King Ashoka
© Yeshe Chodon
http://thaistudies.rsu.ac.th/hum113/SPRE...
I will briefly deliver King Ashoka's story and then provide links for readers who want more background on this figure so central in Buddhist history.
The information below comes from Vikas Kamat's excellent web site "Buddhism Potpourri" at:
http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/budhist/as...
Ashoka came to the throne circa 268 B.C. and died approximately 233 B.C. His memory endures in a series of rock and pillar inscriptions, which are found scattered in various parts of India. These are still being researched by scholars.
These ancient artifacts have been profoundly influential in India. The capital atop one of them, the Sarnath Pillar, inspired the use of back-to-back lions that is the Indian national emblem The 24-spoked Ashoka-chakra, found on one of the ancient pillars, is the center motif upon the Indian flag of today.
A very readable and informative web site authored by Ven. S. Dhammika at:
http://www.cs.colostate.edu/~malaiya/ash...
is titled "The Edicts of King Ashoka". Here we have complete text of and background on these edicts.The edicts were lost to mainstream history for many centuries. Then in the nineteenth century many of them came to light,each new discovery triggering more research elsewhere in Asia, until pillars were identified in India, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan. They were signed "Beloved-of-the-Gods, Piyadasi" but scholars eventually discovered evidence to convince them Piyadasi was, in fact, Ashoka.
Translating these ancient writings into English was a great feat of international scholarship, and many deserve credit.The original language is known as Magadhi which was then translated into Sanskrit and English.
King Ashoka began his rule in a less than compassionate mode. He may have murdered at least one of his brothers in political intrigue, and then he waged a fierce war against the kingdom of Kalinga (Orissa today) which was exceptional for its bloodiness even in those days.
Reflecting on the horror of that war caused this monarch to embrace the non-violence of Buddhism and turn his philosophy toward peace and the betterment of his subjects whom he referred to as his children.
The edicts cover topics such as kindness to animals, preservation of forest, every day virtues, proper treatment of prisoners, respect for all religions, civic procedures and morals. In fact, King Ashoka coined the word "Dharma" which is variously spelled "Dhamma", as the collective word for his viewpoints.
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