Ashoka the great was one of the greatest rulers of Indian history. The Kallinga war was a turning point in Ashoka’s life. He was distressed to see lot of bloodshed and destructions in that war. So he decided to give up on any kind of violence and was greatly influenced by the philosophy of Buddhism. Keeping in mind the non-violence and compassion, he propounded the policy of ’Dhamma’, which embraced the tenets of Buddhism. The word Dhamma has been derived from the Sanskrit word ’’Dharma ‘’, meaning the religious and moral duty. With this policy, Ashoka wanted to preach right moral values among the people, so coexistence could take place peacefully in this world for all living beings.
In the wake of the Kalinga war Ashoka converted to Buddhism and started believing in and preaching the Buhddhist philosophies. And for that matter, he came up with a new policy of ‘’dhamma’’ which aimed at peace, compassion and non-violence. In this, he never emphasized any elaborate rituals or sacrifices. Thereafter, he abandoned the policy of territorial and physical expansion by cultural subjugation. His Dhamma was based on Secularism which did not talk about any particular religion rather it respected all religions. He never imposed Dhamma on his subjects rather people themselves got influenced and accepted it.
In order to preach the principles of Dhamma in different parts of his empire, he appointed ‘Dhamma Mahamatta’, who used to travel and propagate it. He even sent his son and daughter to Sri Lanka to spread the message of Dhamma. He himself followed this policy very religiously and set an example for others to follow it. He engraved his edicts on many rocks and pillars in common peoples’ language. So all the people in his empire could read, understand and implement the ‘Dhamma’ in their lives.
Ashoka’s Dhamma was inspired by the teachings of Buddha. The principles of his Dhamma were very simple and relatable to the people. In order to propagate this policy Ashoka believed more in the way of persuasion than regulation and imposition. The following are the main principles of his policy −
Non-Violence or Ahimsa − Ashoka wanted his subjects to follow the principal of non-violence towards all living beings be it humans or animals. In this regard, he himself gave up on the idea of war for territorial expansion which was very common at that time in order to consolidate the Empire. And he also emphasized on abstinence from killing and injuring animals as well. So he pleaded people not to perform sacrifice and elaborate rituals which were prevalent in India from Vedic Age.
Acceptance of all sects − Through his Dhamma, he professed that one should respect people of other religious faiths. He himself did not promote getting involved in any particular religion or worshipping any god. In his kingdom, he gave people the freedom to choose and live according to their own principle and the state would never interfere and impose any particular religion. Moreover, he wanted peaceful coexistence regardless of different castes, creeds and religions. This is how he wanted to develop a harmonious relationship between diverse elements of the society which ultimately aimed at unifying the population through common beliefs in order to administer a peaceful vast empire.
Obedience to parents and Elders − He advised that children should always respect and obey their parents and elders. Similarly, parents and elders are also expected to be understanding and loving with their children and younger ones.
Generosity towards all − He laid stresses that we should be generous towards all by following the path of compassion, love, harmony and respect. For this purpose, he urged people to indulge in charity to the needy and show kindness towards slaves, servants and animals. People should mutually respect each other. We should not misuse our status and power. We should rather ponder upon how to be generous to others.
Disapproval of rituals − He urged people not to perform or spend huge money in complex rituals, superstitious activities and ceremonies which were very dominant in the Vedic Age. He wanted people to use that money and generous attitude to help the poor and needy. He was also against the elaborate rituals which were performed by Brahmans to please the god. He rather asked people to work on their inner worthiness.
Ashoka’s Dhamma was more or less based on the teachings of Buddhism. He adopted this policy post-Kallinga war, which filled with guilt and sorrow in him due to the loss of several lives. With the Dhamma, he was able to maintain a peaceful and harmonious empire. In a way, he was able to eliminate socio-political disorder in his empire by adhering to generosity toward each other, respecting all religious faiths, obeying elders and respecting younger. He also renounced the superstitious rituals and promoted ahimsa. In a nutshell, with this policy, he developed a secular and liberal empire in which he did not need to impose any particular religion on his subject. Instead, the very relatable principles of his policy made people in his empire accept it of their own will.
Q1. Why did Ashoka have war with Kalinga?
Ans. Kalinga(modern-day Odisha) was a great maritime power. The control of could give the Mauryan Empire access to trade with South East Asian countries. Therefore, Ashoka wanted to merge that kingdom into his empire.
Q2. What are edicts? Why were Ashokan edicts important?
Ans. Edicts are royal proclamations or commands. Ashoka’s edicts are important because they encouraged people to follow the principles of Dhamma and adhere to the path of non-violence.
Q3. Why was Ashoka known as ‘’Ashok the great’’?
Ans. Ashoka was one of rulers in India history, who came to be known as the greatest ruler. This was because of his unique style of ruling and consolidating the Mauryan empire which did not cause any physical harm to anyone and still he was able to manage such a vast empire.
Q4. What are the famous contributions of Ashoka to India?
Ans. India’s national emblem has been taken from the Ashokan pillar found at Sarnath and consists of a Lion capital and also the Chakra in our national flag Tricolour is a part of the same pillar. This Ashoka Chakra, representing 24 spokes in a wheel, was referred to as the dharma chakra or the wheel of dharma.
Q5. How is Ashoka’s Dhamma relevant in today’s society?
Ans. Yes, the principle of Ashoka’s Dhamma is very much relevant in today’s society as it suggested a kind of moral life which focuses on being respectful to all living beings. It also stressed upon being tolerant which is a need of living in a multi-religious and diverse country like India.
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