Emperor Ashoka turns Buddhist leaving arms and war

The Pillar erected by Emperor Ashoka in Lumbini. Written in Brahmi script, the pillar’s inscription reads as “King Piyadasi (Ashoka), the beloved of Devas, in the 29th year of the coronation, made a visit to Lumbini and paid his homage. Realising the Buddha was born here, a stone railing was built and a stone pillar erected. Because the Lord was born here, the Emperor had the people of Lumbini village freed from some tax and entitled them to the eighth part only.”

The Dashain festival which is also known as Vijaya Dashami has been concluded. The festival is celebrated by the Hindus of Nepal, India and other countries. The Hindus take the significant of the festival as the Victory of Truth over Untruths or the killing of evil soul Mahishasur by Goddess Bhagawati.

However, Ashoka (268-232 BCE), the great warrior king of a large part of present day India had abandoned the arms and wars to follow the teaching of Buddha. He was turned to be compassionate after winning of the Kalinga Battle in 260 BCE but he disliked killings of humans and even animals. EmperorAshoka,the third emperor of the Mauryan Empire got transformation which was largely influenced by the devastating Kalinga War. The consequences of war led him to renounce violence. Vijaya Dashami, the main event day of Dashain festival coincides the day Emperor Ashok took the path of Buddhism leaving the arms and wars.Thus, the day is a holy occasion for the Buddhists leaving around the world.

The Kalinga War happened eight years after his coronation. From Ashoka’s 13th inscription, we come to know that the battle was a massive one and caused the deaths of more than 100,000 soldiers and many civilians who rose up in defence; over 150,000 were deported. When he was walking through the grounds of Kalinga after his conquest, rejoicing in his victory, he was moved by the number of bodies strewn there and the wails of the bereaved.

Legend says that one day after the war was over, Ashoka ventured out to roam the city and all he could see were burnt houses and scattered corpses. The lethal war with Kalinga transformed the vengeful Emperor Ashoka into a stable and peaceful emperor, and he became a patron of Buddhism.

Emperor Ashoka had spread Buddhism to across India and Afghanistan, Iran, Burma, Sri Lanka and many other countries.

He had visited to Lumbini and erected the pillar inscribing that the Buddha was born there. Moreover, he had constructed a number of stupas in the Kathmandu Valley also. Many of the stupas are still with standing. It also mentioned in the history that Charumati, daughter of emperor Ashok was married to a commoner of the Kathmandu Valley and constructed the Charumati Vihar which is now well known as Chabahil.  

The Chabahil Stupa

Following Ashoka’s example, other kings established monasteries, funded the construction of stupas, and supported the ordination of monks in their kingdom.

Furthermore, many edicts are expressed to Buddhists alone; in one, Ashoka declares himself to be an “Upasaka,” and in another he demonstrates a close familiarity with Buddhist texts. He erected rock pillars at Buddhist holy sites, but did not do so for the sites of other religions. He also used the word “Dhamma” to refer to qualities of the heart that underlie moral action; this was an exclusively Buddhist use of the word. Finally, he promoted ideals that correspond to the first three steps of the Buddha’s graduated discourse.