King Asoka and Buddhism - Urban Dharma

version to Buddhism persists as regards his role in the propagationof Buddhism. According to Buddhist literary sources,Aśoka had been the ideal Buddhist ruler extending his generousand devout patronage to Buddhism in every possible way.Specifically mentioned is his initiative in both internal and foreignmissionary endeavours after the Third Buddhist Council.As already stated earlier, the accuracy of especially the SriLankan Pali sources as regards information on these missionshas been established beyond doubt on account of archaeologicalcorroboration. 32 But the nagging question which everyAśokan scholar had to deal with has been why the inscriptionsof Aśoka are themselves less specific.One of the more recent Aśokan scholars, Romila Thapar, 33makes the following observation:More recent analyses suggest, however, that although he waspersonally a Buddhist, as his edicts addressed to the BuddhistSaṅgha (Order) attest, the majority of his edicts in which heattempted to define dhamma do not suggest that he was merelypreaching Buddhism…. In his edicts Aśoka defines the mainprinciples of dhamma as non-violence, tolerance of all sects andopinions, obedience to parents, respect to brahmins and otherreligious teachers and priests, liberality toward friends, humanetreatment of servants and generosity towards all. It suggestsa general ethic of behaviour to which no religious or socialgroup could object. It also could act as a focus of loyalty to weldtogether the diverse strands that made up the empire. Interestingly,the Greek versions of these edicts translate dhamma aseusebeia (piety) and no mention is made anywhere of the teachingsof the Buddha, as would be expected if Aśoka had beenpropagating Buddhism.’Thapar has made two statements which need clarification:(i) that Aśoka was personally a Buddhist is attested to in his64