Ashoka: The Search for India's Lost Emperor (52 page)

The Ashokan ideals, so often trampled on, live on.

In researching this book I have sat on the shoulders of giants – generations of scholars of whom only the most prominent have found a mention in my main text. Here my expressions of gratitude must be confined to the living – the many good persons who assisted me, either directly or indirectly, in the research and writing of this book, some in terms of scholarly advice, some in more material ways. Of the former, my first thanks to: the Ven. Shravasti Dhammika, spiritual adviser to the Buddha Dhamma Mandala Society in Singapore, for allowing me to quote extensively from his translation of the Ashokan Edicts (by kind permission of the Buddhist Publications Society); the Ven. P. C. Chandasiri, abbot of the Wat Thai in Vaisali, Bihar, and the Ven. Waskaduwe Mahindawansa Maha Nayaka Thera, abbot of the Rajaguru Sri Subuthu Viharya in Waskaduwa, Sri Lanka, for their hospitality; and the Buddhist Society, London, for its continuing support.

Among academics and scholars abroad my special thanks to: Professor Dr Harry Falk, Institut für Indische Philologie und Kunstgeschichte, Freie Universität, Berlin, for allowing me to quote a number of his translations of Ashokan Edicts – I have also relied heavily on his
A
okan Sites and Artefacts;
Professor Richard Salomon, Associate Professor of Sanskrit, Dept. of Asian Languages and Literature, University of Washington, for
allowing me to quote from an unpublished paper on the Piprahwa inscription – I have also relied heavily on his
Indian Epigraphy
; Professor Sheldon Pollock, Professor of Sanskrit and South Asian Studies, Columbia University, for allowing me to quote from a lecture given at Cambridge in 2010; Dr John Strong, Faculty of Religious Studies, Bates College, for allowing me to quote (by kind permission of Princeton University Press) from his translations of the
Ashokavadana
in his
The Legend of King A
oka,
on which I have drawn heavily; Dr Imtiaz Ahmad, Director of the Khada Baksh Oriental Public Library, Patna, for making available to me the illustrated copy of
Sirat-i Firoz Shahi;
Gita Mehta, for allowing me to quote from an article published in
Tricycle: The Buddhist Review
in 1998; Dr Om Prakash Kejariwal, former Director, Nehru Museum, New Delhi, for advice and suggestions on James Prinsep; Dr G. M. Kapur, Convenor INTACH for West Bengal and Kolkata, for advice on Jones, Prinsep and the Asiatic Society in Calcutta, Raymond Bickson and staff of the Taj Group for their continuing support and hospitality in India; Rohan and Sujata Samarajiva in Colombo and Geoffrey Dobbs in Galle for their support and hospitality in Sri Lanka; Dr Jona Lendering, Vrije Universitat, Amsterdam, author of
Alexander de Grote,
extracts of which she has translated and placed on the website
Livius;
Dr Gautam Sengupta, Director General, Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi; N. Taher, Supt. Archaeologist, Bhopal Circle, ASI, and staff; A. K. Patel, Supt. Archaeologist, Bhubaneshwar Circle, ASI, and staff; Sanjay Manjul, Supt. Archaeologist, Patna Circle, ASI.

Closer to home, my thanks to: Professor Richard Gombrich, President, Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies, Oxford, for advice on datings – I have relied most heavily on his
Theravada
Buddhism
among his many published works; Professor Max Deeg, Cardiff School of History, Archaeology and Religion, Cardiff University, for making a number of his papers available to me; Professor Mike Franklin, University of Swansea, for making available to me a paper on Jones – I have also relied heavily on his
Sir William Jones
and other texts; Dr Ann Buddle, National Galleries of Scotland, for making available the papers of the late Dr John Irwin, and for advice and suggestions; Dr Andrew Grout, Centre of Research Collections, Edinburgh University Library, for making available unpublished Prinsep letters; Dr Jennifer Howes, Curator India Office Prints, Drawings and Photographs, APAC, British Library, for tracking down the Jaggayyapeta Chakravartin and for advice on Colin Mackenzie and Amaravati; and her colleague John Falconer, Curator of Photography at the British Library, for his invaluable help and advice; Kathy Lazenblatt, Librarian, Royal Asiatic Society, and Library Assistants Alice McEwan and Helen Porter, for unstinting help extending over many months; Andrew Whittome for his Sanchi photographs.

My thanks for the continuing support of the publishing team at Little, Brown, most particularly Tim Whiting and Iain Hunt; also to my agent Vivien Green at Sheil Land; and to my fellow traveller Liz. A final thanks also to the Society of Authors for the writing award that made it possible for me to stretch my Ashokan travels that little bit further.

A note on bibliography

I have tried to list my main sources in my Notes. For those seeking a full Ashokan bibliography I can do no better than point them to the extensive bibliography given in Harry Falk,
A
okan Sites and Artefacts,
2006.

The Rock and Pillar Edicts of King Ashoka

Taken from Venerable Shravasti Dhammika’s
The Edicts of King Asoka,
2009

This rendering is based heavily on Amulyachandra Sen’s English translation, which includes the original Magadhi and a Sanskrit and English translation of the text. I have also consulted the translations of C. D. Sircar and D. R. Bhandarkar and in parts favoured their interpretations. Any credit this deserves is due entirely to the labours and learning of these scholars. For the complete rendering, including the Minor Rock Edicts, Schism Edicts and others, together with my introduction and notes see
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/dhammika/wheel386.html.

