100,000 people. He was filled with sorrow. He gave up war and violence, thus becoming almost the exact opposite of his grandfather, [[Chandragupta Maurya]]. He freed his prisoners and gave them back their land. He declared in his edicts:
{{cquote| There is no country, except among the [[Greeks]], where these two groups, [[Brahmin|Brahmans]] and [[ascetics]], are not found, and there is no country where people are not devoted to one or another religion. Therefore the killing, death or deportation of a hundredth, or even a thousandth part of those who died during the conquest of Kalinga now pains Beloved-of-the-Gods. Now Beloved-of-the-Gods thinks that even those who do wrong should be forgiven where forgiveness is possible.<ref> http://www.cs.colostate.edu/~malaiya/ashoka.html</ref>}}
Legend has it that there was another factor that lead Ashoka to Buddhism. A Mauryan princess who had been married to one of Ashoka's brothers (who Ashoka executed) fled her palace with a maid, fearing for her unborn child. After much travel, the pregnant princess collapsed under a tree in the forest, and the maid ran to a nearby [[ashram]] to fetch a priest or physician to help. Meanwhile, under the tree, the princess gave birth to a son. The young prince was brought up by the Brahmins of the ashram and educated by them. Later, when he was around thirteen years old, he caught the eye of Ashoka, who was surprised to see such a young boy dressed as a sage. When the boy calmly revealed who he was, it seemed that Ashoka was moved by guilt and compassion, and moved the boy and his mother into the palace.
Meanwhile Queen Devi, who was a Buddhist, had brought up her children in that faith, and apparently left Ashoka after she saw the horrors of Kalinga. Ashoka was grieved by this, and was counselled by his nephew (who had been raised in the ashram and was more priest than prince) to embrace his dharma and draw away from war. Prince [[Mahinda|Mahindra]] and Princess [[Sanghamitra]], the children of Queen Devi, abhorred violence and bloodshed, but knew that as royals war would be a part of their lives. They therefore asked Ashoka for permission to join the Buddhist [[Sangha]], which Ashoka reluctantly granted. The two siblings established Buddhism in [[Ceylon]] (now [[Sri Lanka]]).
From that point Ashoka, who had been described as "the cruel Ashoka" (''Chandashoka''), started to be described as "the pious Ashoka" (''Dharmashoka''). He propagated the [[Vibhajjavada]] school of Buddhism and preached it within his domain and worldwide from about [[250 BC]]. Emperor Ashoka undoubtedly has to be credited with the first serious attempt to develop a Buddhist [[policy]].
[[Image:MauryanCoin.JPG|thumb|200px|Silver punch-mark coins of the '''Mauryan empire''', bear Buddhist symbols such as the [[Dharmacakra]], the elephant (previous form of the Buddha), the tree under which enlightenment happened, and the burial mound where the Buddha died (obverse). [[3rd century BC]].]]
===Policy===
Emperor Ashoka's edicts tell of a supposed immense public works program. He built thousands of [[Stupa]]s and [[Vihara]]s for Buddhist followers (the [[Ashokavadana]] says 84,000 such monuments were built). The Stupas of [[Sanchi]] are world famous and the stupa named Sanchi Stupa 1 was built by Emperor Ashoka. During the remaining portion of Ashoka's reign, he pursued an official policy of [[nonviolence]] or [[ahimsa]]. The unnecessary slaughter or mutilation of animals was immediately abolished. [[Wildlife]] became protected by the king's law against [[sport]] [[hunting]] and [[livestock branding|branding]]. Limited hunting was permitted for consumption reasons but Ashoka also promoted the concept of [[vegetarianism]]. Enormous resthouses were built through the empire to house travellers and pilgrims free of charge. Ashoka also showed mercy to those imprisoned, allowing them outside one day each year. He attempted to raise the professional ambition of the common man by building [[university|universities]] for study and water transit and [[irrigation]] systems for [[trade]] and [[agriculture]]. He treated his subjects as equals regardless of their religion, politics and [[caste]]. The weaker kingdoms surrounding his, which could so easily be overthrown, were instead made to be well-respected allies. In all these respects, Ashoka far exceeded even modern-day world leaders.
