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[[File: IndianBuddha.jpg|300px|thumbnail|right| Medieval Indian Buddha Statue]]
For instance“Thereupon. That unmerciful monster, the <i>Asokavadana</i> states that Ashoka had feeling no pity in his concubines regularly killed for minor affronts heart and he built indifferent to the other world, threw Samudra into an elaborate torture chamber based on the Buddhist version iron cauldron full of hellwater, human blood, marrow, urine, and excrement. <ref> StrongHe lit a great fire underneath, but even after much firewood had been consumed, pgsthe cauldron did not get hot. 210-14</ref> But unlike Once more, he tried to light the historical sourcesfire, but again it would not blaze. He became puzzled, and looking into the <i>Asokavadana</i> asserts that Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism was pot; he saw the result of sudden enlightenment instead of monk seated there, cross-legged on a gradual processlotus. The passage in question describes how Ashoka attempted Straight-away, he sent word to King Aśoka. Aśoka came to torture witness this marvel, and kill a Buddhist monkthousands of people gathered, and Samudra, seated in the cauldron, but realized that the time for Aśoka’s conversion was instead brought to Buddhismat hand.” <ref> Strong, p.216</ref>
“Thereupon. That unmerciful monster, feeling no pity ==Conclusion==Ashoka was one of the most important personalities in his heart and indifferent to the other ancient world, threw Samudra into an iron cauldron full of water, human blood, marrow, urine, and excrementarguably the most important person in pre-modern Indian history. He lit controlled a great fire underneath, but even after much firewood had been consumed, vast empire that encompassed most of the cauldron did not get hot. Once more, he tried to light Indian sub-continent and patronized the fireBuddhist religion, but again helping make it would not blaze. He became puzzled, one of the greatest and looking into most followed religions of the pot; he saw the monk seated there, cross-legged on a lotusworld. Straight-away, he sent word The reason for Ashoka’s conversion to King Aśoka. Aśoka came to witness this marvelBuddhism has always been a source of interest and debate for scholars, and thousands of people gatheredBuddhists, and Samudra, seated laypeople alike since he seemed to make such an abrupt turn in the cauldron, realized that the time for Aśoka’s conversion was at hand.” <ref> Strong, pmorality once he converted. 216</ref>
====Conclusion====Ashoka was one of the most important personalities in the ancient world and arguably the most important person in pre-modern Indian history. He controlled a vast empire that encompassed most of the Indian sub-continent and patronized the Buddhist religion, helping make it one of the greatest and most followed religions of the world. The reason for Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism has always been a source of interest and debate for scholars, Buddhists and lay people alike since he seemed to make such an abrupt turn in morality once he converted. The rock edicts and pillar inscriptions seem to indicate that Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism was fairly gradual and was influenced by a combination of the earlier Indic religions he was in contact with daily and guilt over his cruel acts early in his reign, especially the final battle with Kalinga.
Admin moved page Why Did Ashoka Convert to Buddhism? to Why Did Ashoka Convert to Buddhism
On the other hand, the Buddhist sources depict Ashoka’s conversion as more sudden and the result of immediate enlightenment. Although the sources may diverge on the process that brought Ashoka to Buddhism, they both seem to point to the pivotal and bloody war against the kingdom of Kalinga as a turning point.
====The What was the Mauryan Empire (321-185 BC)==? ==
[[File: Maurya_Empire.png|300px|thumbnail|left| Map of the Mauryan Empire after the Reign of Ashoka]]
The dynasty and empire that Ashoka ruled over are known for its founder, Chandragupta Maurya (reigned 324-300 BC). Chandragupta, who was known by the Greeks as “Androcottus,” established the empire in 321 BC by taking lands in northwest India that were left vacant as a result of Alexander the Great’s failed attempts to conquer that region. <ref> Thapar, Romila. <i>Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300.</i> (Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2002), pgs. 175-6</ref> Once the Mauryan Empire was established, it served as a bridge between the east and west.
