Contents

1. Introduction 02

2. A short inscription about Emperor Asoka

I. Asoka and the clan of Mauryans 03

II. Three stages of Asoka’s life 04

III. Services of Asoka 04

IV. The importance of his inscriptions 05

3. An introduction about contain, language and the objectives of Asoka inscriptions

I. Contain 06

II. Language 08

III. Objectives 09

4. Conclusion 12

5. References 13

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 Introduction

Asoka inscriptions which are oldest writings in the history of the world are a most
confidential sourse in discovering data about fields such as religious, political and social. It is
important to have a proper knowledge about following factors to understand those inscriptional
data.

I. The language of the inscriptions

II. Content of the inscriptions
III. Purpose of establishing those inscriptions

The purpose of this research is to discover about king Asoka briefly and to clarify above
factors in a wide spectrum.

I expect to use Mr. baruwa’s clarifications to search about language. And also expect to
use other scholars ideas as needs.

It is expected to use more attention to contents of those inscriptions to understand the

purposes of them and the book edicts of Asoka is also more appropriate in discovering those
factors. That is a translation of Mr. Sri Niwasan’s original text.

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 A short inscription about Emperor Asoka

Asoka and the clan of Mauryans

The King Chandragupta was the starter of this clan. He lived in India at 322 B.C. He was
a very powerful king and he caught many parts of India. Then, other kings were afraid of him
and they want to make a friendship with King Chandragupta. Therefore the king of Greece sent a
beautiful young girl named Mura to King Chandragupta and he married her. The clan started
from Mura, historians call as Mauryan clan.

Any way Chandragupta was the 1st Mauryan king and after that Bindusara and Ashoka.
After the King Chandragupta his son Bindusara became The King. He promulgated this empire
more than. His son Asoka was born at 304 BC in Pataliputra. His Mother was Subhadrangi. He
became the king at 273 B.C. However, he was the greatest of that clan. Because he promulgated
the empire and he did a lot of positive things than all of other kings of his clan.

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 Three stages of Asoka’s life

There are a lot of information about Asoka in Pali Commentaries and chronicles,
especially Samantapasadika, Mahavansa and Deepavansa. According to These sources, we can
divide to three stages to his life. Actually, three names have used to introduce these stages. They
are,

 Asoka
 Chandasoka
 Dharmasoka

His real name was Asoka and the time, from his childhood to starting to struggle for
power, we can identify as 1st stage. But second and third stages are very important than 1st stage
in his life. Because these two stages mainly affected to change the history of the world.

Asoka killed his father and a lot of brothers, as a result of struggling for power. In this
second stage, he created many wars against the nearest countries to capture those countries. That
is the reason to name as ‘Chandasoka’, in this period of his life. In this second period; he was
very cruel and bellicose ruler. ‘Kalinga’ war is the most important incidence of this stage. In this
war,

“The Kalinga country was conquered by King Priyadarsin, the beloved of the gods, when he had
been consecrated eight years. One hundred and fifty thousand persons were carried away as
captives and one hundred thousand slain and many times that number died.”1
(rock edict - XIII)

After this war The King Asoka became compunction, sad and confused by mentally.
Then, Meeting of The little monk ‘Nyagrodha’ was the turning point of Asoka’s life. After that,
he gave up Jainism and became a Buddhist. This matter mainly conduced to Ashoka to be a great
king. Because of this change, people introduced him as ‘Dharmashoka’.

Services of Asoka

This 3rd period is the most successful stage of his life. He did a lot of possible things in
this period. Some of them are as follow,

1
Sriniwasa Murthi, G. and others, Edicts of Asoka, (1951) the Adyar library, Page 39 (English translation).

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  Sponsored for 3rd Buddhist council and sent message of Buddha to nine countries.
 Built eighty four thousand Buddhist temples and pagodas.
 He supported to other religions and created religious co-operation.
 He prohibited killing animals and protected the right of living of all living beings.
 Studied the Buddhism deeply and created a new right constitution called as
‘Dharmavijaya’, using the teachings of Buddha.

He made a new policy using Buddhist teachings known as ‘Asoka Dharma’ and applied
an order to convey that policy among the people. Appointed the officers and built a lot of
inscriptions as a part of that order.

The importance of his inscriptions

The historians normally follow two sources to observe and confirm historical details.
They are,

1. Archaeological sources.
2. Literary sources.

Ruins of all kind of ancient things and all of ancient creations, constructions are including
to archaeological sources. All kinds of ancient books are literary sources which as cannons,
commentaries, chronicles etc. The books have written about history or historical matters also can
include to this category. The Edicts (Inscriptions) of Asoka, we can use as very important
archaeological source, as well as a literary source also.

