The Mauryan Empire The Mauryan Empire andand

the Spread of Buddhismthe Spread of Buddhism

Ancient IndiaAncient India

(321-185 B.C.E.)(321-185 B.C.E.)

Founding the Mauryan Founding the Mauryan EmpireEmpire

The Maurya (MOHR-yah) dynasty was The Maurya (MOHR-yah) dynasty was founded by Candra Gupta in the founded by Candra Gupta in the wake of Alexander the Great’s death.wake of Alexander the Great’s death.

The ancient Indian state was The ancient Indian state was centered at Pataliputra, near the centered at Pataliputra, near the junction of the Son and Ganges junction of the Son and Ganges rivers, and encompassed most of the rivers, and encompassed most of the subcontinent.subcontinent.

Life in the Mauryan EmpireLife in the Mauryan Empire

The Mauryan empire was an efficient The Mauryan empire was an efficient and highly organized autocracy with and highly organized autocracy with a standing army and civil service. a standing army and civil service.

This bureaucracy and its operation This bureaucracy and its operation were the model for the were the model for the Artha-shastraArtha-shastra (“Treatise on the Aims of Life”), an (“Treatise on the Aims of Life”), an important Indian manual on the art important Indian manual on the art of politics, attributed to the chief of politics, attributed to the chief minister to King Candragupta. minister to King Candragupta.

The Life of Emperor AśokaThe Life of Emperor Aśoka

Aśoka (pronounced ah-SHOH-kah) was Aśoka (pronounced ah-SHOH-kah) was born in 302 B.C.E. and died in 232 B.C.E. born in 302 B.C.E. and died in 232 B.C.E.

He was the grandson of Chandragupta, He was the grandson of Chandragupta, the founder of the Mauryan empire. the founder of the Mauryan empire. Chandragupta stepped down from the Chandragupta stepped down from the throne in 301 B.C.E. to become a Jain, throne in 301 B.C.E. to become a Jain, leaving the empire to his son, leaving the empire to his son, Bindusara.Bindusara.

Aśoka (or Aśoka (or AshokaAshoka) reigned from either ) reigned from either c.c. 265–238 BCE or 265–238 BCE or c.c. 273–232 BCE. 273–232 BCE.

The Reign of Emperor AśokaThe Reign of Emperor Aśoka

Aśoka began his reign as a typical ancient Aśoka began his reign as a typical ancient ruler: cruel, proud, and merciless.ruler: cruel, proud, and merciless.

Tales of his ruthlessness are collectively Tales of his ruthlessness are collectively identified under the tradition of “Black identified under the tradition of “Black Aśoka,” referring to the idea that before Aśoka,” referring to the idea that before he became a Buddhist, Aśoka was an evil he became a Buddhist, Aśoka was an evil man.man.

Through prolonged warfare, Aśoka Through prolonged warfare, Aśoka extended his empire until it convered extended his empire until it convered nearly the entire subcontinent of India.nearly the entire subcontinent of India.

Aśoka’s Conversion to Aśoka’s Conversion to BuddhismBuddhism

In 262 B.C.E. his troops conquered In 262 B.C.E. his troops conquered Kalinga, capturing 150,000 people and Kalinga, capturing 150,000 people and killing many more.killing many more.

Eventually sickened by bloodshed and full Eventually sickened by bloodshed and full of remorse for having caused great of remorse for having caused great suffering, he converted to Buddhismsuffering, he converted to Buddhism

From one of the edicts, we know that “Just From one of the edicts, we know that “Just after the taking of Kalinga, His Sacred after the taking of Kalinga, His Sacred Majesty began to follow Righteousness, to Majesty began to follow Righteousness, to love Righteousness, to give instruction in love Righteousness, to give instruction in Righteousness.”Righteousness.”

Aśoka and BuddhismAśoka and Buddhism

Throughout his remaining years, Aśoka Throughout his remaining years, Aśoka promoted the Buddhist religion and promoted the Buddhist religion and morality, encouraging all to eschew any morality, encouraging all to eschew any of form of killing, the eating of meat and of form of killing, the eating of meat and any cruel conduct toward living things. any cruel conduct toward living things.

In his edicts, he encouraged his subjects In his edicts, he encouraged his subjects to promote tolerance, mutual respect, to promote tolerance, mutual respect, self-control, kindness, and truthfulness.self-control, kindness, and truthfulness.

Aśoka Spreads BuddhismAśoka Spreads Buddhism

Aśoka explains in his edicts that he sent Aśoka explains in his edicts that he sent emissaries as far as the Mediterranean, emissaries as far as the Mediterranean, and to the peoples throughout and to the peoples throughout IndiaIndia in in order to propagate the Buddhist faith. order to propagate the Buddhist faith.

He claimed that they were all converted He claimed that they were all converted to the Dharma as a result, although to the Dharma as a result, although history shows that only Ceylon history shows that only Ceylon converted to Buddhism around this converted to Buddhism around this time.time.

The Edicts of AśokaThe Edicts of Aśoka

The Edicts of Aśoka are a collection of 33 The Edicts of Aśoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the Pillars of Aśoka, as well inscriptions on the Pillars of Aśoka, as well as boulders and cave walls.as boulders and cave walls.

These are some of the oldest deciphered These are some of the oldest deciphered original texts of India. original texts of India.

The inscriptions proclaim Ashoka's beliefs The inscriptions proclaim Ashoka's beliefs in the Buddhist concept of in the Buddhist concept of dharma dharma and and although Buddhism and the Buddha are although Buddhism and the Buddha are mentioned, they tend to focus on social mentioned, they tend to focus on social and moral precepts rather than religious and moral precepts rather than religious practices.practices.

The Pillars of AśokaThe Pillars of Aśoka

The pillars of Ashoka are a series of The pillars of Ashoka are a series of columns dispersed throughout the columns dispersed throughout the northern Indian subcontinent.northern Indian subcontinent.

Many of the pillars are carved with Many of the pillars are carved with the the Edicts of Edicts of AshokaAshoka. .

The most famous of the columns is The most famous of the columns is the one that was erected at the one that was erected at SarnathSarnath, , headed by a headed by a capital with four lionscapital with four lions. .

The End of the Mauryan The End of the Mauryan EmpireEmpire

After Aśoka's death the empire After Aśoka's death the empire shrank because of invasions, shrank because of invasions, defections by southern princes, and defections by southern princes, and quarrels over ascension. quarrels over ascension.

The last ruler, Brihadratha, was killed The last ruler, Brihadratha, was killed in 185 BC by his Brahman in 185 BC by his Brahman commander in chief, Pushyamitra, commander in chief, Pushyamitra, who then founded the who then founded the ShungaShunga dynasty dynasty, which ruled in central India , which ruled in central India for about a century. for about a century.