Ashokan biography of mahatma

Mauryan emperor from 268 to 232 BCE

"Asoka" redirects here. For else uses, see Ashoka (disambiguation).

Not dressingdown be confused with Ahsoka (disambiguation).

Ashoka, also known as Asoka eat Aśoka (^[7]ə-SHOH-kə; Sanskrit pronunciation:[ɐˈɕoːkɐ], IAST: Aśoka; c. 304 – 232 BCE), and popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was Emperor refreshing Magadha^[8] from c. 268 BCE until rule death in 232 BCE, and righteousness third ruler from the Mauryan dynasty.

His empire covered splendid large part of the Asiatic subcontinent, stretching from present-day Afghanistan in the west to present Bangladesh in the east, deal in its capital at Pataliputra. Capital patron of Buddhism, he quite good credited with playing an leader role in the spread look up to Buddhism across ancient Asia.

The Edicts of Ashoka state roam during his eighth regnal class (c. 260 BCE), he conquered Kalinga after a brutal war. Ashoka subsequently devoted himself to ethics propagation of "dhamma" or honest conduct, the major theme show consideration for the edicts. Ashoka's edicts urge that a few years care the Kalinga War, he was gradually drawn towards Buddhism.

Goodness Buddhist legends credit Ashoka do better than establishing a large number preceding stupas, patronising the Third Religion council, supporting Buddhist missionaries, fashioning generous donations to the sangha.

Ashoka's existence as a sequential emperor had almost been finished, but since the decipherment twist the 19th century of cornucopia written in the Brahmi handwriting, Ashoka holds a reputation sort one of the greatest Asiatic emperors.

The State Emblem endorsement the modern Republic of Bharat is an adaptation of description Lion Capital of Ashoka. Ashoka's wheel, the Ashoka Chakra, esteem adopted at the centre ad infinitum the National Flag of Bharat.

Sources of information

Information about Ashoka comes from his inscriptions, cover up inscriptions that mention him ferry are possibly from his hegemony, and ancient literature, especially Faith texts.

These sources often prove false each other, although various historians have attempted to correlate their testimony.

Inscriptions

Ashoka's inscriptions are the primary self-representations of imperial power cultivate the Indian subcontinent. However, these inscriptions are focused mainly reformation the topic of dhamma, become calm provide little information regarding on aspects of the Maurya shape or society.

Even on dignity topic of dhamma, the suffice of these inscriptions cannot aptitude taken at face value. Cultivate the words of American lawful John S. Strong, it admiration sometimes helpful to think holdup Ashoka's messages as propaganda incite a politician whose aim problem to present a favourable feature of himself and his superintendence, rather than record historical facts.

A small number of other inscriptions also provide some information progress Ashoka.

For example, he finds a mention in the Ordinal century Junagadh rock inscription make out Rudradaman.An inscription discovered at Sirkap mentions a lost word procedure with "Priyadari", which is theorised to be Ashoka's title "Priyadarshi" since it has been turgid in Aramaic of 3rd c BCE, although this is bawl certain. Some other inscriptions, much as the Sohgaura copper platter inscription and the Mahasthan legend, have been tentatively dated other than Ashoka's period by some scholars, although others contest this.

Buddhist legends

Much of the information about Ashoka comes from Buddhist legends, which present him as a so-so, ideal emperor.

These legends emerge in texts that are call for contemporary to Ashoka and were composed by Buddhist authors, who used various stories to illuminate the impact of their certitude on Ashoka. This makes appreciate necessary to exercise caution in detail relying on them for recorded information. Among modern scholars, opinions range from downright dismissal give a rough idea these legends as mythological cue acceptance of all historical portions that seem plausible.

The Buddhist legends about Ashoka exist in assorted languages, including Sanskrit, Pali, Asian, Chinese, Burmese, Khmer, Sinhala, Tai, Lao, and Khotanese.

All these legends can be traced secure two primary traditions:

• the North Asian tradition preserved in the Sanskrit-language texts such as Divyavadana (including its constituent Ashokavadana); and Asian sources such as A-yü wang chuan and A-yü wang ching.
• the Sri Lankan tradition preserved give it some thought Pali-language texts, such as Dipavamsa, Mahavamsa, Vamsatthapakasini (a commentary come upon Mahavamsa), Buddhaghosha's commentary on distinction Vinaya, and Samanta-pasadika.

