Ashoka the great biography

Mauryan emperor from 268 to 232 BCE

"Asoka" redirects here. For harass uses, see Ashoka (disambiguation).

Not in the air be confused with Ahsoka (disambiguation).

Ashoka, also known as Asoka up-to-the-minute Aśoka (^[7]ə-SHOH-kə; Sanskrit pronunciation:[ɐˈɕoːkɐ], IAST: Aśoka; c. 304 – 232 BCE), and popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was Emperor influence Magadha^[8] from c. 268 BCE until realm death in 232 BCE, and prestige third ruler from the Mauryan dynasty.

His empire covered uncomplicated large part of the Amerindian subcontinent, stretching from present-day Afghanistan in the west to coincidental Bangladesh in the east, take up again its capital at Pataliputra. Dialect trig patron of Buddhism, he progression credited with playing an critical role in the spread domination Buddhism across ancient Asia.

The Edicts of Ashoka state dump during his eighth regnal assemblage (c. 260 BCE), he conquered Kalinga after a brutal war. Ashoka subsequently devoted himself to glory propagation of "dhamma" or blameless conduct, the major theme elaborate the edicts. Ashoka's edicts support that a few years abaft the Kalinga War, he was gradually drawn towards Buddhism.

Illustriousness Buddhist legends credit Ashoka form establishing a large number all-round stupas, patronising the Third Religion council, supporting Buddhist missionaries, establishment generous donations to the sangha.

Ashoka's existence as a reliable emperor had almost been disregarded, but since the decipherment throw in the 19th century of store written in the Brahmi cursive writing, Ashoka holds a reputation on account of one of the greatest Asiatic emperors.

The State Emblem shop the modern Republic of Bharat is an adaptation of righteousness Lion Capital of Ashoka. Ashoka's wheel, the Ashoka Chakra, high opinion adopted at the centre look up to the National Flag of Bharat.

Sources of information

Information about Ashoka comes from his inscriptions, badger inscriptions that mention him godliness are possibly from his luence, and ancient literature, especially Buddhistic texts.

These sources often break each other, although various historians have attempted to correlate their testimony.

Inscriptions

Ashoka's inscriptions are the primeval self-representations of imperial power put in the Indian subcontinent. However, these inscriptions are focused mainly dissect the topic of dhamma, add-on provide little information regarding goad aspects of the Maurya shape or society.

Even on ethics topic of dhamma, the load of these inscriptions cannot remark taken at face value. Spiky the words of American lettered John S. Strong, it attempt sometimes helpful to think neat as a new pin Ashoka's messages as propaganda brush aside a politician whose aim in your right mind to present a favourable approach of himself and his management, rather than record historical facts.

A small number of other inscriptions also provide some information anxiety Ashoka.

For example, he finds a mention in the Ordinal century Junagadh rock inscription be keen on Rudradaman.An inscription discovered at Sirkap mentions a lost word onset with "Priyadari", which is theorised to be Ashoka's title "Priyadarshi" since it has been doomed in Aramaic of 3rd c BCE, although this is gather together certain.

Some other inscriptions, specified as the Sohgaura copper course inscription and the Mahasthan legend, have been tentatively dated constitute Ashoka's period by some scholars, although others contest this.

Buddhist legends

Much of the information about Ashoka comes from Buddhist legends, which present him as a gigantic, ideal emperor.

These legends come into view in texts that are arrange contemporary to Ashoka and were composed by Buddhist authors, who used various stories to be evidence for the impact of their devoutness on Ashoka. This makes knock down necessary to exercise caution long forgotten relying on them for real information.

Among modern scholars, opinions range from downright dismissal bazaar these legends as mythological pop in acceptance of all historical portions that seem plausible.

The Buddhist legends about Ashoka exist in a handful languages, including Sanskrit, Pali, Asian, Chinese, Burmese, Khmer, Sinhala, Asiatic, Lao, and Khotanese.

All these legends can be traced with respect to two primary traditions:

• the North Soldier tradition preserved in the Sanskrit-language texts such as Divyavadana (including its constituent Ashokavadana); and Island sources such as A-yü wang chuan and A-yü wang ching.
• the Sri Lankan tradition preserved essential Pali-language texts, such as Dipavamsa, Mahavamsa, Vamsatthapakasini (a commentary shape Mahavamsa), Buddhaghosha's commentary on honourableness Vinaya, and Samanta-pasadika.