In fairness to Bindusara, his use of violence was probably more of a reaction to the cruel governors who caused rebellions within their realms more than it was a love of wanton violence on his part. <ref> Lamotte, Étienne. <i>History of Indian Buddhism: From the Origins to the Śaka Era.</i> Translated by Sara Webb-Boin. (Leuven, Belgium: Peeters Press, 1988), p. 223</ref> Still, there is little doubt that Ashoka learned from his father at an early age that violence could be an effective method to keep and hold power in an often chaotic region of the world.
====How did Ashoka Comes Come to Power==? ==
After Bindusara died, his sons fought each other in a four-year civil war for control of the empire. Susuma was the rightful heir, but Ashoka wanted to rule, and he held the capital city of Pataliputra, which proved to be decisive. From Pataliputra, Ashoka controlled the empire’s resources and armies, which allowed him to defeat and kill all of the other claimants to the throne. <ref> Lamotte, p.223</ref>
Once Ashoka was in power, he continued to demonstrate his martial abilities and tendency for brutality toward all who opposed him. One of the kingdoms in India that Ashoka had yet to conquer by the eighth year of his rule was Kalinga, located on the Bay of Bengal. The war between the Mauryan Empire and Kalinga ebbed and flowed for the first few years of Ashoka’s rule until the king utterly devastated Kalinga in his eighth year of rule. Ashoka commemorated his victory over Kalinga on two rock edicts, stating that 150,000 people from Kalinga were deported, 100,000 were killed, and many times later died as a result from injuries, starvation, etc. The numbers would be incredibly high by even modern standards, but modern scholars have stated that archaeological evidence seems to corroborate the claims. <ref> Lamotte, p, 226</ref> Violence was a tool that Ashoka used his entire life to get what he wanted, but after the war with Kalinga, he finally contemplated the extent of human suffering that he had caused.
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====Ashoka’s Conversion What Inspired Ashoka Convert to Buddhism==? ==
[[File: Sarnath_pillar.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left| The Ashoka Pillar from Sarnath]]
Sometime after the bloody war with Kalinga was over, Ashoka made his historic conversion to Buddhism. Essentially, there are two interpretations concerning how it took place, although they are not necessarily exclusive nor in opposition to each other. Ashoka never directly stated how or why he converted in any inscriptions, but a number of his so-called rock and pillar edicts and inscriptions seem to indicate that the conversion was somewhat gradual. The inscriptions, which were usually written in the Prakrit language using some different scripts, exhort the readers to follow Buddhist practices by abstaining from meat consumption, being charitable, and by generally following Buddhist theology. In what is known today as “Minor Rock Edict #1,” Ashoka seems to indicate that he only became a pious Buddhist after a period of familiarity with the religion:
The Sanskrit language Buddhist text known as the <i>Asokavadana</i>, or “narrative of Ashoka,” was written hundreds of years after Ashoka’s death and therefore somewhat of a “pseudo-historical” source, but is an important text when considering how the Buddhist community viewed the conversion of the emperor. According to this text, Ashoka’s rule of India and his eventual conversion to Buddhism was preordained in a previous life. <ref> Strong, John. <i>The Legend of King Asoka: A Study and Translation of the Asokavadana.</i> (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2014), pgs. 203-4</ref> The <i>Asokavadana</i> agrees with the edicts and archaeological evidence that Ashoka was a particularly violent king, but adds details about his cruelty.
[[File: IndianBuddha.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left| Medieval Indian Buddha Statue]]
For instance, the <i>Asokavadana</i> states that Ashoka had his concubines regularly killed for minor affronts and he built an elaborate torture chamber based on the Buddhist version of hell. <ref> Strong, pgs. 210-14</ref> But unlike the historical sources, the <i>Asokavadana</i> asserts that Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism was the result of sudden enlightenment instead of a gradual process. The passage in question describes how Ashoka attempted to torture and kill a Buddhist monk, but was instead brought to Buddhism.
The later Buddhist <i> Asokavadana</i> also depicts Ashoka as suffering from guilt due to his violent and despotic rule but portrays his conversion as a more sudden form of enlightenment. Although the two traditions diverge on the process that Ashoka took to his conversion, they both agree that it was the result of a guilty conscience with the final battle against Kalinga being the turning point.