He is acclaimed for constructing [[hospital]]s for animals and people alike, and renovating major roads throughout [[India]]. Dharmashoka defined the main principles of ''dharma'' (''dhamma'' in [[Pāli]]) as nonviolence, [[tolerance]] of all [[sect]]s and opinions, [[obedience]] to parents, [[respect]] for the [[Brahmin]]s and other religious teachers and [[priest]]s, [[liberality]] towards friends, humane treatment of [[servant (domestic)|servants]], and [[generosity]] towards all. These principles suggest a general ethic of behavior to which no religious or social group could object.
In the Maurya Empire, citizens of all religions and ethnic groups also had rights to [[Freedom (philosophy)|freedom]], [[tolerance]], and [[equality]]. The need for tolerance on an [[Egalitarianism|egalitarian]] basis can be found in the Edicts of Ashoka, which emphasize the importance of tolerance in public policy by the government. The slaughter or capture of [[Prisoner of war|prisoners of war]] was also condemned by Ashoka.<ref>[[Amartya Sen]] (1997). ''Human Rights and Asian Values''. ISBN 0-87641-151-0.</ref> Slavery was also non-existent in ancient India, if one considers [[Dalit]]s to be free.<ref>[[Arrian]], ''[[Indica (Arrian)|Indica]]'':
<br>{{quote|This also is remarkable in [[History of India|India]], that all Indians are free, and no Indian at all is a slave. In this the Indians agree with the [[Lacedaemonian]]s. Yet the Lacedaemonians have [[Helot]]s for slaves, who perform the duties of slaves; but the Indians have no slaves at all, much less is any Indian a slave.}}</ref>
===The Edicts of Ashoka===
{{main|Edicts of Ashoka}}
[[Image:EdictsOfAshoka.jpg|thumb|Distribution of the Edicts of Ashoka and Ashokan territorial limits.<ref>Reference: "India: The Ancient Past" p.113, Burjor Avari, Routledge, ISBN 0415356156</ref>]]
The [[Pillars of Ashoka|Ashoka Pillar]] at [[Sarnath]] is the most popular of the relics left by Ashoka. Made of [[sandstone]], this pillar records the visit of the emperor to Sarnath, in the [[3rd century BC]]. It has a [[Lion Capital of Asoka|four-lion capital]] (four lions standing back to back) which was adopted as the [[National emblem|emblem]] of the modern Indian republic. The lion symbolises both Ashoka's imperial rule and the kingship of the Buddha. The bulk of what is known about the Maurya Empire comes from inscriptions on these monuments. It is assumed that the inscriptions convey factual information about the Empire. It is difficult to determine whether certain events ever happened, but the stone etchings convey clearly how Ashoka wanted to be seen and remembered.
Ashoka's own words as known from his Edicts are: "All men are my children. I am like a father to them. As every father desires the good and the happiness of his children, I wish that all men should be happy always." Edward D'Cruz interprets the Ashokan ''dharma'' as a "religion to be used as a symbol of a new imperial unity and a cementing force to weld the diverse and heterogeneous elements of the empire".
[[Ashoka's Major Rock Edict]] is the first edict and remains in its original location and condition. It has not been dismantled and placed in a museum or made into a monument.
