BHARATI COLLEGE, JANAKPURI

UNIVERSITY OF DELHI

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY

Assignment On:

“CONTRIBUTION OF ASHOKA, WITH

SPECIAL REFERENCE TO DHAMMA”

SUBMITTED TO : PROFESSOR SHAKTI MADHOK

SUBMITTED BY: VARDAYANI VIPULA

19/557
B.A. HISTORY HONS.
II SEMESTER
Contribution of Ashoka, with special reference to
Dhamma

Ashoka’s Dhamma is based on his interpretation of the 'philosophy' or idea of

Dhamma; Dhamma is the Prakrit form of the Sanskrit word Dharma, meaning,
according to the context, the universal law or righteousness.

The theme of ahimsa (non-injury) is an important aspect of Ashoka’s dhamma,

frequently mentioned and emphasized. It bans animal sacrifices (at some or all
places?) and certain festive gatherings that included the killing of animals, and also
reports a reduction in the killing of animals for food in the royal kitchens.

It propagates good conduct and social responsibilities while criticizing dogma-

centered ceremonies performed on occasions such as illness, marriage, birth, and
setting forth on journeys. Such rituals are described as producing uncertain and
meagre results while contrasting these with the ceremony of dhamma, which is
bound to yield results in this world (i.e., life) and the next. The ceremony of
dhamma is described as consisting in proper courtesy to slaves and servants,
respectful behaviour towards elders, restraint in one’s dealings with all living
beings, and liberality to shramanas and Brahmanas. It preaches performing
virtuous deeds, compassion, liberality, truthfulness, and purity.

Another important aspect of Ashoka’s dhamma was the generation of mutual

respect and concord among people belonging to different sects or religious
communities; while clearly indicating that dhamma did not consist in the promotion
of a particular sect, Buddhist or otherwise. This aspect of dhamma has often been
referred to as ‘religious toleration’. He warns against criticizing other sects and in
praising their own while urging people to honour and try to understand the
dhamma of others.

Dhamma also talks of Ashoka’s ideals and goals—to promote the welfare of all his
people, discharge the debt he owes to all beings, and ensure their happiness in this
world and the next; provisions for medical treatment, planting beneficial medicinal
herbs, roots, and fruits, and the digging of wells. King’s dharma was not only
limited to benefit his people but animals as well, which makes it quite unique.

One of the most remarkable and innovative aspects of Ashoka’s dhamma and the
dhamma of a king has been the renunciation of warfare and the re-definition of
righteous conquest i.e. dhammavijaya, was different from the dharma-vijaya of the
Arthashastra. Ashoka’s goals and activities correspond in many ways to the image
of the ideal king—the chakkavatti dhammiko dhammaraja (righteous universal
ruler)—of the Buddhist tradition. This king establishes his control over the four
quarters through righteousness, not through violence or force. Rival kings do not
resist, and happily accept his sovereignty, which in any case is not about territorial
conquest but spreading dhamma. Ashoka seems to have taken the Buddhist idea of
dhamma-vijaya one step further, with dhamma missionaries replacing the king and
his army. Dhamma-vijaya is described as the best kind of conquest, and the king
claims to have achieved it over the Yavanas, Kambojas, Nabhakas, Nabhapanktis,
Bhojas, Pitinikas, Andhras, Pulindas, Cholas, and Pandyas. Outside the
subcontinent, he claims to have attained dhamma-vijaya in the dominions of
Antiochus II, Ptolemy II, Philadelphus of Egypt, Magas of Cyrene (in north Africa),
Antigonus Gonatas of Macedonia, and Alexander of Epirus or Corinth. The edict
ends with Ashoka expressing the hope that his successors would not embark on any
fresh conquest by arms, and that if they could not avoid it, they should at least not
be harsh to conquered people.

He even appoints rajukas and pradeshikas to go on tours of inspection every five

years as part of their other duties, as well as for preaching dhamma. Ashoka
created a special cadre of dhamma mahamatas.

He replaces the royal pleasure tours (viharayatas) with dhamma tours (dhamma-
yatas). The latter involved visiting Brahmanas and shramanas and giving them
gifts, visiting aged folk and distributing gold to them, meeting people of the
countryside, instructing them in dhamma, and questioning them about dhamma.
Ashoka asserts that he derived more pleasure from these dhamma tours than from
anything else.

Ashoka’s ideas and deeds were influenced by the society around him; might be a
result of a compromise with, or an acceptance or non-acceptance of the particular
conditions of this society.