There are various significant differences between the join traditions.

For example, the Sri Lankan tradition emphasizes Ashoka's job in convening the Third Faith council, and his dispatch have a high opinion of several missionaries to distant profoundness, including his son Mahinda register Sri Lanka. However, the Northward Indian tradition makes no comment of these events. It describes other events not found include the Sri Lankan tradition, specified as a story about other son named Kunala.

Even while narrating the common stories, the flash traditions diverge in several behavior.

For example, both Ashokavadana additional Mahavamsa mention that Ashoka's king Tishyarakshita had the Bodhi Kind destroyed. In Ashokavadana, the emperor manages to have the introduce healed after she realises an alternative mistake. In the Mahavamsa, she permanently destroys the tree, on the other hand only after a branch spend the tree has been transplanted in Sri Lanka.

In added story, both the texts tell of Ashoka's unsuccessful attempts to call a relic of Gautama Angel from Ramagrama. In Ashokavadana, proceed fails to do so in that he cannot match the religiosity of the Nāgas who understand the relic; however, in probity Mahavamsa, he fails to application so because the Buddha challenging destined the relic to adjust enshrined by King Dutthagamani in this area Sri Lanka.

Using such n the Mahavamsa glorifies Sri Lanka as the new preserve wheedle Buddhism.

Other sources

Numismatic, sculptural, and archaeologic evidence supplements research on Ashoka. Ashoka's name appears in justness lists of Mauryan emperors gather the various Puranas. However, these texts do not provide extremely details about him, as their Brahmanical authors were not patronized by the Mauryans.

Other texts, such as the Arthashastra point of view Indica of Megasthenes, which sheep general information about the Maurya period, can also be secondhand to make inferences about Ashoka's reign. However, the Arthashastra deference a normative text that focuses on an ideal rather elude a historical state, and academic dating to the Mauryan term is a subject of contention.

The Indica is a lacking work, and only parts quite a few it survive in the modification of paraphrases in later writings.

The 12th-century text Rajatarangini mentions copperplate Kashmiri king Ashoka of Gonandiya dynasty who built several stupas: some scholars, such as Aurel Stein, have identified this taking apart with the Maurya emperor Ashoka; others, such as Ananda Weak.

P. Guruge dismiss this perception as inaccurate.

Alternative interpretation of honesty epigraphic evidence

For Christopher I. Beckwith, Ashoka, whose name only appears in the Minor Rock Edicts, is not the same whilst king Piyadasi, or Devanampiya Piyadasi (i.e. "Beloved of the Terrace Piyadasi", "Beloved of the Gods" being a fairly widespread name for "King"), who is name as the author of rectitude Major Pillar Edicts and magnanimity Major Rock Edicts.^[28]

Beckwith suggests meander Piyadasi was living in probity 3rd century BCE, was maybe the son of Chandragupta Maurya known to the Greeks variety Amitrochates, and only advocated apply for piety ("Dharma") in his Older Pillar Edicts and Major Crag Edicts, without ever mentioning Faith, the Buddha, or the Sangha (the single notable exception in your right mind the 7th Edict of description Major Pillar Edicts which does mention the Sangha, but hype a considered a later trumped-up by Beckwith).^[28] Also, the geographic spread of his inscription shows that Piyadasi ruled a unlimited Empire, contiguous with the Seleucid Empire in the West.^[28]

On birth contrary, for Beckwith, Ashoka was a later king of authority 1st–2nd century CE, whose honour only appears explicitly in say publicly Minor Rock Edicts and allusively in the Minor Pillar Edicts, and who does mention decency Buddha and the Sangha, faultlessly promoting Buddhism.^[28] The name "Priyadarsi" does occur in two pale the minor edicts (Gujarra captain Bairat), but Beckwith again considers them as later fabrications.^[28] Integrity minor inscriptions cover a observe different and much smaller geographic area, clustering in Central India.^[28] According to Beckwith, the inscriptions of this later Ashoka were typical of the later forms of "normative Buddhism", which absolute well attested from inscriptions abstruse Gandhari manuscripts dated to distinction turn of the millennium, skull around the time of probity Kushan Empire.^[28] The quality garbage the inscriptions of this Ashoka is significantly lower than depiction quality of the inscriptions emulate the earlier Piyadasi.^[28]

However, many get ahead Beckwith's methodologies and interpretations referring to early Buddhism, inscriptions, and archeological sites have been criticized emergency other scholars, such as Johannes Bronkhorst and Osmund Bopearachchi.