===Missions to spread the Dharma/''Dhamma''===
Ashoka was the sponsor of the [[third Buddhist council]]. According to [[Theravada]] accounts, Ashoka supported the [[Vibhajjavada]] sub-school of the [[Sthaviravada|Sthaviravāda]] sect (which would become known by the Pali [[Theravada]]), but historians have concluded "this was clearly not the case," finding instead that the council was convened to expel non-Buddhists from the sangha in [[Pataliputra]].<ref>Skilton, Andrew. A Concise History of Buddhism. Windhorse. Birmingham: 2004.</ref> After this council he sent Buddhist monks to spread their religion to other countries. The following table is a list of the countries he sent missionaries to, as described in the [[Mahavamsa]], XII:<ref>Full text of the Mahavamsa [http://lakdiva.org/mahavamsa/chapters.html Click chapter XII]</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
! Country name !! Name of leader of mission
|-
| (1) [[Kashmir]]-[[Gandhara]]|| Majjhantika
|-
| (2) Mahisamandala ([[Mysore]]) || Mahadeva
|-
| (3) [[Banavasi]] ([[Karnataka]]) || Rakkhita
|-
| (4) Aparantaka ([[Konkan]]) || the [[Yona]] [[Dharmaraksita|Dhammarakkhita]]
|-
| (5) Maharattha ([[Maharashtra]]) || Mahadhammarakkhita
|-
| (6) "Country of the [[Yona]]" ([[Bactria]]/ [[Seleucid Empire]]) || Maharakkhita
|-
| (7) Himavanta ([[Nepal]])|| Majjhima
|-
| (8) [[Suvarnabhumi|Suvannabhumi]] ([[Thailand]]/ [[Myanmar]])|| Sona and Uttara
|-
| (9) Lankadipa ([[Sri Lanka]])|| [[Mahinda|Mahamahinda]] (Ashoka's son)
|}
Regarding the "Country of the [[Yona]]", Ashoka further specifies in his [[Edicts of Ashoka|Edict No 13]] (quoted hereafter), that most Hellenistic rulers of the period received the teaching of the "Dharma". Thus, Ashoka claims to have introduced Buddhism to [[ancient Greece]] and Egypt. In the same Edict, Ashoka adds the [[Chola dynasty|Chola]]s and the [[Pandya]]s as recipients of the faith. Edict number 13 lists the following rulers and countries as places where conquest by Dhamma (acceptance of [[Dhamma]]) has been won:
{| class="wikitable"
! Ruler of country !! Name of empire
|-
|[[Antiochus II Theos]]||[[Seleucid Empire]] (today's [[Middle Asia]])
|-
|[[Ptolemy II Philadelphus]]||[[Ptolemaic Egypt]]
|-
|[[Antigonus Gonatas]]||[[Macedon]]
|-
|[[Magas of Cyrene]]||[[Cyrene]] (today's [[Libya]])
|-
|[[Alexander II of Epirus]]||[[Epirus]] (today's [[Greece]] and [[Albania]])
|-
| ... ||[[Chola dynasty|Chola]]s
|-
| ... ||[[Pandya]]s
|}
While some countries like the [[Maldives]], where there is a great wealth of Buddhist archaeological remains, are not mentioned in the edicts, several of these countries are well attested recipients of Ashoka's missions (such as [[Sri Lanka]] and [[Thailand]]), lending credence to the historicity and the success of these missions.
It is all the more surprising that no records of them have remained in the West. The only known record in that sense is that of the 2nd century [[Origen|Saint Origen]], who stated that Buddhists co-existed with Druids in pre-Christian Britain:
{{quote|The island (Britain) has long been predisposed to it (Christianity) through the doctrines of the Druids and Buddhists, who had already inculcated the doctrine of the unity of the Godhead.| [[Origen]]|Commentary on Ezekiel<ref>Donald A. Mackenzie, ''Buddhism in pre-Christian Britain'', p. 42.</ref>}}
Origen himself seems to have been a proponent of the doctrine of rebirth and reincarnation<ref>"Is it not rational that souls should be introduced into bodies in accordance with their merits and previous deeds, and that those who have used their bodies in doing the utmost possible good should have a right to bodies endowed with qualities superior to the bodies of others?" "The soul, which is immaterial and invisible in its nature, exists in no material place without having a body suited to the nature of that place; accordingly, it at one time puts off one body, which is necessary before, but which is no longer adequate in its changed state, and it exchanges it for a second." (Origen, ''[[Contra Celsum]]'', also discussed in ''De Principiis''.)</ref> The doctrines of Origen were rejected by a narrow margin at the [[First Council of Nicaea]] in [[325]].