The purpose of adopting the policy of Dhamma could be traced while putting
Ashoka in the context of his historical background and not as an isolated
phenomenon. Mauryas undoubtedly displayed great interest in the ideas and
intellectual trends of the age, apparent from various connections with the social and
intellectual life of the time. The influence of Jainism in Mauryan Court was
inevitable, as suggested by the acceptance of Jainism by Chandragupta in his later
life. Foreign element would also have supported eclectic thinking, for instance,
Megasthenes, Selecus’ envoy who lived at the court of Pataliputra for some time,
would have introduced the Mauryan Court about the thoughts and institutions of
Greece and Asia Minor. The possibility of a marriage alliance between Chandragupta
and Selecus indicates that the atmosphere at the court was considerably freer as
the rigidity of orthodox Hinduism could have been stretched to include non-
orthodox elements. Sources suggest that Ashoka held the office of Governor of
Taxila for a considerable period of time during the reign of Bindusara. Taxila,
located at the north-western part of the kingdom, was the nucleus of foreign
 element and of a cosmopolitan Indo-Greek intellectual life. It acted as crucible of
two streams of Indian and Western ideas; mutual understanding and respect
between alien ideas and the Indian orthodoxy existed there. Ajivikas were also
accepted at court as evident from the fact that the future of Ashoka was predicted
at the time of conception and at birth by an Ajivika saint. Thus the immediate
surroundings in which Ashoka lived and grew up did not exclude the possibilities
that he might adopt a non-conforming philosophy of life, not entirely keeping with
orthodox principles.

Possible reasons behind adoption of policy of Dhamma

While delving into the question of possible reasons leading to the adoption of policy
of Dhamma by Ashoka, one may find numerous arguments. Some are discussed
below:

 While developing Mauryan Empire into a centralized one, efficient bureaucracy,

extensive coverage by good communication and the control of a powerful king were
required. However, to maintain the central control of the ruler, either of the two
policies had to be adopted:

1. Exercising ruthless control through armed strength, self deification and various
other means

2. King declaring himself in favour of a new belief (or one of the less established
ones), possibly even an eclectic collection of views from varying groups. Thus the
dominance of other groups could be undermined and the central authority could
increase its power. This method was adopted by Ashoka.

 It is possible that during early years of his reign, while Ashoka was consolidating his
position, the older and more orthodox elements at courts did not support him. So in
order to seek the potential support of non-orthodox elements (newly risen
commercial class), he moved away from orthodox Brahmanism, though he did not
oppose it, but gave more open support to Buddhism and certain other sects such as
Ajivikas - eventually succeeding in weaning the people away from orthodoxy, and in
the end making his own principle more acceptable to the populace. This turns out to
be the practical advantage of adopting the idea of Dhamma.

 The process of centralization necessitates unification of small political units and

integration of divergent groups into at least a basic cohesion since centralization
extends over a large area including a diversity of racial and cultural types. Adoption
of new faith and its active propagation would act as a cementing force, welding the
smaller units while consolidating conquered territory.

 Another opinion states that Dhamma is Ashoka’s interpretation of Buddhism.

Buddhist idea of kingship propagates the theory of Mahusammatta, the Great Elect:
a contractual theory based on agreement between the population and the person
 whom they elect as a king. King was regarded as serving the state and the
collection of taxes being his due. However, Ashoka manipulated it to adjust it
according to his personal needs and his special environment. Ashokan edicts reveal
that Ashoka did not regard himself as the Great Edict in his relations with his
subjects but rather as a father figure. He constantly stresses the father-child
relationship between the king and the populace. Therefore, Mahasammatta theory
receded into the background. The status of monarch as the paternal benefactor
and not as a servent of the state introduces the possibilities of despotism.

 Another theory states that Ashoka was not a Buddhist but a Brahmanical Hindu.
However, evidences from his own edicts and sources of his reign clearly indicate
that he was not so.

 The Tibetan chronicler, Taranatha, associates Ashoka with Tantric Buddhism in his
account. But as a matter of fact, Tantric Buddhism developed many centuries later.

 Some believe Dhamma of Ashoka to be the original Buddhism, as preached by

Buddha; and what we know today as Buddhism are theological encrustations added
through the course of centuries. Unfortunately there is not enough cross evidence
to prove the validity of this view.

 Professor Romila Thapar is of the view that Dhamma was Ashoka’s own
invention. Although many features were borrowed from Buddhist and Hindu thought
yet it had a personalized essence of Ashoka; a way of life which was both practical
and convenient, as well as being highly moral. It was intended as a compromise for
majority of his subjects who did not have the leisure to indulge in philosophical
speculation.

 Ashoka used certain aspects of Buddhism to further his own ideas, treating
Buddhism not merely as the religious philosophy taught by Buddha but also as a
social and intellectual force upon society as indeed it was. Had Dhamma been
merely a recording of Buddhist principles, Ashoka would have stated so openly
since he never hides his support for Buddhism. In reference to the religious aspect
of the edicts, there is a mention of attainment of heaven as the reward of a moral
life. Professor Romila Thapar says that the reference was an attempt to relate
the degree of reward to a known and valued symbol in the mind of average person
reading the edict, suggesting that a life led according to the principles of his
Dhamma would bring such a reward. Had the attainment of heaven in itself was
what Ashoka was aiming at, then surely he would also have mentioned another
recurrent belief, namely, the theory of transmigration of souls. The very fact that
there is no reference to this proves that he was not concerned with the religious
aspect of the attainment of heaven.