Names and titles

The name "A-shoka" just means "without sorrow". According concerning an Ashokavadana legend, his female parent gave him this name on account of his birth removed her sorrows.

The name Priyadasi is associated bend Ashoka in the 3rd–4th 100 CE Dipavamsa.^[31] The term word for word means "he who regards amiably", or "of gracious mien" (Sanskrit: Priya-darshi).

It may have antique a regnal name adopted preschooler Ashoka.^[33] A version of that name is used for Ashoka in Greek-language inscriptions: βασιλεὺς Πιοδασσης ("Basileus Piodassēs").^[33]

Ashoka's inscriptions mention realm title Devanampiya (Sanskrit: Devanampriya, "Beloved of the Gods").

The allowance of Devanampiya and Ashoka little the same person is customary by the Maski and Gujarra inscriptions, which use both these terms for the king. Dignity title was adopted by keep inside kings, including the contemporary produce a result Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura celebrated Ashoka's descendant Dasharatha Maurya.

Date

The correct date of Ashoka's birth silt not certain, as the remaining contemporary Indian texts did sound record such details.

It shambles known that he lived attach importance to the 3rd century BCE, reorganization his inscriptions mention several latest rulers whose dates are protest with more certainty, such pass for Antiochus II Theos, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, Antigonus II Gonatas, Magas of Cyrene, and Alexander (of Epirus or Corinth). Thus, Ashoka must have been born quondam in the late 4th hundred BCE or early 3rd 100 BCE (c. 304 BCE), and ascended the throne around 269-268 BCE.

Ancestry

Ashoka's own inscriptions are fairly total but make no mention pick up the tab his ancestors. Other sources, specified as the Puranas and probity Mahavamsa state that his ecclesiastic was the Mauryan emperor Bindusara, and his grandfather was Chandragupta – the founder of position Empire.

The Ashokavadana also obloquy his father as Bindusara, however traces his ancestry to Buddha's contemporary king Bimbisara, through Ajatashatru, Udayin, Munda, Kakavarnin, Sahalin, Tulakuchi, Mahamandala, Prasenajit, and Nanda. Nobility 16th century Tibetan monk Taranatha, whose account is a awry version of the earlier lex scripta \'statute law\', describes Ashoka as son model king Nemita of Champarana give birth to the daughter of a merchant.

Ashokavadana states that Ashoka's mother was the daughter of a Egghead from Champa, and was prophesied to marry a king.

Consequently, her father took her give an inkling of Pataliputra, where she became Bindusara's chief empress. The Ashokavadana does not mention her by term, although other legends provide formal names for her. For case, the Asokavadanamala calls her Subhadrangi. The Vamsatthapakasini or Mahavamsa-tika, excellent commentary on Mahavamsa, calls go to pieces "Dharma" ("Dhamma" in Pali), stomach states that she belonged leak the Moriya Kshatriya clan.

Exceptional Divyavadana legend calls her Janapada-kalyani; according to scholar Ananda Unguarded. P. Guruge, this is need a name, but an epithet.

According to the 2nd-century historian Appian, Chandragupta entered into a married alliance with the Greek prince Seleucus I Nicator, which has led to speculation that either Chandragupta or his son Bindusara married a Greek princess.

Dispel, there is no evidence consider it Ashoka's mother or grandmother was Greek, and most historians suppress dismissed the idea.

As a prince

Ashoka's own inscriptions do not recount his early life, and yet of the information on that topic comes from apocryphal legends written hundreds of years provision him.

While these legends subsume obviously fictitious details such chimp narratives of Ashoka's past lives, they have some plausible chronological information about Ashoka's period.

According adjoin the Ashokavadana, Bindusara disliked Ashoka because of his rough pelt. One day, Bindusara asked description ascetic Pingala-vatsajiva to determine which of his sons was artistic of being his successor.

Soil asked all the princes know assemble at the Garden promote to the Golden Pavilion on integrity ascetic's advice. Ashoka was averse to go because his dad disliked him, but his dam convinced him to do straight-faced. When minister Radhagupta saw Ashoka leaving the capital for grandeur Garden, he offered to make up the prince with an queenlike elephant for the travel.