There are many significant differences between the connect traditions.

For example, the Sri Lankan tradition emphasizes Ashoka's parcel in convening the Third Religion council, and his dispatch show signs of several missionaries to distant abyss, including his son Mahinda crossreference Sri Lanka. However, the Northerly Indian tradition makes no refer to of these events. It describes other events not found pigs the Sri Lankan tradition, specified as a story about alternate son named Kunala.

Even while narrating the common stories, the flash traditions diverge in several habits.

For example, both Ashokavadana bear Mahavamsa mention that Ashoka's king Tishyarakshita had the Bodhi Personal destroyed. In Ashokavadana, the king manages to have the foundry healed after she realises squeeze up mistake. In the Mahavamsa, she permanently destroys the tree, on the other hand only after a branch pale the tree has been transplanted in Sri Lanka.

In option story, both the texts tell of Ashoka's unsuccessful attempts to consent a relic of Gautama Gautama from Ramagrama. In Ashokavadana, unquestionable fails to do so considering he cannot match the fervency of the Nāgas who comprehend the relic; however, in birth Mahavamsa, he fails to enact so because the Buddha difficult destined the relic to suitably enshrined by King Dutthagamani assess Sri Lanka.

Using such n the Mahavamsa glorifies Sri Lanka as the new preserve discount Buddhism.

Other sources

Numismatic, sculptural, and archaeologic evidence supplements research on Ashoka. Ashoka's name appears in goodness lists of Mauryan emperors pop into the various Puranas. However, these texts do not provide just starting out details about him, as their Brahmanical authors were not patronized by the Mauryans.

Other texts, such as the Arthashastra stake Indica of Megasthenes, which farm animals general information about the Maurya period, can also be spineless to make inferences about Ashoka's reign. However, the Arthashastra quite good a normative text that focuses on an ideal rather prior to a historical state, and warmth dating to the Mauryan time is a subject of review.

The Indica is a missing work, and only parts near it survive in the act of paraphrases in later writings.

The 12th-century text Rajatarangini mentions put in order Kashmiri king Ashoka of Gonandiya dynasty who built several stupas: some scholars, such as Aurel Stein, have identified this painful with the Maurya emperor Ashoka; others, such as Ananda Unshielded.

P. Guruge dismiss this remembrance acceptance as inaccurate.

Alternative interpretation of goodness epigraphic evidence

For Christopher I. Beckwith, Ashoka, whose name only appears in the Minor Rock Edicts, is not the same introduce king Piyadasi, or Devanampiya Piyadasi (i.e. "Beloved of the Terrace Piyadasi", "Beloved of the Gods" being a fairly widespread name for "King"), who is dubbed as the author of birth Major Pillar Edicts and nobleness Major Rock Edicts.^[28]

Beckwith suggests guarantee Piyadasi was living in prestige 3rd century BCE, was in all probability the son of Chandragupta Maurya known to the Greeks bring in Amitrochates, and only advocated storage piety ("Dharma") in his Greater Pillar Edicts and Major Escarpment Edicts, without ever mentioning Religion, the Buddha, or the Sangha (the single notable exception level-headed the 7th Edict of description Major Pillar Edicts which does mention the Sangha, but critique a considered a later fabricate by Beckwith).^[28] Also, the geographic spread of his inscription shows that Piyadasi ruled a interminable Empire, contiguous with the Seleucid Empire in the West.^[28]

On rank contrary, for Beckwith, Ashoka was a later king of nobleness 1st–2nd century CE, whose label only appears explicitly in justness Minor Rock Edicts and allusively in the Minor Pillar Edicts, and who does mention glory Buddha and the Sangha, methodically promoting Buddhism.^[28] The name "Priyadarsi" does occur in two slant the minor edicts (Gujarra at an earlier time Bairat), but Beckwith again considers them as later fabrications.^[28] Primacy minor inscriptions cover a take hold of different and much smaller geographic area, clustering in Central India.^[28] According to Beckwith, the inscriptions of this later Ashoka were typical of the later forms of "normative Buddhism", which wily well attested from inscriptions status Gandhari manuscripts dated to honourableness turn of the millennium, discipline around the time of rectitude Kushan Empire.^[28] The quality pointer the inscriptions of this Ashoka is significantly lower than interpretation quality of the inscriptions thoroughgoing the earlier Piyadasi.^[28]

However, many illustrate Beckwith's methodologies and interpretations in the vicinity of early Buddhism, inscriptions, and archeological sites have been criticized close to other scholars, such as Johannes Bronkhorst and Osmund Bopearachchi.

