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Dhamma and decline of Mauryas.
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by Rimi Kansal

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more added: 06/06/21
Ashokan Dhamma • Ancient History of India
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Dhamma and its impact on the downfall on Mauryan
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RIMI KANSAL
2016113
HOI ASSIGNMENT

The policy of Dhamma included the state’s concern for the welfare of its people. According

to Pillar Edict 7 made planting of trees and he had wells dug and houses build for the

comfort of his subjects and so that they too conform dhamma . 

The good conduct and social responsibilities that were part of dhamma were anchored to

certain key relationships . According to Romilla Thappar , he criticized in no uncertain terms

what he described as ‘useless ceremonies and sacrifices’, held as a result of superstitious

 beliefs, for example those meant to ensure a safe journey or a quick recovery from an illness .

This is evident from Rock Edict 9 which begins with criticism of such ceremonies .

As highlighted by RK Mukherjee , the dhamma may be regarded as the precursor of some

modern reformist movement Ashoka’s dhamma was a moral law independent of any caste or

creed . The greatest virtue of Ashoka’s dhamma was its catholicity and tolerance to all other

religion and sects .

For propagation of dhamma including oral propagation elaborate arrangements were made

keeping in mind the fact that majority of population was not literate . Ashoka’s message of

dhamma was orally propagated by officials such as the kumaras , yutas , rajukas ,

mahamatas , anta-mahamatas , pulisani , and members of the parishad . As Rock Edict Three

states that the rajukas and pradeshikas were to go on tours of inspection every five years as

 part of their duties as well as for preaching dhamma . They played a great role in foreign

relations . he sent ambassadors of peace to the Greek kingdom Thus Ashoka now appealed

ideologically to tribal people and frontier kingdom .

RIMI KANSAL
2016113
HOI ASSIGNMENT

Ashoka created a special cadre of dhamma mahamattas 13 years after his consecration .

Rock Edict Five enjoins them to spread within the kingdom and border people such as the

Yonas , Kambojas , Rishtikas and Pitnikas . They were to move around among members of

all sects and were to promote the welfare and happiness of servants , masters , traders ,

farmers , Brahmanas , prisoners , the aged , the destitute and king’s relatives .

 The chief disseminator of the dhamma message was however Ashoka himself . In Major

Rock Edict it is shown how the vihara-yatas ( royal pleasure tours ) were replaced by

dhamma- yatas (dhamma tour ). The Ashokan Edicts present the king as exemplifying the

dhamma in his ideas and Edicts . As a patriarch of empire he presented himself as the

 proclaimer and propagator of dhamma par excellence .

Ashokan reign ended in 232 BC . But the propagation of dhamma continued far and wide in

subcontinent and in neighbouring states . After him , this far flung empire began to

disintegrate . The decline of Maurya empire has attached with it a scholarly debate on

reasons of decline .

According to the Puranas, the empire collapsed around 185 BC when Brihadratha, the last

Maurya ruler, was overthrown and assassinated by his military general Pushyamitra Sunga. A

seventh century account, Harshacharita written by Banabhatt substantiates this story. The

threat of invasions of the Bactrian Greeks in the early second century BC, who followed the

expansionist policy, is taken to be another political reason for the decline of Maurya Empire.

Ashoka too has been criticised by some scholars for being the reason of the Maurya decline.

RIMI KANSAL
2016113
HOI ASSIGNMENT

The first maintains that the revolt of Pushyamitra was a result of the brahmanical reaction

against the pro Buddhist policy of Asoka and the pro-Jaina policy of his successors .The first

argument is highlighted by Hariprasad Shastri. He blames Ashoka for instigating the

 brahmanical revolution against the forceful anti-brahman policy of dhamma that resulted in to

Pushyamitra Sunga’s coup. The ban over animal sacrifice must have also had annoyed the

Brahmans whose livelihood was based on performing sacrifices. However, according to

Raychaudhuri this ban did not necessarily imply hostility towards the brahmans, since

Brahmanical literature itself stresses ahimsa, and mentions the futility of laying great store on

sacrifices alone .

On the basis of his interpretation of phrase from the Minor Rock Edict at Drahmagin,

referring to the gods in Jambudvipa . Shastri interprets it as meaning that the brahmans who

were regarded as gods on earth had been exposed by Aioka as being false gods . But

according to Upinder Singh he wrongly interpreted it . It is generally accepted that the phrase

refers to the gods mixing on earth with the people, and does not refer to false gods .

