Knowra Ashoka Ashoka Ashoka was a Mauryan emperor who ruled much of the Indian subcontinent in the third century BCE. After the Kalinga war, he supported Buddhism and proclaimed policies of moral conduct through inscriptions.
Ashokan edicts : Inscriptions commissioned by Ashoka that proclaim his policies, moral teachings, and administrative instructions. They preserve Ashoka’s own account of the ideals he urged across his empire.
Dhamma : Ashoka’s ethical policy, expressed through duties such as nonviolence, respect, generosity, and restraint. This was the moral vocabulary he used to guide conduct without defining a single religious creed.
Maurya Empire : An ancient South Asian empire founded by Chandragupta Maurya and ruled by the Mauryan dynasty. Ashoka inherited and expanded this empire’s extensive territory and administrative system.
Major Rock Edicts : A collection of fourteen major royal proclamations engraved on rocks at sites across Ashoka’s empire. They set out his concerns about welfare, religious tolerance, and the consequences of the Kalinga war.
Arthashastra : An ancient Sanskrit treatise on statecraft, administration, and political economy, traditionally associated with Kautilya. Its emphasis on strategic governance offers a different lens on Mauryan power than Ashoka’s public Dhamma.
Buddhism : A religious and philosophical tradition founded on the teachings attributed to Gautama Buddha. Ashoka’s patronage made Buddhist institutions and missions central to his legacy.
Ashokan pillars : Monumental stone columns erected under Ashoka, often bearing royal inscriptions and sculpted capitals. Their visible, durable proclamations carried imperial messages across distant regions.
Chandragupta Maurya : The founder of the Maurya dynasty, who established an empire in northern India in the fourth century BCE. Ashoka’s grandfather founded the imperial house whose power he later inherited.
Minor Rock Edicts : Shorter Ashokan rock inscriptions that include personal declarations and instructions on Dhamma. Some provide unusually direct statements about Ashoka’s commitment to Buddhist practice.
Kautilya : An ancient Indian political thinker traditionally credited with composing the Arthashastra. His statecraft tradition is often set against Ashoka’s emphasis on moral persuasion.
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