Hello everyone, my name is Stephanie Alcarez and welcome to my presentation on Ashoka the Greek. So before we begin, I just have a few notes. While this topic will explore certain periods of history, most of my primary sources come from religious texts commissioned by Ashoka himself. While these texts aren't exactly historical in nature, they do give us insight into Ashoka's faith and the change he underwent. In this presentation, I hope to explore who Ashoka is, who Ashoka was during his early reign, his catalyst to conversion, and his long-term influence on Buddhism.
So, the question on everyone's mind, who is Ashoka the Great? Ashoka the Great was the third emperor of the Marian Empire. He began his reign in 268 BCE.
Ashoka's kingdom spanned from present-day Afghanistan to what is now Bangladesh, encompassing a substantial portion of the Indian subcontinent. Ashoka succeeded his father Bindisara and grandfather Chandragupta to become king of the Marian Empire. Much like his predecessors, Ashoka first prioritized the expansion and unification of the empire.
Unfortunately, Ashoka's early rule was characterized by brutal conquests. But what happens if a ruthless conqueror leaves a legacy of peace and non-violence? Who was Ashoka during his early reign?
While much of Ashoka's early reign is relatively unknown or heavily debated by historians, sacred writings like the Divya Vedana or divine narratives give insight into who Ashoka may have been prior to his religious conversion. The Divya Vedana, entitled Ashoka Vedana, tells the tale of Ashoka's life. Once he assumed power, Ashoka was said to have been quite ruthless. Ashoka's ruthlessness would lead him to eventually conquer the kingdom of Kalinga.
Let's briefly talk about the Kalinga War. The Marian Empire surrounded Kalinga and in 260 BCE, Ashoka invaded the kingdom, slaughtering 100,000 inhabitants and leaving thousands of others to die of disease and famine. Writings like the 13th Rock Pillars state that Ashoka saw the destruction he had caused and felt a profound change within himself.
Ashoka's 13th Edict reads as follows, Beloved of the gods conquered the Kalingas eight years after his coronation. 150,000 were deported, 100,000 were killed, and many more died from other causes. After the Kalingas had been conquered, Beloved of the Gods came to feel a strong inclination towards the Dhamma, a love for the Dhamma, and for instruction in Dhamma.
Now, Beloved of the Gods feels deep remorse for having conquered the Kalingas. Now let's talk about Ashoka's conversion to Buddhism. Following the events of Kalinga, Ashoka renounced war and began to gradually accept Buddhism throughout his reign.
Though Ashoka may have been acquainted with Buddhism prior to his conversion, he began to place a larger emphasis on religion following the war. How did Ashoka advocate for Buddhism? Ashoka paid homage to Buddhism through a pilgrimage to the Bodhi tree and by commissioning the writing of the edicts. Ashoka was said to have sent nine Buddhist missionaries to spread Buddhism in the border areas in 250 BCE. Places like Sri Lanka, Kashmir, and the Himalayas, never before exposed to Buddhism, were said to have been contacted by these missionaries.
Let's talk about the edicts and their messages. The edicts of Ashoka, mostly written in Brahmi script, spread messages like non-violence, religious tolerance, obedience to authority, humane treatment of servants, and generosity towards all people. Both the minor pillar edicts and the minor rock edicts contained religious content. The edicts referenced Buddhism, Buddhist scriptures, and the Buddha.
The major rock and pillar edicts are essentially political and moral in character. They concentrate on maintaining order, appropriate conduct, and non-violence under the broad heading of Dharma. The edicts also emphasized peaceful relations with other nations.
What was Ashoka's long-term influence on Buddhism? While Ashoka led a legacy of ruthlessness, he is also remembered for his contributions to the spread of Buddhism throughout Asia. With Ashoka's contributions, Buddhism was able to become a major religion in Asia, effectively shaping culture and politics. In conclusion, Ashoka's legacy shows the possibility of profound change through moral and religious thought.
Ashoka's advocacy of non-violent and peaceful ideas would go on to inspire other religious and social movements. Buddhism was spread to various regions, effectively making it a world religion. To this day, India uses Ashoka chakra in its flag, indicating that there is movement in life and stagnation in death, essentially symbolizing that life is ever-changing.
Ashoka continues to be widely known for his contributions to Buddhism and his messages of peace. Ashoka's story shows us that even when we make mistakes, it is still possible to be redeemed through the good that you contribute to society. Well, this concludes my video on Ashoka the Great.
I have included a list of sources I have used for this presentation. They range from scholarly articles to the edicts themselves. Thank you very much for watching.