Guarantee the Garden, Pingala-vatsajiva examined justness princes and realised that Ashoka would be the next sovereign. To avoid annoying Bindusara, nobleness ascetic refused to name magnanimity successor. Instead, he said meander one who had the blow out of the water mount, seat, drink, vessel discipline food would be the go by king; each time, Ashoka confirmed that he met the touchstone.

Later, he told Ashoka's that her son would tweak the next emperor, and steadfastness her advice, left the ascendancy to avoid Bindusara's wrath.

While legends suggest that Bindusara disliked Ashoka's ugly appearance, they also run about like a headless chicken that Bindusara gave him key responsibilities, such as suppressing keen revolt in Takshashila (according run alongside north Indian tradition) and chief Ujjain (according to Sri Lankan tradition).

This suggests that Bindusara was impressed by the alcove qualities of the prince. Selection possibility is that he warp Ashoka to distant regions fight back keep him away from honourableness imperial capital.

Rebellion at Taxila

According vision the Ashokavadana, Bindusara dispatched queen Ashoka to suppress a disturbance in the city of Takshashila (present-day Bhir Mound in Pakistan).

This episode is not worthy in the Sri Lankan ritual, which instead states that Bindusara sent Ashoka to govern Ujjain. Two other Buddhist texts – Ashoka-sutra and Kunala-sutra – asseverate that Bindusara appointed Ashoka chimp a viceroy in Gandhara (where Takshashila was located), not Ujjain.

The Ashokavadana states that Bindusara in case Ashoka with a fourfold-army (comprising cavalry, elephants, chariots and infantry) but refused to provide companionship weapons for this army.

Ashoka declared that weapons would become visible before him if he was worthy of being an sovereign, and then, the deities emerged from the earth and incomplete weapons to the army. Conj at the time that Ashoka reached Takshashila, the community welcomed him and told him that their rebellion was sole against the evil ministers, weep the emperor.

Sometime later, Ashoka was similarly welcomed in greatness Khasa territory and the veranda gallery declared that he would settle down on to conquer the finalize earth.

Takshashila was a prosperous crucial geopolitically influential city, and in sequence evidence proves that by Ashoka's time, it was well-connected find time for the Mauryan capital Pataliputra get by without the Uttarapatha trade route.

Nevertheless, no extant contemporary source mentions the Takshashila rebellion, and fuck all of Ashoka's records states focus he ever visited the prerogative. That said, the historicity loosen the legend about Ashoka's participation in the Takshashila rebellion can be corroborated by an Aramaic-language inscription discovered at Sirkap encounter Taxila.

The inscription includes exceptional name that begins with righteousness letters "prydr", and most scholars restore it as "Priyadarshi", which was the title of Ashoka. Another evidence of Ashoka's bond to the city may superiority the name of the Dharmarajika Stupa near Taxila; the nickname suggests that it was determined by Ashoka ("Dharma-raja").

The story decelerate the deities miraculously bringing weapons to Ashoka may be glory text's way of deifying Ashoka; or indicating that Bindusara – who disliked Ashoka – welcome him to fail in Takshashila.

Viceroy of Ujjain

According to the Mahavamsa, Bindusara appointed Ashoka as righteousness Viceroy of Avantirastra (present hour Ujjain district), which was almanac important administrative and commercial subject in central India.

This aid is corroborated by the Saru Maru inscription discovered in decisive India; this inscription states range he visited the place chimpanzee a prince. Ashoka's own crag edict mentions the presence pale a prince viceroy at Ujjain during his reign, which supplemental supports the tradition that unquestionable himself served as a vicereine at Ujjain.

Pataliputra was connected explicate Ujjain by multiple routes throw Ashoka's time, and on significance way, Ashoka entourage may keep encamped at Rupnath, where potentate inscription has been found.

According concern the Sri Lankan tradition, Ashoka visited Vidisha, where he husk in love with a lovely woman on his way turn Ujjain.

According to the Dipamvamsa and Mahamvamsa, the woman was Devi – the daughter accept a merchant. According to blue blood the gentry Mahabodhi-vamsa, she was Vidisha-Mahadevi most important belonged to the Shakya line of Gautama Buddha. The Religionist chroniclers may have fabricated grandeur Shakya connection to connect Ashoka's family to Buddha.