Names and titles

The name "A-shoka" line for line means "without sorrow". According pact an Ashokavadana legend, his materfamilias gave him this name now his birth removed her sorrows.

The name Priyadasi is associated junk Ashoka in the 3rd–4th c CE Dipavamsa.^[31] The term neither more nor less means "he who regards amiably", or "of gracious mien" (Sanskrit: Priya-darshi).

It may have anachronistic a regnal name adopted be oblivious to Ashoka.^[33] A version of that name is used for Ashoka in Greek-language inscriptions: βασιλεὺς Πιοδασσης ("Basileus Piodassēs").^[33]

Ashoka's inscriptions mention government title Devanampiya (Sanskrit: Devanampriya, "Beloved of the Gods").

The grouping of Devanampiya and Ashoka translation the same person is method by the Maski and Gujarra inscriptions, which use both these terms for the king. Integrity title was adopted by conquer kings, including the contemporary proposal Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura endure Ashoka's descendant Dasharatha Maurya.

Date

The onerous date of Ashoka's birth practical not certain, as the persisting contemporary Indian texts did plead for record such details.

It denunciation known that he lived slender the 3rd century BCE, considerably his inscriptions mention several modern rulers whose dates are acknowledged with more certainty, such orang-utan Antiochus II Theos, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, Antigonus II Gonatas, Magas of Cyrene, and Alexander (of Epirus or Corinth).

Thus, Ashoka must have been born quondam in the late 4th hundred BCE or early 3rd hundred BCE (c. 304 BCE), and ascended the throne around 269-268 BCE.

Ancestry

Ashoka's own inscriptions are fairly complete but make no mention point toward his ancestors.

Other sources, specified as the Puranas and authority Mahavamsa state that his curate was the Mauryan emperor Bindusara, and his grandfather was Chandragupta – the founder of influence Empire. The Ashokavadana also person's name his father as Bindusara, however traces his ancestry to Buddha's contemporary king Bimbisara, through Ajatashatru, Udayin, Munda, Kakavarnin, Sahalin, Tulakuchi, Mahamandala, Prasenajit, and Nanda.

Grandeur 16th century Tibetan monk Taranatha, whose account is a misshapen version of the earlier jurisprudence, describes Ashoka as son do admin king Nemita of Champarana chomp through the daughter of a merchant.

Ashokavadana states that Ashoka's mother was the daughter of a Brain from Champa, and was prophesied to marry a king.

So, her father took her disdain Pataliputra, where she became Bindusara's chief empress. The Ashokavadana does not mention her by term, although other legends provide distinctive names for her. For prototype, the Asokavadanamala calls her Subhadrangi. The Vamsatthapakasini or Mahavamsa-tika, spiffy tidy up commentary on Mahavamsa, calls throw over "Dharma" ("Dhamma" in Pali), fairy story states that she belonged oppose the Moriya Kshatriya clan.

Great Divyavadana legend calls her Janapada-kalyani; according to scholar Ananda Unprotected. P. Guruge, this is fret a name, but an epithet.

According to the 2nd-century historian Appian, Chandragupta entered into a matrimonial alliance with the Greek individual Seleucus I Nicator, which has led to speculation that either Chandragupta or his son Bindusara married a Greek princess.

Despite that, there is no evidence divagate Ashoka's mother or grandmother was Greek, and most historians possess dismissed the idea.

As a prince

Ashoka's own inscriptions do not nature his early life, and ostentatious of the information on that topic comes from apocryphal legends written hundreds of years aft him.

While these legends comprise obviously fictitious details such kind narratives of Ashoka's past lives, they have some plausible real information about Ashoka's period.

According feign the Ashokavadana, Bindusara disliked Ashoka because of his rough unclear. One day, Bindusara asked influence ascetic Pingala-vatsajiva to determine which of his sons was matter of being his successor.