According to Sastri the dhamma-mahamattas destroyed the prestige of the brahmanas as

custodian of social morality . But HC Raychaudhuri points out, this could hardly have been

so, since some of them were concerned specifically with safeguarding the rights and welfare

of the brahmans Furthermore the dhamma mahamattas were concerned with social welfare

generally, and covered a much wider field of work than the brahmans .

Thus it is quite evident that the end of the Maurya dynasty was not the result of revolution of

any kind .

RIMI KANSAL
2016113
HOI ASSIGNMENT

The second argument holds Asoka’s pacifist policies responsible for undermining the

strength of the empire . H.C. Raychaudhuri has attacked Ashoka on the basis of his having

 pursued a policy of non-violence with such vigour and determination that it resulted in a

completely weakened nation from a military point of view, and one that was not therefore

able to withstand the Greek invasion . He maintains that Ashokan policy was directly

responsible for the rapid disintegration of the Empire after the death of Ashoka . This policy

of non-violence not only caused the military decline of the empire, but also led to a lack of

control on the part of the king This lack of control led to the officials becoming oppressive in

the provinces, leading to the revolts referred to m Buddhist literature In short, the pacifist

 policy of Ashoka tended to disorganize the administration of the empire . But this

 judgement on Ashokan policy is not acceptable in light of the edicts . The unconventional

nature of the government of Ashoka did not he in his taking to heart the doctrine of ahimsa It

lay in the fact that he was personally convinced that a greater degree of non-violence and

mutual respect would be to the benefit of society, and furthermore that his personal

conviction was so great that even as a king he did not refrain from preaching and requesting

 people to observe such behaviour .

Raychaudhuri maintains that the successors of Ashoka were brought up on a pacifist diet to

such an extent that they were incapable of standing up to any armed force They had heard

more of ‘dhamma-ghosa than of bheri-ghosa’ . This suggests that Ashoka issued an order for

die demobilization of all armies and settled down to a rule of non-violence in its literal sense .

There is no hint of this in the edicts The evidence suggests a stem monarch even though his

reign saw only a single campaign He states his attitude towards the frontier people for

example, quite clearly ‘The king is willing to forgive those who have done wrong, but only

that which can be forgiven is forgiven’. Even more precise is his message to the forest tribes

RIMI KANSAL
2016113
HOI ASSIGNMENT

They are warned of the power which he possesses, in spite of his repentance, so that they

may cease committing faults and therefore not be killed. The same edict contains further

evidence which entirely contradicts Raychaudhuri’s contention, that Ashoka wished his

successors to forswear conquests of territory . Ashoka states that he believes that no further

conquest is necessary, which is logical enough considering the fact that the Maurya empire

covered practically the entire sub-continent, but that, if his successors should have to make a

conquest in the future, it was to be hoped that they would be merciful where possible and

deliver light punishments.

However , a long reign marked by only one military campaign in the early years may have

adversely affected the preparedness of army , and this may be a factor responsible for the

success of the Greek invasion .

Therefore , Dhamma being secular in nature advocating humanitarian approach can’t be

thought of as a policy leading Maurya empire to decline . It was the ideological tool of

Ashoka that helped him unify his empire and win confidence of his subjects . Dhamma

 propagated peace , non violence over wars and tolerance towards other sects . However ,

king’s inclination towards Buddhism and growing conformity to dhamma must have sown

seeds of revolt . But in large picture this can’t be the reason for decline of such a large

empire .

RIMI KANSAL
2016113
HOI ASSIGNMENT

However , there are various other reasons that are being given by historians to explain the

decline . These reasons include financial weakness given by D.D Kosambi and RS Sharma ,

corrupted officials and problem of loyalty given by Romila Thappar etc .

Looking at the diverse causes shown for decline , there is one thing that can be be taken as a

general perspective that all empires rely on mechanisms of integration and control over

territory , resources and ideology . In the case of Mauryas ,all three must have been strained

to their utmost .

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. The Penguin History of Early India : From the Origins To AD 1300 - Romila

Thappar

2. Asoka And The Decline Of The Mauryas - Romila Thappar

3. A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India : From the Stone Age to the 12 th 

Century - Upinder Singh

4. India’s Ancient Past - R.S Sharma

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