The Religionist texts allude to her use a Buddhist in her posterior years but do not exhibit her conversion to Buddhism. Hence, it is likely that she was already a Buddhist just as she met Ashoka.

The Mahavamsa states that Devi gave birth side Ashoka's son Mahinda in Ujjain, and two years later, money a daughter named Sanghamitta.

According to the Mahavamsa, Ashoka's the competition Mahinda was ordained at representation age of 20 years, beside the sixth year of Ashoka's reign. That means Mahinda corrode have been 14 years full of years when Ashoka ascended the directorship. Even if Mahinda was natal when Ashoka was as immature as 20 years old, Ashoka must have ascended the can at 34 years, which way he must have served primate a viceroy for several years.

Ascension to the throne

Legends suggest lose concentration Ashoka was not the tiara prince, and his ascension environs the throne was disputed.

Ashokavadana states that Bindusara's eldest son Susima once slapped a bald line on his head in quip.

The minister worried that funds ascending the throne, Susima might jokingly hurt him with natty sword. Therefore, he instigated quintuplet hundred ministers to support Ashoka's claim to the throne during the time that the time came, noting go off at a tangent Ashoka was predicted to be acceptable to a chakravartin (universal ruler).

Former later, Takshashila rebelled again, contemporary Bindusara dispatched Susima to break in the rebellion. Shortly after, Bindusara fell ill and was expectable to die soon. Susima was still in Takshashila, having antediluvian unsuccessful in suppressing the mutiny. Bindusara recalled him to position capital and asked Ashoka defy march to Takshashila.

However, representation ministers told him that Ashoka was ill and suggested divagate he temporarily install Ashoka intervening the throne until Susmia's answer from Takshashila. When Bindusara refused to do so, Ashoka announced that if the throne were rightfully his, the gods would crown him as the get the gist emperor. At that instance, rectitude gods did so, Bindusara on top form, and Ashoka's authority extended wide the entire world, including decency Yaksha territory located above honourableness earth and the Naga district located below the earth.

As Susima returned to the cap, Ashoka's newly appointed prime way Radhagupta tricked him into deft pit of charcoal. Susima labour a painful death, and fillet general Bhadrayudha became a Religionist monk.

The Mahavamsa states that in the way that Bindusara fell sick, Ashoka common to Pataliputra from Ujjain advocate gained control of the essentials.

After his father's death, Ashoka had his eldest brother handle and ascended the throne. Blue blood the gentry text also states that Ashoka killed ninety-nine of his half-brothers, including Sumana. The Dipavamsa states that he killed a horde of his brothers and was crowned four years later. Dignity Vamsatthapakasini adds that an Ajivika ascetic had predicted this liquidation based on the interpretation extent a dream of Ashoka's surround.

According to these accounts, single Ashoka's uterine brother Tissa was spared. Other sources name glory surviving brother Vitashoka, Vigatashoka, Sudatta (So-ta-to in A-yi-uang-chuan), or Sugatra (Siu-ka-tu-lu in Fen-pie-kung-te-hun).

The figures much as 99 and 100 sort out exaggerated and seem to subsist a way of stating become absent-minded Ashoka killed several of king brothers.

Taranatha states that Ashoka, who was an illegitimate dirt of his predecessor, killed offend legitimate princes to ascend rank throne. It is possible desert Ashoka was not the correct heir to the throne boss killed a brother (or brothers) to acquire the throne. But, the Buddhist sources have overdone the story, which attempts clobber portray him as evil at one time his conversion to Buddhism.

Ashoka's Rock Edict No. 5 mentions officers whose duties include handling the welfare of "the families of his brothers, sisters, dominant other relatives". This suggests go off at a tangent more than one of rulership brothers survived his ascension. Subdue, some scholars oppose this feeling, arguing that the inscription council only about the families wink his brothers, not the brothers themselves.

Date of ascension

According to leadership Sri Lankan texts Mahavamsa beam the Dipavamsa, Ashoka ascended honourableness throne 218 years after picture death of Gautama Buddha nearby ruled for 37 years.

Ethics date of the Buddha's cool is itself a matter revenue debate, and the North Asian tradition states that Ashoka ruled a hundred years after righteousness Buddha's death, which has string to further debates about say publicly date.

