Ashoka and his Dhamma

In one of his inscriptions, Ashoka — who calls himself Devanampiya Piyadasi ("beloved of the gods, of gracious appearance") — records that in the war against Kalinga, a hundred and fifty thousand people were deported, a hundred thousand were killed, and many times that number perished. And then he says something no conqueror before him had said in public: that he felt deep remorse. For a king to record his regret for a victory was unprecedented. It marked the beginning of his attempt to rule by Dhamma.

Accession

• Son of Bindusara; before becoming emperor, he served as a governor (Buddhist tradition names Taxila and Ujjain).
• Buddhist texts describe a struggle for the throne after Bindusara's death.
• His coronation is generally dated to about 268 BCE; he ruled until about 232 BCE.

The Kalinga war

• Fought around the eighth year after his coronation (about 261 BCE) against Kalinga (in present-day Odisha).
• Described in Major Rock Edict XIII, which records the deaths, deportations and suffering, and Ashoka's remorse.
• Notably, Rock Edict XIII is not found at the sites in Kalinga itself (Dhauli and Jaugada), where separate Kalinga edicts instead address the people of the region and instruct officials to treat them justly.

What was Dhamma?

Dhamma (Prakrit for Sanskrit dharma) was Ashoka's code of ethical conduct. It was not a religion, and not simply Buddhism, though it was influenced by Buddhist ethics. Its elements, as described in the inscriptions:

• respect for elders, parents and teachers;
• kindness to slaves and servants;
• generosity to Brahmins and shramanas (ascetics) alike;
• non-violence towards living beings — including restrictions on animal slaughter;
• tolerance of all sects — Rock Edict XII urges restraint in speech, so that no one praises his own sect while disparaging others;
• welfare — wells, rest-houses, shade trees, medical care for humans and animals;
• self-examination and moderation.

Administration of Dhamma

• Dhamma-mahamattas — a new class of officials (mentioned in Rock Edict V) to spread Dhamma and look after the welfare of different groups, including prisoners.
• Dhamma-yatras — tours by the emperor instead of hunting expeditions (vihara-yatras).
• Officials such as rajukas and yuktas were instructed to tour regularly.

The inscriptions

Languages and scripts:

• Most inscriptions are in Prakrit, in the Brahmi script.
• In the northwest, Kharosthi script was used.
• Near Kandahar (Afghanistan), inscriptions in Greek and Aramaic.

Decipherment: James Prinsep deciphered Brahmi in 1837. The name "Ashoka" itself appears in only a few inscriptions — notably the Maski edict — which helped confirm that Devanampiya Piyadasi was Ashoka.

Ashokan pillars in Bihar

Ashoka and Buddhism

• Ashoka became a lay follower of Buddhism.
• The Third Buddhist Council was held at Pataliputra during his reign, under Moggaliputta Tissa.
• He sent missions to spread Buddhism — his son Mahendra and daughter Sanghamitra to Sri Lanka, and others to Southeast Asia and the Hellenistic world.
• He built or enlarged stupas, including at Sanchi.

Assessing Ashoka

Modern historians see elements of all three. What is not in doubt is his originality: he communicated directly with his subjects, in their languages, across the subcontinent.

Ashoka's legacy in modern India

• The Sarnath lion capital is India's national emblem.
• The Ashoka Chakra (the wheel of Dhamma) is on the national flag.
• His principles of tolerance and welfare are often cited in discussions of Indian secularism and governance.

Practice

Prelims-style:

1. Which rock edict describes the Kalinga war?
2. Which inscription names Ashoka directly?
3. Who deciphered the Brahmi script, and when?
4. Where in Bihar is Ashoka's minor rock edict?
5. Where is the Rampurva bull capital displayed?

Mains-style:

• "Ashoka's Dhamma was a policy of social responsibility, not a religion." Discuss.
• Examine the relevance of Ashoka's principles of tolerance and welfare to modern governance.