King Asoka and Buddhism - Urban Dharma

evidence of Aśoka’s own lithic records is that the Dharma hetaught was none other than the code of ethics of Buddhism asthe Buddha himself preached it in such suttas as Sigālovāda,Dhammika, Vyagghapajja, Parābhava, etc., each of which isas devoid of references to characteristic Buddhist doctrines asAśoka’s inscriptions are. So when, as a minimum message, theRajjukas and Prādeśikas were ordered to convey the followingto his subjects, Aśoka was presenting the quintessence of practicalBuddhism:Meritorious is obedience to mother and father. Meritorious isliberality to friends, acquaintances and relatives and to theBrāhmaṇas and Śramaṇas. Meritorious is abstention fromthe slaughter of living beings. Meritorious is to spend littleand store little (RE III).One should obey one’s mother and father and likewise one’selders. One should be steadfast in one’s kindness towards livingbeings. One should speak the truth. In this way, one should propoundthese attributes of Dharma. In the same way, the pupilshould honour his teacher and this practice should be establishedby one in the proper manner among one’s relations. Thisis an ancient rule and the principle is long standing. One shouldact in this way (MRE II). 36Thus saith King Priyadarśī, Beloved of the Gods:A person has an eye on his good deed only and says to himself:“This good deed have I done.” Not in the least does henotice his sin (pāpa), saying to himself: “This sinful act have Iperpetrated,” or “This indeed is what is called sin.” But this iscertainly difficult to scrutinize. Nevertheless, one should verilylook into the matter thus: “These passions surely lead to sin,such as violence, cruelty, anger, vanity and jealousy. Let me notruin myself by reason of these very passions.” One should seriouslyreflect on the following: “This one is for my good onlyin this world and the other one is for my good also in the nextworld” (PE III).67