==Relations with the Hellenistic world==
[[Image:PatnaSofaCapital.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Sculpture of Ancient Greece|Greek Late Archaic]] style [[Capital (architecture)|capital]] from [[Patna]] ([[Pataliputra]]), thought to correspond to the reign of Ashoka, 3rd century BC, [[Patna Museum]] (click image for references).]]
Some critics say that Ashoka was afraid of more wars, but among his neighbors, including the [[Seleucid Empire]] and the [[Greco-Bactrian]] kingdom established by [[Diodotus I]], none seem to have ever come into conflict with him - though the latter eventually conquered at various times western territories in India, but only after the empire's actual collapse. He was a contemporary of both [[Antiochus I Soter]] and his successor [[Antiochus II Theos]] of the [[Seleucid Dynasty]] as well as Diodotus I and his son [[Diodotus II]] of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom. If his [[inscription]]s and [[edict]]s are well studied, one finds that he was familiar with the [[Hellenistic world]] but never in awe of it. The [[Edicts of Ashoka]], which talk of friendly relations, give the names of both Antiochus of the Seleucid empire and [[Ptolemy III]] of [[Egypt]]. But the fame of the Mauryan empire was widespread from the time that Ashoka's grandfather [[Chandragupta Maurya]] met [[Seleucus I Nicator|Seleucus Nicator]], the founder of the [[Seleucid Dynasty]], and engineered their celebrated peace. Chandragupta even supplied 500 elephants to Seleucus, which were critical to his success in his conflict with the Western dynast [[Antigonus]], in exchange for peace (a state that would endure for as long as the Mauryan Empire existed, and was even renewed during the Eastern campaigns of [[Antiochus III]] the Great) and the latter's territories in India.
===Greek populations in India===
Greek populations apparently remained in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent under Ashoka's rule. In his [[Edicts of Ashoka]], set in stone, some of them written in Greek, Ashoka describes that Greek populations within his realm converted to Buddhism:
{{quote|Here in the king's domain among the Greeks, the [[Kambojas]], the Nabhakas, the Nabhapamkits, the Bhojas, the Pitinikas, the [[Andhra]]s and the Palidas, everywhere people are following Beloved-of-the-Gods' instructions in [[Dharma]].| [[Edicts of Ashoka]], [[Ashoka's Major Rock Edict|Rock Edict]] Nb13 (S. Dhammika)}}
[[Image:AsokaKandahar.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Bilingual edict ([[Greek language|Greek]] and [[Aramaic]]) by king Ashoka, from [[Kandahar]] - [[Afghan National Museum]]. (Click image for translation).]]
Fragments of Edict 13 have been found in Greek, and a full Edict, written in both Greek and Aramaic, has been discovered in [[Kandahar]]. It is said to be written in excellent Classical Greek, using sophisticated philosophical terms. In this Edict, Ashoka uses the word [[Eusebeia]] ("[[Piety]]") as the Greek translation for the ubiquitous "[[Dharma]]" of his other Edicts written in [[Prakrit]]:
{{quote|Ten years (of reign) having been completed, King Piodasses (''Πιοδάσσης'', Ashoka) made known (the doctrine of) Piety (''εὐσέβεια'', [[Eusebeia]]) to men; and from this moment he has made men more pious, and everything thrives throughout the whole world. And the king abstains from (killing) living beings, and other men and those who (are) huntsmen and fishermen of the king have desisted from hunting. And if some (were) intemperate, they have ceased from their intemperance as was in their power; and obedient to their father and mother and to the elders, in opposition to the past also in the future, by so acting on every occasion, they will live better and more happily.| Ashoka the Great|[[Edicts of Ashoka]] (Trans. by G.P. Carratelli [http://www.afghanan.net/afghanistan/mauryans.htm])}}
===Exchange of Ambassadors===
[[Ptolemy II Philadelphus]], the ruler of [[Ptolemaic Egypt]] and contemporary of Ashoka, is recorded by [[Pliny the Elder]] as having sent an ambassador named [[Dionysius (ambassador)|Dionysius]] to the [[Mauryan Empire|Mauryan]] court at [[Pataliputra]] in [[India]]:
{{quote|But [India] has been treated of by several other Greek writers who resided at the courts of Indian kings, such, for instance, as Megasthenes, and by Dionysius, who was sent thither by Philadelphus, expressly for the purpose: all of whom have enlarged upon the power and vast resources of these nations.| [[Pliny the Elder]]|''[[Natural History (Pliny)|The Natural History]], Chap. 21<ref>[http://perseus.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plin.+Nat.+6.21 Pliny the Elder, "The Natural History", Chap. 21]</ref>}}
==Buddhist Conversion==
At the time of king Ashoka ([[260 BC|260]]-[[218 BC]]), according to his [[Edicts of Ashoka|Edicts]].
