The Edicts of Ashoka | History for UPSC CSE PDF Download

Introduction
The great Emperor Ashoka, the third monarch of the Maurya dynasty converted to Buddhism after witnessing the horrific effects of war in Kalinga. He became a champion and patron of Buddhism and strove to spread Dhamma throughout his empire and beyond. He erected pillars and edicts all over the subcontinent and even in modern-day Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan to spread the Buddha’s word.

≫ Ashoka Inscription (Rock Edicts)
James Prinsep, a British antiquary and colonial administrator was the first person to decipher Ashoka’s edicts. These Ashoka’s inscriptions are the first tangible evidence of Buddhism.
They were kept in public places and along trade routes so that maximum number of people would read them. More than religious discourses, they talk about the moral duties of the people, how to conduct life, Ashoka’s desire to be a good and benevolent ruler, and about Ashoka’s work towards this end.
(i) Ashoka inscriptions can be classified into three: 

• Pillar edicts,
• Major rock edicts and
• Minor rock edicts.

(ii) Pillar Edicts

• There are seven pillar edicts.
• Two types of stones are used: spotted white sandstone (from Mathura) and buff coloured sandstone and quartzite (from Amaravati).
• All the pillars are monoliths (carved out of from stone).
• They have been found from different places like Kandahar (Afghanistan), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan), Delhi, Vaishali and Champaran (Bihar), Sarnath and Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh), Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh), and Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh).
• Fragments of the same edict are found in different places.
• Many pillars are as high as 50 feet high and weigh as much as 50 tons.
• The pillars depict animals such as elephants and lions and wheels and lotuses which are all significant symbols in Buddhism.

The following table gives the Edict number and what it talks about:

≫ Ashoka’s Major Rock Edicts
Major Rock Edicts: There are 14 major rock edicts:

(i) Minor Rock Edicts

• Minor rock edicts are found on 15 rocks across the country and in Afghanistan also.
• Ashoka uses his name only in four of these places namely:
  (i) Maski,
  (ii) Brahmagiri (Karnataka),
  (iii) Gujjara (MP) and
  (iv) Nettur (AP).

≫ Languages used in Ashoka Inscription

• In the eastern part of the empire, the Magadhi language in Brahmi script is used. (Magadhi is the dialect of Prakrit found in Magadha).
• In western parts of the Mauryan Empire, Prakrit in kharoshti script is used.
• Major Rock Edict XIII contains an extract in Greek and Aramaic as well.

≫ Ashoka’s Inscription Excerpt
Major Rock Edict VI
Beloved of the Gods speaks thus: Twelve years after my coronation I started to have Dhamma edicts written for the welfare and happiness of the people, and so that not transgressing them they might grow in the Dhamma. Thinking: “How can the welfare and happiness of the people be secured?” I give my attention to my relatives, to those dwelling far, so I can lead them to happiness and then I act accordingly. I do the same for all groups. I have honoured all religions with various honours. But I consider it best to meet with people personally.