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 An introduction about contain, language and the objectives of ashoka
inscriptions.
These edicts have written on the Pillars of Asoka as well as boulders and cave walls.
Especially, those edicts are very useful to understand the language, religion, society, political,
economy, discipline, ethics and values of at that time. He must study the language, contain and
the objectives of these edicts who one want to understand these matters correctly.

A lot of books have written about edicts of Asoka. The greatest one of them is ‘Asoka
and his inscriptions’. Great Indian scholar Mr. B. M. Barua was author of this book and he
published it at 1946. According to him there are 157 edicts what have we remained today. As
well as he categorised them seven groups. But the book named ‘Edict of Asoka’ categorised
them anther way as follow2,

I. Rock edicts Kalinga edict

Minor rock edicts Brahmagiri edict, Yerragudi edict
II. Pillar edicts Edict I, II, III, (there have not named.)
Minor pillar edicts Saranath edict, Kausambi edict
III. Cave edicts Cave dedications of Dasaratha

Contain

There are a lot of historical information have contain in these edicts. Some of them are as
follow,

 Religious information.
 Political information.
 Information about policy and order of Asoka.

Religious information

We can use these to observe and confirm a lot of historical factors about Buddhism.
Actually, several incidences were happened at Asoka’s period. Some of those incidences can
write down as points. They are as follow,

 Became a Buddhist.
2
Edicts of Asoka, , Page IX, X.

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  The third Buddhist council.
 Built eighty four thousand Buddhist temples and pagodas.
 Sending message of Buddha to nine countries.
 Ordination of his son and daughter.

These are the most important incidence which happened at that time.

All of these incidences have reported in inscriptions. As an example, many edicts have
reported becoming a Buddhist of Asoka. Maski edict said that as follow,3

“This is a proclamation of Devanampriya (the beloved of the gods) Asoka. For over two and a
half yaers, I had been a follower of the Buddha, The Shakya. It is over a year since I visited the
Samgha (order) and have been progressing well.”
(Maski edict)

Political information

Following abstract is very useful to understand political situation and geographical

factors of that period. As well as in this 13th rock edict included a name list where he have
propagated Dhamma. as follow.

“To devanmpriya Dharmavijaya (dhamma conquest) is the most important conquest. And
this conquest has been won repeatedly by Devanampriya, here all the tribes living on the borders
of his territories, in the country of Antiyoka.The Yavana king living eight hundred yojanas away,
and among four other kings living beyond the territories of Antiyoka, such as Turanaya
(Ptolemy), Antikona (Antigonus Gonatus), Maga (Magas) and Alikasundara (Alexander; and in
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the south the Codas, the Pandyas and the Tambraparniyas;……)

(Rock edict - XIII)

Information about policy and order of Asoka

His policy have named as ‘Dharmavijaya (dharma conquest)’ by him. His order has based
on Asoka Dharma which was created by adding Some Buddhist teachings practically. Actually,
following text is very useful to understand about policy and order of Asoka.

3
Edicts of Asoka, Page 87.
4
Edicts of Asoka, Page 39.

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“After that, the Kalingas being now secure, Devanampriya (the beloved of the gods) is intently
devoted to Dharmapalna (the protection of Dharma), Dharmakarma (action according to
Dharma) and Dharmanusisti (Imparting of instruction in Dharma).”5

(Rock edict - XIII)

Language

Brahmin alphabet had used to write these edicts. Normally, the scholars have different
ideas about the language of Asoka edicts. After doing a discovery, the great scholar Mr Barua
has said that there are five kinds of languages had used at Asoka’s period. He had shown
examples also, for each variety on his book as follow.

1. From Girinar edict - A language used in western of India. (Saurashtri)

2. From Shabas Nagar edict - A language used in north-west of India that is Gandhara.
3. From Kalsi edict - A language used in north - central or province of north connected
Himalaya.
4. From Brahmagir edict - A language used in Maharashtri.
5. From Dauli edict - A language used in east that is Kalinga.

Mr Radha Gowinda also have categorised to four kinds Asoka’s edicts as follow,

1. The language-Group which have used in Shabasgar and Mansera edicts.

2. The language-Group of middle Indian included Kalinga edicts.
3. The language-Group which have used in Girnar and Sofara.
4. The anguage-Group which have used in Southern Indian edicts.

Following Scholars also have presented different and valid ideas about edicts of Asoka
on their books.

 Indian scholar M. A. Mehendale – Asokan inscriptions in India

 French scholar Joule Blok – Les inscriptions Asoka
 German scholar Edward Halts - Inscription of Asoka

5
Edicts of Asoka, Page 39

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 Objectives

Studying the objectives of Asoka’s inscriptions is very useful to know the importance of
these edicts. The most objective of these edicts is publishing his principles of ruling,
government, policy and orders and evangelism. Actually this is not Buddhists’ evangelism of
nine counties. This is Asoka’s evangelism. Ven. B. Gnanawimala had shown these as two
evangelisms.6 Anyway, we can see several objectives as follow,

Good government according to policy of Dharma conquest

This is a major principle of his government. After became a Buddhist, He gave up the
battles and choice a great and positive way for the conquest called as Dharma conquest. To
carrying this concept among the people he has used his edicts. From following text, he had said
the objective of constitution of rock edict XIII.