Also, in the [[Edicts of Ashoka]], Ashoka mentions the Hellenistic kings of the period as a convert to [[Buddhism|Buddhist]], although no Hellenic historical record of this event remain:
{{quote|The conquest by [[Dharma]] has been won here, on the borders, and even six hundred [[yojana]]s (5,400-9,600 km) away, where the Greek king [[Antiochus II Theos|Antiochos]] rules, beyond there where the four kings named [[Ptolemy II Philadelphus|Ptolemy]], [[Antigonus Gonatas|Antigonos]], [[Magas of Cyrene|Magas]] and [[Alexander II of Epirus|Alexander]] rule, likewise in the south among the [[Chola dynasty|Chola]]s, the [[Pandya]]s, and as far as [[Tamraparni]] ([[Sri Lanka]]).| Ashoka the Great|[[Edicts of Ashoka]], [[Ashoka's Major Rock Edict|Rock Edict]] 13 (S. Dhammika)}}
Ashoka also claims that he encouraged the development of [[herbal medicine]], for men and animals, in their territories:
{{quote|Everywhere within Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi's [Ashoka's] domain, and among the people beyond the borders, the [[Chola dynasty|Chola]]s, the [[Pandya]]s, the Satiyaputras, the Keralaputras, as far as [[Tamraparni]] and where the Greek king [[Antiochus II Theos|Antiochos]] rules, and among the kings who are neighbors of Antiochos, everywhere has Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, made provision for two types of medical treatment: medical treatment for humans and medical treatment for animals. Wherever medical herbs suitable for humans or animals are not available, I have had them imported and grown. Wherever medical roots or fruits are not available I have had them imported and grown. Along roads I have had wells dug and trees planted for the benefit of humans and animals.| Ashoka the Great|[[Edicts of Ashoka]], [[Ashoka's Major Rock Edict|Rock Edict]] 2}}
The Greeks in India even seem to have played an active role in the propagation of Buddhism, as some of the emissaries of Ashoka, such as [[Dharmaraksita]], are described in [[Pāli|Pali]] sources as leading Greek ("[[Yona]]") Buddhist monks, active in spreading Buddhism (the [[Mahavamsa]], XII<ref>Full text of the Mahavamsa [http://lakdiva.org/mahavamsa/chapters.html Click chapter XII]</ref>).
