Asoka, the Buddhist Emperor of IndiaProvides the biography of the legendary ruler of India Asoka. Combines the king's histories with authenticity from selected sources of Asoka's backgrounds. |
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accession admirable Ajīvikas Alexander Ancient India animals Antigonus Gonatas Arrian Asoka Maurya Author Bengal Bharhut Bihār Bindusara Brahmans brother Buddha Buddhist Bühler capital Cave Censors Ceylon Ceylonese Chandragupta Colonel Malleson conquest coronation Cunningham Dasaratha death desire devoted Dhauli Dipavamsa dispatched doctrine EDITION emperor empire erected exertion feet Girnar Hindoo Hiuen Tsiang Hunter inscriptions Kalinga Kālsī King Asoka king's kingdom Kunāla Law of Piety legend Lord Magadha Mahavamsa Mahendra Majesty King Piyadasi Majesty King Priyadarsin Manserā Maurya Maurya empire Megasthenes Minor Rock Edict Moggali monastery monks monuments Nanda obedience officials Owen Burne palace passage Pātaliputra person pious edict practice prince provinces queen recensions record reign reverence royal Rulers of India Rummindeī saint saith His Majesty Sānchi Sanghamitra sects Seleucus Senart Shahbazgarhi Sir William sovereign stone story Strabo stśpa stūpas Taxila THIRD THOUSAND thirteenth throne tion Tishya translation Ujjain Vaisali Viceroy volume
Popular passages
Page 128 - His Sacred Majesty, however, cares not so much for gifts or external reverence as that there should be a growth of the essence of the matter in all sects. The growth of the essence of the matter assumes various forms, but the root of it is restraint of speech, to wit, a man must not do reverence to his own sect or disparage that of another man without reason.
Page 118 - Every year on the eighth day of the second month they celebrate a procession of images. They make a four-wheeled car, and on it erect a structure of five storeys by means of bamboos tied together. This is supported by a king-post, with poles and lances slanting from it, and is rather more than twenty cubits high, having the shape of a tope. White and silk-like cloth of hair - is wrapped all round it, which is then painted in various colours.
Page 142 - Father and mother must be obeyed ; similarly, respect for living creatures must be enforced ; truth must be spoken. These are the virtues of the law of piety which must be practised. Similarly, the teacher must be reverenced by the pupil, and proper courtesy must be shown to relatives. This is the ancient standard of piety — this leads to length of days, and according to this men must act.
Page 87 - The royal palace and halls in the midst of the city, which exist now as of old, were all made by spirits which he employed, and which piled up the stones, reared the walls and gates, and executed the elegant carving and inlaid sculpturework, — in a way which no human hands of this world could accomplish.
Page 97 - When the foundations of the pillar were examined, a large square stone was found as a base, which also was taken out. The pillar was then encased from top to bottom in reeds and raw skins, so that no damage might accrue to it. A carriage, with forty-two wheels, was constructed, and ropes were attached to each wheel. Thousands of men hauled at every rope, and after great labour and difficulty the pillar was raised on to the carriage. A strong rope was fastened to each wheel, and 200 men pulled at...
Page 122 - The king leaves his palace not only in time of war, but also for the purpose of judging causes. He then remains in court for the whole Day without allowing the business to be interrupted, even though the hour arrives when he must needs attend to his person...
Page 131 - These feelings crystallized into a steadfast resolve that never again would ambition lead him to inflict such grievous wrongs upon his fellow creatures, and four years after the conquest he was able to declare that " the loss of even the hundredth or the thousandth part of the persons who were then slain, carried away captive, or done to death in Kalinga would now be a matter of deep regret to his Majesty.
Page 128 - By thus acting, a man exalts his own sect, and at the same time does service to the sects of other people.
Page 128 - His Majesty, however, cares not so much for donations or external reverence as that there should be a growth of the essence of the matter in all sects.