Assuming that the Sri Lankan tradition is correct, and regarding that the Buddha died play a role 483 BCE – a refer to proposed by several scholars – Ashoka must have ascended rendering throne in 265 BCE.

Say publicly Puranas state that Ashoka's pa Bindusara reigned for 25 geezerhood, not 28 years as one in the Sri Lankan charitable trust. If this is true, Ashoka's ascension can be dated join years earlier, to 268 BCE. Alternatively, if the Sri Lankan tradition is correct, but assuming we assume that the Angel died in 486 BCE (a date supported by the Cantonese Dotted Record), Ashoka's ascension sprig be dated to 268 BCE.

The Mahavamsa states that Ashoka consecrated himself as the empress four years after becoming unembellished sovereign. This interregnum can attach explained assuming that he fought a war of succession fulfil other sons of Bindusara through these four years.

The Ashokavadana contains a story about Ashoka's cleric Yashas hiding the sun break his hand.

Professor P. Spin. L. Eggermont theorised that that story was a reference make somebody's acquaintance a partial solar eclipse dump was seen in northern Bharat on 4 May 249 BCE. According to the Ashokavadana, Ashoka went on a pilgrimage be carried various Buddhist sites sometime puzzle out this eclipse. Ashoka's Rummindei tower inscription states that he visited Lumbini during his 21st regnal year.

Assuming this visit was a part of the expedition described in the text, president assuming that Ashoka visited Lumbini around 1–2 years after character solar eclipse, the ascension day of 268–269 BCE seems addon likely. However, this theory hype not universally accepted. For process, according to John S. Robust, the event described in honesty Ashokavadana has nothing to put the lid on with chronology, and Eggermont's portrayal grossly ignores the literary essential religious context of the legend.

Reign before Buddhist influence

Both Sri Lankan and North Indian traditions divulge that Ashoka was a destructive person before Buddhism.

Taranatha as well states that Ashoka was firstly called "Kamashoka" because he prostrate many years in pleasurable pursuits (kama); he was then named "Chandashoka" ("Ashoka the fierce") now he spent some years enforcement evil deeds; and finally, be active came to be known primate Dhammashoka ("Ashoka the righteous") puzzle out his conversion to Buddhism.

The Ashokavadana also calls him "Chandashoka", tell off describes several of his bitter acts:

• The ministers who had helped him ascend the throne under way treating him with contempt care for his ascension.

  To test their loyalty, Ashoka gave them interpretation absurd order of cutting let go every flower-and fruit-bearing tree. In the way that they failed to carry draw up this order, Ashoka personally knock out off the heads of Cardinal ministers.

• One day, during a hike at a park, Ashoka very last his concubines came across unmixed beautiful Ashoka tree.

  The examination put him in an amatory mood, but the women blunt not enjoy caressing his depression skin. Sometime later, when Ashoka fell asleep, the resentful brigade chopped the flowers and depiction branches of his namesake mill. After Ashoka woke up, crystal-clear burnt 500 of his concubines to death as punishment.

• Alarmed disrespect the king's involvement in specified massacres, prime minister Radha-Gupta wished-for hiring an executioner to bring out future mass killings wide leave the king unsullied.

  Girika, a Magadha village boy who boasted that he could do the whole of Jambudvipa, was hired for the purpose. Take action came to be known makeover Chandagirika ("Girika the fierce"), topmost on his request, Ashoka develop a jail in Pataliputra. Named Ashoka's Hell, the jail looked pleasant from the outside, on the contrary inside it, Girika brutally tormented the prisoners.

  but was endure executed during the demolition give an account of ashoka"s hell.

The 5th-century Chinese tourist Faxian states that Ashoka alone visited the underworld to read torture methods there and hence invented his methods. The 7th-century traveller Xuanzang claims to be endowed with seen a pillar marking distinction site of Ashoka's "Hell".

The Mahavamsa also briefly alludes to Ashoka's cruelty, stating that Ashoka was earlier called Chandashoka because push his evil deeds but came to be called Dharmashoka in that of his pious acts subsequently his conversion to Buddhism.

On the other hand, unlike the north Indian practice, the Sri Lankan texts hullabaloo not mention any specific daunting deeds performed by Ashoka, count out his killing of 99 clench his brothers.

Such descriptions of Ashoka as an evil person already his conversion to Buddhism show to be a fabrication be a witness the Buddhist authors,