Aśhoka, the king who chose peace

Aśhoka (ruled 268–232 BCE) was Chandragupta's grandson. He became famous for what he did in government and religion.

At first he was ambitious. He made his huge empire even bigger, covering almost the whole subcontinent except the far south, and including today's Bangladesh, Pakistan and parts of Afghanistan.

Then came Kalinga (today's Odisha). One of his edicts (official messages from the king) says he fought a terrible war there. Picture him on the battlefield afterwards: thousands dead, on both sides, each with a family waiting at home. Seeing so much death, Aśhoka gave up violence and chose the Buddha's path of peace and non-violence. He kept ruling, but no longer by war.

The book asks: he could have hidden this war and kept a peaceful image. Why do you think he admitted it?

He sent emissaries (people on a special mission) to Sri Lanka, Thailand, Central Asia and beyond, to spread the Buddha's message. He had edicts carved on rocks and pillars all over his empire, asking people to follow dharma. Historians call him a 'great communicator'.

Most edicts are in Prakrit, a language many people spoke, written in the Brahmi script (the mother of all India's regional scripts). A language is what we speak; a script is how we write it.

He called himself Devanampiya Piyadasi: 'Beloved of the Gods', 'one who regards others with kindness'. He said he gave medical care to people and animals, banned hunting and cruelty to animals, built rest houses and wells along roads, planted fruit and shade trees, and asked all sects to learn from each other. We needn't believe every claim word for word, but he clearly cared for his people, just as Kauṭilya taught.

Dharma (dhamma in Prakrit) means moral law, our duties to family, community and country, and living by the order of the universe (ṛitam). Duty, law, truth, order and ethics, all together!