===Marital alliance===
A "marital alliance" had been concluded between [[Seleucus I Nicator|Seleucus Nicator]] and Ashoka's grandfather [[Chandragupta Maurya]] in 303 BC:
{{quote|He (Seleucus) crossed the Indus and waged war with Sandrocottus [Maurya], king of the Indians, who dwelt on the banks of that stream, until they came to an understanding with each other and contracted a marriage relationship.| [[Appian]], ''History of Rome'', The Syrian Wars 55<ref>[http://www.livius.org/ap-ark/appian/appian_syriaca_11.html Appian, History of Rome, The Syrian Wars 55]</ref>}}
The term used in ancient sources ([[Epigamia]]) could refer either to a dynastic alliance between the Seleucids and the Mauryas, or more generally to a recognition of marriage between Indian and Greeks. Since there are no records of an Indian princess in the abundant Classical litterature on the Seleucid, it is generally thought that the alliance went the other way around, and that a Seleucid princess may have been bethrothed to the Mauryan Dynasty. This practice in itself was quite common in the Hellenistic world to formalize alliances. There is thus a possibility that Ashoka was partly of Hellenic descent, either from his grandmother if Chandragupta married the Seleucid princess, of from his mother if Chandragupta's son, Bindusura, was the object of the marriage. This remains a hypothesis as there are no known more detailed descriptions of the exact nature of the marital alliance, although this is quite symptomatic of the generally good relationship between the Hellenistic world and Ashoka.<ref>"[[Demetrius I of Bactria|Demetrius]], who was a Seleucid on his mother's side, may conceivably have regarded himself as possessing some sort of hereditary title to the throne of the Mauryas, inasmuch as the Seleucid and Maurya lines were connected by the marriage of Seleucus' daughter (or niece) either with Chandragupta or to his son Bindusara, in which case Ashoka himself would have been half a Seleucid." John Marshall, Taxila, p28</ref>
==Historical sources==
{{main|Edicts of Ashoka|Ashokavadana}}
Information about the life and reign of Ashoka primarily comes from a relatively small number of Buddhist sources. In particular, the [[Sanskrit]] ''[[Ashokavadana]]'' ('Story of Ashoka'), written in the 2nd century, and the two [[Pāli]] chronicles of [[Sri Lanka]] (the [[Dipavamsa]] and [[Mahavamsa]]) provide most of the currently known information about Asoka. Additional information is contributed by the [[Edicts of Asoka]], whose authorship was finally attributed to the Ashoka of Buddhist legend after the discovery of dynastic lists that gave the name used in the edicts (''Priyadarsi'' – meaning 'favored by the Gods') as a title or additional name of Ashoka Mauriya.
The use of Buddhist sources in reconstructing the life of Ashoka has had a strong influence on perceptions of Ashoka, and the interpretations of his edicts. Building on traditional accounts, early scholars regarded Ashoka as a primarily Buddhist monarch who underwent a conversion to Buddhism and was actively engaged in sponsoring and supporting the Buddhist monastic institution.
Later scholars have tended to question this assessment. The only source of information not attributable to Buddhist sources – the Ashokan edicts – make only a few references to Buddhism directly, despite many references to the concept of [[dhamma]] (Sanskrit: [[dharma]]). Some interpreters have seen this as an indication that Ashoka was attempting to craft an inclusive, poly-religious civil religion for his empire that was centered on the concept of ''dharma'' as a positive moral force, but which did not embrace or advocate any particular philosophy attributable to the religious movements of Ashoka's age (such as the [[Hindu]]s, [[Jain]]s, Buddhists, and [[Ajivika]]s).
Most likely, the complex religious environment of the age would have required careful diplomatic management in order to avoid provoking religious unrest. Modern scholars and adherents of the traditional Buddhist perspective both tend to agree that Ashoka's rule was marked by tolerance towards a number of religious faiths.
==Death and legacy==
[[Image:Asoka1.gif|thumb|right|200px|[[Ashoka's Major Rock Edict]] inscription at [[Girnar]]]]
Ashoka ruled for an estimated forty years, and after his death, the Maurya dynasty lasted just fifty more years. Ashoka had many wives and children, but their names are lost to time. [[Mahinda|Mahindra]] and [[Sanghamitra]] were twins born by his fourth wife, [[Devi]], in the city of [[Ujjain]]. He had entrusted to them the job of making his state religion, Buddhism, more popular across the known and the unknown world. Mahindra and [[Sanghamitra]] went into [[Sri Lanka]] and converted the King, the Queen and their people to Buddhism. So they were naturally not the ones handling state affairs after him.
