Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum: Inscriptions of Asoka |
Common terms and phrases
alphabet antalam Archæological Survey asti atha atham athaye iyam bahu BAIRAT Beglar beloved Bengal Asiatic Society bhante Bonne Loi Brahmans Buddha Buddhist Burnouf chéri des Dêvas copy dânam dâne Dasaratha Delhi Devânam Devânampiye Piyadasi Lâja dhamma dhammena Dhauli divasâni Egyptian Egyptian hieroglyphs engraved etâye feet Firoz Girnâr hakam heaven-beloved king Piyadasi hevam hevam âhâ hida hill hoti Indian Indo-Scythian inscribed INSCRIPTIONS of ASOKA iyam iyam dhammalipi James Prinsep janasa Journal Kalinga kate Khâlsi Khandagiri king Devânampiya Piyadasi kinti kiti Lâjâ Lâjine letters Lotus Magadha Mahindo mangalam miles nâma Nirvâna omitted original Pâli panchasu pictorial pillar Piyadasi Lâja hevam piye Plate Prince Priyadarsi Raja reading reign religion rock inscription roi chéri Royal Asiatic Society Rûpnâth sâdhu Sanskrit sava savam savata separate edicts Shâhbâz-garhi Sirguja Sramans stone stroke Stûpa symbol tasa translation tuphe vowel Wilson word
Popular passages
Page 122 - The King, beloved of the gods, honours every form of religious faith, but considers no gift or honour so much as the increase of the substance of religion; whereof this is the root: to reverence one's faith, and never to revile that of others. Whoever acts differently injures his own religion while he wrongs another's.
Page 126 - Much longing after the things [of this life] is a disobedience, I again declare ; not less so is the laborious ambition of dominion by a prince who would be a propitiator of Heaven. Confess and believe in God [Isana], who is the worthy object of obedience.
Page 43 - Buruouf, translations of the same Sanskrit works that are known in the north. It is by no means established, therefore, that Pali was the sacred language of the Buddhists at the period of the inscriptions, and its use constitutes no conclusive proof of their Buddhist origin.
Page 122 - Let the reverence be shown in such and such a manner, as is suited to the difference of belief,"3 . . "for he who in some way honours his own religion and reviles that of others, saying, having extended to all our own belief, let us make it famous, he, who does this, throws difficulties in the way of his own religion : this, his conduct cannot be right.
Page 135 - ... or of the priesthood (ascetics), all mortal beings, are knit together thereby, and prescribe to themselves the same path : and, above all, having obtained the mastery over their passions, they become supremely wise. For this is indeed true wisdom : it is upheld and bound by (it consists in) religion ; by religion which cherishes, religion which teaches pious acts, religion that bestows (the only true) pleasure.
Page 116 - During a past period of many centuries, there have prevailed — destruction of life, injury of living beings, disrespect towards kindred, and irreverence towards Sramans and Brahmans. But now, in conformity to moral duty, the pious proclamation of king Priyadasi, the beloved of the gods, is made by beat of drum, in a manner never before performed for hundreds of years, with chariot and elephant processions, and fireworks and other divine displays of the people exhibiting the ceremonies (and this)...
Page 35 - But the impressions must have been imperfect, as the published plates omit the right-hand portion of the north compartment and the bottom line of both. The omitted portions will be seen at once in the accompanying plate. The thin letters in the middle of the west compartment I have added from the other texts so as to show exactly how much is missing in this part. Altogether nearly one-half of the inscription still remains. 3. — ALLAHABAD PILLAR. The well-known Allahabad pillar is a single shaft...
Page 3 - The fourth edict draws a comparison between the former state of things, perhaps lawless and uncivilised, and the state of regeneration of the country under the ordinances of the beloved king. The publication of the glad tidings seems to have been made with unexampled pomp and circumstance and posterity is invoked to uphold the system. This edict is also dated in the twelfth year of Piyadasi. ' The fifth edict after an exordium not very intelligible, proceeds to record the appointments of ministers...
Page 135 - I acknowledge and confess the faults that have been cherished in my heart. From the love of virtue, by the side of which all other things are as sins — from the strict scrutiny of sin, — and from a. fervent desire to be told of sin; — by the fear of sin and by very enormity of sin : — by these may my eyes be strengthened and confirmed (in rectitude).
Page 119 - But upon how many living beings (I will pass over the mention of other things) do I confer happiness here : — hereafter, likewise, let them hope ardently for heaven ! — Amen ! " ' For this reason has the present religious edict been written. May it endure for evermore, and so may my eons, and my grandsons, and my great-grandsons uphold the same for the profit of all the world, and labour therein with the most reverential exertion ! '