Ashoka - Emperor Or Monk

By Sh. Duli Chandra Jain and Ms. Sunita Jain

Many people ask: How can any nation be defended if all of its people adopt nonviolence? It is rather difficult to answer this hypothetical question. However, an emperor ruled over India with nonviolence and compassion in the third century B.C. Ashoka was the emperor - emperor of peace and social justice. He did not rule by force or by accumulating goods and means of comfort for himself or by pomp and show. He ruled by sacrificing material comforts and by treating all his subjects equal and with justice. His example can guide us, rulers and administrators, politicians and civil servants, religious leaders and laymen, to establish peace, justice and harmony in present-day world.

Ashoka was the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya who was a follower of the SHRAMAN (Jain) religion. Ashoka succeeded his father, Bimbasar, in 270 B.C. His reign extended from Afghanistan to Madras. In the first year of his reign, he decided to annex to his empire the few remaining small states.

First, he conquered Kalinga (Orissa). However, he was touched by the cruelties and horrors, killing and suffering of war. Therefore, he made a determination to give up violence and war, and developed a kind attitude - a humane one.

Although his grandfather and perhaps his father also followed the Jain religion, Ashoka rose above communalism and religious intolerance.(1) Many Jain scholars hold that Ashoka was neither a Jain nor a Buddhist. He was a just and kind ruler who presented a compromising, non-communal and practical religion for the moral uplift of his people.(2) One day, Ashoka saw a Buddhist monk whom he invited to his palace. The monk gave a sermon based on the following verse of DHAMMAPADA:

Heedfulness is the path of deathlessness.Heedlessness is the path of death.The heedful do not die; the heedlessones are like unto the dead.

This is similar to the Jain concept of nonviolence, which teaches us that we should be conscientious in our thoughts, speech and deeds. This is the way to practice nonviolence. Ashoka was impressed with the peaceful and tranquil attitude of the monk. Ashoka decided to adopt the common teachings of all religions and to devote his life to the benefit of humanity.(3) He employed the principles of ethics as a monumental and effective weapon. He practiced the virtues of nonviolence and compassion in ruling his empire. He earned more power and respect in his own state as well as in the neighboring states. Ashoka ruled against animal sacrifices in his empire. Instead of royal pleasure trips and hunting, he instituted pious duties to his subjects. He devoted all his time and energy for the moral, social and economic welfare of his people. He treated all his subjects as his children. He built hospitals for both men and animals. He had trees planted along roads and erected rest houses for travelers. He established a number of institutions for medical, philosophical and religious education. Some of these, including the one at Taxila, in Afghanistan, developed into universal centers for learning - universities.

Ashoka had his teachings inscribed on rocks in the various parts of his empire. One of them reads: As far as one feels confidence after having entrusted his child to an intelligent nurse, thinking the intelligent nurse will care for his child well; so that officers were appointed by me for the welfare and happiness of my people. Another one reads: All people are my children, and as I desire for my children that they obtain every kind of welfare, so do I desire my people may obtain every kind of welfare.

Ashoka sent monks to Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand and other countries of the region to spread his message of peace. Although, he favored Buddhism, he was tolerant of all religions. One of his precepts reads: All religions deserve reverence for one reason or other. By thus acting, a man exalts his own religion, and at the same time does service to the religion of other people. In the words of Dr. Kirthisinghe, "Ashoka was a man dedicated to peace, and the only emperor in history to forsake warfare after victory in the Kalinga war, devoting the balance of his lifetime serving not only his people, but mankind, with magnanimity and benevolence seldom seen in history. Thus he was able to build the Golden Period of Indian history."

After independence, the Ashoka lion symbol was adopted as the State Emblem of India and his wheel of life appears on the Indian National Flag. A Government of India publication described the significance of these symbols in the following words:

The National Emblem is symbolic of contemporary India's affirmation of its commitment to world peace and goodwill.

The four lions - symbolizing power, courage and confidence - rest on a circular abacus.
The abacus is girded by four smaller animals - guardians of four directions: the lion of the north, the elephant of the east, the horse of the south and the bull of the west.

The abacus rests on a lotus in full bloom exemplifying the fountainhead of life and creative inspiration.

The motto 'SATYAMEVA JAYATE', inscribed below the emblem in the Devanagari script, means 'Truth Alone Triumphs'.

Source: Jain Study Circular 1984.

ASHOK - THE KING IN THE HERMIT’S DRESS

Many people wondered: “How can a nation be defended if its people adopt nonviolence?” It is a rather difficult and hypothetical question. However, an emperor by the name of Ashok ruled India with nonviolence and compassion in the third century, BC. Ashok was the emperor of peace and social justice; he did not rule by force or accumulating material goods and wealth. Rather, he ruled by treating all his subjects equally and justly. His example can guide us in establishing peace and justice in the today’s world.

Ashok was the grandson of the famous Chandragupta Maurya, a stringent follower Jainism (A Shraman). Ashok succeeded his father, Bindusara, in 270 BC, and subsequently inherited a kingdom that ranged from Afghanistan to Madras.

In the first year of his regime, he decided to annex a few small states to his empire, beginning with Orissa (Kaling). However, he was touched by the cruelties, horrors, and evils of warfare. Upon seeing the human suffering and bloodshed, he renounced war and developed an attitude of kindness and humanity.

As his father and grandfather followed Jainism, Ashok rose above religious intolerance and communalism. Many historians say that Ashok was neither a Jain nor a Buddhist, rather a kind ruler who presented a compromising, noncommunal practical religious way to morally uplift and rule his people. Ashok stopped expanding his kingdom and instead followed the principle of Ahimsa.