“This rescript on Dharma has been written for the purpose that my sons and great
grandsons who will hear about my new conquest should not consider that further conquest is to
be undertaken. If there has to be conquest, though weapons of war, let them take pleasure in
peace and light corrective measures. They should consider that the only true conquest is by
Dharma”7
(Rock edict - XIII)

As well as, this text is helpful to understand the nature of the Dharma conquest also.

Stop killing the animals

He have explained stop killing in his Scripts and sometimes, he had reported about
arranging the low for that. This edict had explained as well as many kinds of birds, fishes and
other animals also.

“When I had been consecrated twenty-six years, the following creatures have been
prohibited by me from being slaughtered, e.g. parrot (suka), maina (sarika), red-breast (aruna),
the ruddy goose (cakravaka), the swan (hamsa), the Queen-ant (ambapipilika), the terrapin

6
Gnanawimala thero, B, Inscriptions of Asoka (Sinhala), (2000) Samayawardana book shop, page 11.
7
Edicts of Asoka, Page 49

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(dangi), the boneless fish (anashikmathsya), the partridge (jivamjivaka), the Gange-tic water-
cock (ganga-kukkuta), the gilt-edge fish (sakulamatsya) the tortoise (kamatha)…..”8
(Pillar edict - V)

These matters are very useful to understand what people had eaten flesh-foods at that
time. Because of that this text has included useful social and economic information also.

Religious Co-operative

Asoka was followed Jainism in first two stages of his life and after that, he became a
Buddhist. Then, he supported to Buddhism hardly though he protect religious co-operative
supporting other religious too. That was major principle of his religious policy. Rock edict VII is
very useful to ascertain the Asoka’s religious policy.

“King priyadarsin, the beloved of the gods, wishes that everywhere (in his dominions)
member of all (religions and) sects may reside (together and harmoniously).

For, all desire in common to achieve mastery of the senses and purity of mind however
varied their desires and likings, high and low, may be. Some will attend to the performance of
the whole of the low, and some, of only a part” 9

(Rock edict - VII)

Social welfare, development and Conservation of environment

Asoka did a lot of things for social welfare. Girinar edict had reported that he had
introduced two kinds of medical treatment, everywhere in his kingdom. One is for humans and
other is for animals. This only edict is sufficient to understand ‘how is his welfare and
development’.

“Two kinds of medical treatment were established by king Priyadarsin, the beloved of the
gods, Medical treatment for human beings and medical treatment for cattle.”

This edict says that as well as,

8
Edicts of Asoka, Page 102.
9
Edicts of Asoka, Page 21 - 23.

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 “Medical herbs useful for human beings and cattle have been imported and grown,
wherever they were not available.”

“Similarly, roots and fruits have also been imported and caused to grown, wherever they
were not available.”10

(Rock edict - II)

Also, this is useful to know the Conservation of environment of Asoka. This edict says
that as well as he had grown trees to get shade and cool purpose the human and cattle and he had
built tanks and ponds for them.

Actually, his development didn’t limited to physical development and he had focused the
attention to spiritual development too. Therefore, on rock edict XI, he had said as follow,

“From it follow the right treatment of slaves and servants, service to mother and father,
gifts to Brahmanas and abstention from slaughter of animals”11

(Rock edict - XI)

10
Edicts of Asoka, Page 5.
11
Edicts of Asoka, Page 33

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 Conclusion

Here, mentioned details are well enough to have and initial Understanding about the
character of King Asoka and his services. Specially his later period after he became a Buddhist,
and his services are explained mostly because it directly connected with the tittle.

There are various differences in language because it has extended throughout a large area.
It has being proved by discoveries of the scholars lately.

Considering the content, there were whole lot of information about variety of fields, there
only discussed about several important data.

There were many targets to achieve via those inscriptions and some of them discovered
with examples in this assignment.

Finally as a conclusion we can clarify these inscriptions of Emperor Asoka are a main
and confidential information source that provides data about fields such as language, history,
religion and politic.

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 References

 Sriniwasa Murthi, G. and others, - Edicts of Asoka, (1951)

 Barua, B. M, - Ashoka and his inscriptions, (1946)

 Department of Buddhist affairs - Buddhist history and culture (The text book in Sinhala)

(2015)

 Gnanawimala thero, B, - Inscriptions of Asoka (Sinhala), (2000)

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