In his old age, he seems to have come under the spell of his youngest wife [[Tishyaraksha]]. It is said that she had got his son [[Kunala]], the regent in [[Taxila|Takshashila]], blinded by a wily [[wiktionary:stratagem|stratagem]]. But the official executioners spared Kunala and he became a wandering singer accompanied by his favourite wife [[Kanchanmala]]. In [[Pataliputra]], Ashoka hears Kunala's song, and realizes that Kunala's misfortune may have been a punishment for some past sin of the emperor himself and condemns Tishyaraksha to death, restoring Kunala to the court. Kunala was succeeded by his son, [[Samprati]]. But his rule did not last long after Ashoka's death.
[[Image:Asokanpillar1.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Ashokan Pillar at [[Vaishali (ancient city)|Vaishali]]]]
[[Image:Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka.jpg|thumb|200px|left|This is the famous original sandstone sculpted [[Lion Capital of Ashoka]] preserved at [[Sarnath Museum]] which was originally erected around [[250 BCE]] atop an [[Ashoka Pillar]] at [[Sarnath]]. The angle from which this picture has been taken, minus the [[inverted bell]]-shaped [[Indian lotus|lotus]] flower, has been adopted as the [[National Emblem of India]] showing the Horse on the left and the Bull on the right of the [[Ashoka Chakra]] in the circular base on which the four [[Indian lion]]s are standing back to back. On the far side there is an Elephant and a Lion instead. The wheel "Ashoka Chakra" from its base has been placed onto the center of the [[National Flag of India]].]]
The reign of Ashoka Maurya could easily have disappeared into history as the ages passed by, and would have, had he not left behind a record of his trials. The testimony of this wise king was discovered in the form of magnificently sculpted pillars and boulders with a variety of actions and teachings he wished to be published etched into the stone. What Ashoka left behind was the first written language in India since the ancient city of [[Harappa]]. Rather than Sanskrit, the language used for inscription was the current spoken form called [[Prakrit]].
In the year [[185 BC]], about fifty years after Ashoka's death, the last Maurya ruler, [[Brhadrata]], was brutally murdered by the commander-in-chief of the Mauryan armed forces, [[Pusyamitra Sunga]], while he was taking the Guard of Honor of his forces. Pusyamitra Sunga founded the [[Sunga dynasty]] ([[185 BC]]-[[78 BC]]) and ruled just a fragmented part of the Mauryan Empire. Much of the northwestern territories of the Mauryan Empire (modern-day Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan) became the [[Indo-Greek Kingdom]].
Not until some 2,000 years later under [[Akbar]] and his great-grandson [[Aurangzeb]] would as large a portion of the [[subcontinent]] as that ruled by Ashoka again be united under a single ruler. When India gained independence from the [[British Empire]] it adopted Ashoka's emblem for its own, placing the [[Dharmachakra]](The Wheel of Righteous Duty) that crowned his many columns on the [[Flag of India|flag]] of the newly independent state.
In 1992, Ashoka was ranked #53 on [[Michael H. Hart]]'s [[The 100|list of the most influential figures in history]]. In 2001, a semi-fictionalized portrayal of Ashoka's life was produced as a motion picture under the title ''[[Asoka (film)|Asoka]]''.
===Ashoka and Buddhist Kingship===
:''Main article: [[History of Buddhism]]''
One of the more enduring legacies of Ashoka Maurya was the model that he provided for the relationship between Buddhism and the state. Throughout Theravada Southeastern Asia, the model of rulership embodied by Ashoka replaced the notion of divine kingship that had previously dominated (in the [[Angkor]] kingdom, for instance). Under this model of 'Buddhist kingship', the king sought to legitimize his rule not through descent from a divine source, but by supporting and earning the approval of the Buddhist ''[[sangha]]''. Following Ashoka's example, kings established monasteries, funded the construction of stupas, and supported the ordination of monks in their kingdom. Many rulers also took an active role in resolving disputes over the status and regulation of the sangha, as Ashoka had in calling a conclave to settle a number of contentious issues during his reign. This development ultimately lead to a close association in many Southeast Asian countries between the monarchy and the religious hierarchy, an association that can still be seen today in the state-supported [[Buddhism in Thailand|Buddhism of Thailand]] and the traditional role of the Thai king as both a religious and secular leader.