Venerable S. Dhammika

The Fourteen Rock Edicts

These fourteen edicts, with minor differences, are found at Girnar, Kalsi, Shahbazgarhi and Mansehra, with fragments at Sopara and Erragudi. This version is from the Girnar Rock Edict. In two other places, Dhauli and Jaugada, they are found minus REs 11, 12 and 13 (see Kalinga Rock Edicts below).

1

Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, has caused this Dharma edict to be written. Here in my domain no living beings are to be slaughtered or offered in sacrifice. Nor should festivals be held, for Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, sees much to object to in such festivals, although there are some festivals that Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, does approve of.

Formerly, in the kitchen of Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, hundreds of thousands of animals were killed every day to make curry. But now with the writing of this Dharma edict only three creatures, two peacocks and a deer, are killed, and the deer not always. And in time, not even these three creatures will be killed.

2

Everywhere within Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi’s domain, and among the people beyond the borders, the Cholas, the Pandyas, the Satiyaputras, the Keralaputras, as far as Tamraparni and where the Greek king Antiochos rules, and among the kings who are neighbours of Antiochos, everywhere has Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, made provision for two types of medical treatment: medical treatment for humans and medical treatment for animals. Wherever medical herbs suitable for humans or animals are not available, I have had them imported and grown. Wherever medical roots or fruits are not available I have had them imported and grown. Along roads I have had wells dug and trees planted for the benefit of humans and animals.

3

Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, speaks thus: Twelve years after my coronation this has been ordered – Everywhere in my domain the Yuktas, the Rajjukas and the Pradesikas shall go on inspection tours every five years for the purpose of Dharma instruction and also to conduct other business.

Respect for mother and father is good, generosity to friends, acquaintances, relatives, Brahmans and ascetics is good, not killing living beings is good, moderation in spending and moderation in saving is good. The Council shall notify the Yuktas about the observance of these instructions in these very words.

4

In the past, for many hundreds of years, killing or harming living beings and improper behaviour towards relatives, and improper behaviour towards Brahmans and ascetics has increased. But now due to Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi’s Dharma practice, the sound of the drum has been replaced by the sound of the Dharma. The sighting of heavenly cars, auspicious elephants, bodies of fire and other divine sightings has not happened for many hundreds of years. But now because Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi promotes restraint in the killing and harming of living beings, proper behaviour towards relatives, Brahmans and ascetics, and respect for mother, father and elders, such sightings have increased.

These and many other kinds of Dharma practice have been encouraged by Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, and he will continue to promote Dharma practice. And the sons, grandsons and great-grandsons of Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, too will continue to promote Dharma practice until
the end of time; living by Dharma and virtue, they will instruct in Dharma. Truly, this is the highest work, to instruct in Dharma. But practising the Dharma cannot be done by one who is devoid of virtue and therefore its promotion and growth is commendable.

This edict has been written so that it may please my successors to devote themselves to promoting these things and not allow them to decline. Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, has had this written twelve years after his coronation.

5

Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, speaks thus: To do good is difficult. One who does good first does something hard to do. I have done many good deeds, and, if my sons, grandsons and their descendants up to the end of the world act in like manner, they too will do much good. But whoever amongst them neglects this, they will do evil. Truly, it is easy to do evil.

In the past there were no Dharma Mahamatras but such officers were appointed by me thirteen years after my coronation. Now they work among all religions for the establishment of Dharma, for the promotion of Dharma, and for the welfare and happiness of all who are devoted to Dharma. They work among the Greeks, the Kambojas, the Gandharas, the Rastrikas, the Pitinikas and other peoples on the western borders. They work among soldiers, chiefs, Brahmans, householders, the poor, the aged and those devoted to Dharma – for their welfare and happiness – so that they may be free from harassment. They (Dharma Mahamatras) work for the proper treatment of prisoners, towards their unfettering, and if the Mahamatras think, ‘This one has a family to support,’ ‘That one has been bewitched,’ ‘This one is old,’ then they work for
the release of such prisoners. They work here, in outlying towns, in the women’s quarters belonging to my brothers and sisters, and among my other relatives. They are occupied everywhere. These Dharma Mahamatras are occupied in my domain among people devoted to Dharma to determine who is devoted to Dharma, who is established in Dharma, and who is generous.

This Dharma edict has been written on stone so that it might endure long and that my descendants might act in conformity with it.

6

Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, speaks thus: In the past, state business was not transacted nor were reports delivered to the king at all hours. But now I have given this order, that at any time, whether I am eating, in the women’s quarters, the bedchamber, the chariot, the palanquin, in the park or wherever, reporters are to be posted with instructions to report to me the affairs of the people so that I might attend to these affairs wherever I am. And whatever I orally order in connection with donations or proclamations, or when urgent business presses itself on the Mahamatras, if disagreement or debate arises in the Council, then it must be reported to me immediately. This is what I have ordered. I am never content with exerting myself or with despatching business. Truly, I consider the welfare of all to be my duty, and the root of this is exertion and the prompt despatch of business. There is no better work than promoting the welfare of all the people and whatever effort I am making is to repay the debt I owe to all beings to assure their happiness in this life, and attain heaven in the next.