He spent his days in the moral, social, and economic pursuit of the happiness of his subjects. He treated all people as his children, and built schools and hospitals for men and animals. He had trees planted along the roads and erected rest areas for travelers. He established institutions for medical, religious, and philosophical education. Ashok sent missionaries to Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand and the Far East. Although he favored Buddhism, he was tolerant of all other religions. One of his edicts reads, “All religions deserve reverence for some reason or another.”

Thus, a man exalts his own religion, and at the same time, does service to the religion of other people. To learn here, the foremost is that even an Emperor can be content and follow Ahimsa (Non-violence) to rule Kingdom. We see religious tolerance for others, devotion, and kindness, all these from a man who was the Emperor.

Chandragupta Maurya came, saw and used what he saw to conquer.

BY DOUG TSURUOKA

Chandragupta Maurya came, saw and used what he saw to conquer.

The first ruler to unify most of India used his keen powers ofobservation to win an empire.

In 325 B.C., historians say, a young Chandragupta watched the army of Alexander the Great parade through the city of Taxila in northwest India. Alexander had invaded India after conquering the Persian Empire. Taxila would mark the eastern limit of Alexander's empire before he turned back to his capital in Babylon in what's nowIraq.

Chandragupta, at the time, was an exile living in Taxila. He'd fled there after launching a failed coup against the ruler of his native state of Magadha in northeast India.

Chandragupta's origins are obscure. Historian H.G. Rawlinson says hemight've been the illegitimate son of the ruling monarch of Magadha. Others say Chandragupta's father was a warrior who'd been killed ina civil war before he was born.

Watching the soldiers of the Macedonian phalanx file by with their long spears, Chandragupta saw the Greeks had a superior system of tactics and military organization. He decided to learn as much as he could about the Macedonian art of war.

Chandragupta struck up friendships with Alexander's officers. He questioned them closely about their weapons, training and strategy. Chandragupta was even granted an audience with Alexander. He tried to persuade Alexander to conquer his home state of Magadha and install him as viceroy.

Alexander, facing a mutiny from his tired troops, was wary ofanother 1,000-mile march to the east to take Magadha. He refused Chandragupta's entreaty.

But Chandragupta waited for his opportunity. When Alexander died in Babylon two years later, Chandragupta and some followers overturned the small Greek garrison in Taxila.

He then built an Indian army modeled on Macedonian lines, drilling his troops in the techniques he'd learned. He taught them to mass in the tight lines of Alexander's phalanx and field cavalry.

He also studied other successful military strategies, and incorporated the best into his plan. He wove traditional chariots and elephants of Indian warfare into his battle lines, bringing them together as a single unit.

Chandragupta then marched on Magadha. With his superior warriors, he easily defeated its army and killed its king in battle.

The victory made Chandragupta ruler of Magadha and laid the cornerstone of the Mauryan Empire. At its height in 250 B.C., his grandson Ashoka would rule thousands of square miles of India from the Bay of Bengal in the east to the Arabian Sea in the west, almost to the tip of southern India.

More Than A Warrior

The Macedonians who inherited Alexander's empire weren't happy that Chandragupta wiped out their garrison in Taxila.

In 305 B.C., Seleucus Nicator, who became ruler of western Asia after Alexander's empire was partitioned, tried to retake Taxila.

Chandragupta was unafraid. He used his Macedonian-style army to defeat Seleucus, beating the Greeks at their own game.

But Chandragupta knew that diplomacy was longer lasting than brute force in the political field. He also seems to have felt kindly toward the Macedonians, having learned so much from their military tactics and culture. He negotiated with Seleucus, persuading him to cede large parts of Afghanistan that had been conquered by theGreeks. But knowing that Seleucus was fighting rivals in the west for the right to succeed Alexander, Chandragupta eased the pain by giving Seleucus 500 Indian war elephants as a gift.

Seleucus (who was nowhere near as good as Alexander in war) needed all the help he could get. He accepted the elephants graciously. And the two rulers sealed their alliance with marriages and other aid.

A Greek diplomat named Megasthenes visited Magadha and wrote that Chandragupta's strict, highly centralized government resembled the one used by Alexander to rule the Persian Empire.

Though king, Chandragupta never gave in to luxury. He threw himself into the task of ruling his empire and was rarely idle.

He apparently kept a strict schedule. Megasthenes says Chandragupta woke at dawn every day. After religious rites, he visited his lawcourts and audience hall. There, he received ministers, heard reports from spies and did correspondence.

In the evening, Chandragupta inspected his troops and forts. To ensure he got exercise daily, he often went hunting before going to bed.

He kept careful records of his successes and failures, compiling a manual of politics and statecraft called the Arthashastra during his reign. The document provided a model for later Indian kings.

Though much of its advice is harsh, it also contains the following passage: "In the happiness of his subjects lies a king's happiness. In the welfare of his subjects, his welfare."

Military Innovator

Chandragupta constantly looked for new techniques in war, and he excelled as a military innovator. He created an army that was readyto fight at a moment's notice.

He came up with the idea of not letting soldiers have personal possessions. The government issued everything, including equipment, food and sundry pleasures, noted the Greek historian Nearchus.

As such, Chandragupta reasoned, the soldiers had nothing to tie them down when the time came to fight.

Chandragupta also realized that pomp and splendor could be effective in winning the obedience of his subjects. He often rode through the streets on the back of an elephant emblazoned with gold and silver. He wore fine muslin robes embroidered in purple and gold and had a flock of trained parrots that flew around his head at state events.

Chandragupta's methodical nature helped him survive countless plots against his life. He never slept twice in the same bed and tested all his food and drink against poison.

But Chandragupta eventually tired of absolute rule. He converted to Jainism, an Indian sect that opposes all violence and killing, abdicating his throne in 298 B.C. to become a Jain monk.

Legend has it that he died while fasting.