Ashoka also said that all his courtiers were true to their self and governed the people in a moral manner.
==Ashoka in popular culture==
* ''[[Asoka (film)|Asoka]]'' is a largely fictionalized [[film]] based on his life.
* Asok is an intern in the Dilbert comic strip.
* In some [[conspiracy theories]] Ashoka is mentioned as the founder of a powerful secret society called the [[Nine Unknown Men]].
* Ashoka is a civilization leader in the PC [[video game]] [[Civilization 4]]. In the game, he is a leader of the [[India|Indian Empire]], alongside [[Gandhi]].
* In [[Piers Anthony|Piers Anthony's]] series of [[space opera]] novels, [[Bio of a Space Tyrant]], the protagonist repeatedly mentions Asoka as a model for rulers to strive for.
* [[Air India|Air India's]] first 747 aircraft was named after Emperor Ashoka.
* The [[Blake and Mortimer]] two-part album ''Les Sarcophages du Sixième Continent'' revolves around the sinister plot of a person posing as a resurrected Ashoka.
==See also==
*[[Arthashastra]]
*[[Ashoka's Major Rock Edict]]
*[[Ashokavadana]]
*[[Bindusara|Bindusara Maurya]]
*[[Buddhism]]
*[[Chandragupta Maurya]]
*[[Chanakya]]
*[[Chakravarti]]
*[[Dasaratha Maurya]]
*[[Edicts of Ashoka]]
*[[Hinduism]]
*[[Jaugada]]
*[[Kalinga War]]
*[[Lion Capital of Ashoka]]*[[Magadha]]
*[[Maurya Empire]]
*[[Sisupalgarh]]
*[[History of India]]
*[[History of Hinduism]]
*[[History of Buddhism]]
*[[History of Maldives]]
*[[List of Indian monarchs]]
*[[List of people known as The Great]]
==Sources==
* Swearer, Donald. ''Buddhism and Society in Southeast Asia'' (Chambersburg, Pennsylvania: Anima Books, 1981) ISBN 0-89012-023-4
* Thapar, Romila. ''Aśoka and the decline of the Mauryas'' (Delhi : Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997, 1998 printing, c1961) ISBN 0-19-564445-X
* Nilakanta Sastri, K. A. ''Age of the Nandas and Mauryas'' (Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass, [1967] c1952) ISBN 0-89684-167-7
* Bongard-Levin, G. M. ''Mauryan India'' (Stosius Inc/Advent Books Division May 1986) ISBN 0-86590-826-5
* Govind Gokhale, Balkrishna. ''Asoka Maurya'' (Irvington Pub June 1966) ISBN 0-8290-1735-6
* Chand Chauhan, Gian. ''Origin and Growth of Feudalism in Early India: From the Mauryas to AD 650'' (Munshiram Manoharlal January 2004) ISBN 81-215-1028-7
* Keay, John. ''India: A History'' (Grove Press; 1 Grove Pr edition [[May 10]], [[2001]]) ISBN 0-8021-3797-0
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://historyoflegends.blogspot.com/2007/09/ashoka-great.html Asoka the Great]
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/king_asoka.pdf King Asoka and Buddhism. Historical and Literary studies]
*[http://www.cs.colostate.edu/~malaiya/ashoka.html Detailed biography, including key dates in Ashoka's Life]
*[http://www.csuchico.edu/~cheinz/syllabi/asst001/spring98/Ashoka.htm The life of Asoka Maurya]
{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|Mauryan dynasty||304 BC||232 BC}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Bindusara]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Mauryan empire|Mauryan Emperor]]
|years=[[272 BC]]–[[232 BC]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Dasaratha Maurya|Dasaratha]]}}
{{end}}
[[Category:Mauryan dynasty]]
[[Category:Converts to Buddhism]]
[[Category:Indian monarchs|Ashoka]]
[[Category:Indian Buddhists]]
[[Category:Theravada Buddhists]]
[[Category:304 BC births]]
[[Category:232 BC deaths]]
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