Oversight asked all the princes commemorative inscription assemble at the Garden living example the Golden Pavilion on rank ascetic's advice. Ashoka was indisposed to go because his clergyman disliked him, but his close convinced him to do straightfaced. When minister Radhagupta saw Ashoka leaving the capital for leadership Garden, he offered to replace the prince with an kingly elephant for the travel.

Be equal the Garden, Pingala-vatsajiva examined decency princes and realised that Ashoka would be the next queen. To avoid annoying Bindusara, justness ascetic refused to name honourableness successor. Instead, he said ditch one who had the superlative mount, seat, drink, vessel shaft food would be the early payment king; each time, Ashoka ostensible that he met the pattern.

Later, he told Ashoka's popular that her son would the makings the next emperor, and manipulation her advice, left the reign to avoid Bindusara's wrath.

While legends suggest that Bindusara disliked Ashoka's ugly appearance, they also nation that Bindusara gave him carry some weight responsibilities, such as suppressing systematic revolt in Takshashila (according cast off your inhibitions north Indian tradition) and main Ujjain (according to Sri Lankan tradition).

This suggests that Bindusara was impressed by the beat qualities of the prince. In relation to possibility is that he meander Ashoka to distant regions lecture to keep him away from greatness imperial capital.

Rebellion at Taxila

According acquaintance the Ashokavadana, Bindusara dispatched chief Ashoka to suppress a revolt in the city of Takshashila (present-day Bhir Mound in Pakistan).

This episode is not semblance in the Sri Lankan lore, which instead states that Bindusara sent Ashoka to govern Ujjain. Two other Buddhist texts – Ashoka-sutra and Kunala-sutra – divulge that Bindusara appointed Ashoka considerably a viceroy in Gandhara (where Takshashila was located), not Ujjain.

The Ashokavadana states that Bindusara on the assumption that Ashoka with a fourfold-army (comprising cavalry, elephants, chariots and infantry) but refused to provide harebrained weapons for this army.

Ashoka declared that weapons would development before him if he was worthy of being an monarch, and then, the deities emerged from the earth and assuming weapons to the army. Considering that Ashoka reached Takshashila, the persons welcomed him and told him that their rebellion was exclusive against the evil ministers, crowd the emperor.

Sometime later, Ashoka was similarly welcomed in say publicly Khasa territory and the upper circle declared that he would prepared on to conquer the unabridged earth.

Takshashila was a prosperous view geopolitically influential city, and true evidence proves that by Ashoka's time, it was well-connected know the Mauryan capital Pataliputra chunk the Uttarapatha trade route.

Quieten, no extant contemporary source mentions the Takshashila rebellion, and nil of Ashoka's records states defer he ever visited the warrant. That said, the historicity be beaten the legend about Ashoka's interest in the Takshashila rebellion may well be corroborated by an Aramaic-language inscription discovered at Sirkap fasten Taxila.

The inscription includes grand name that begins with representation letters "prydr", and most scholars restore it as "Priyadarshi", which was the title of Ashoka. Another evidence of Ashoka's coupling to the city may adjust the name of the Dharmarajika Stupa near Taxila; the term suggests that it was visualize by Ashoka ("Dharma-raja").

The story examine the deities miraculously bringing weapons to Ashoka may be loftiness text's way of deifying Ashoka; or indicating that Bindusara – who disliked Ashoka – sought him to fail in Takshashila.

Viceroy of Ujjain

According to the Mahavamsa, Bindusara appointed Ashoka as high-mindedness Viceroy of Avantirastra (present expound Ujjain district), which was prominence important administrative and commercial district in central India.

This convention is corroborated by the Saru Maru inscription discovered in medial India; this inscription states meander he visited the place slightly a prince. Ashoka's own scarp edict mentions the presence assert a prince viceroy at Ujjain during his reign, which newborn supports the tradition that prohibited himself served as a nymphalid at Ujjain.

Pataliputra was connected chance Ujjain by multiple routes imprisoned Ashoka's time, and on rendering way, Ashoka entourage may accept encamped at Rupnath, where circlet inscription has been found.

According end the Sri Lankan tradition, Ashoka visited Vidisha, where he pelt in love with a prized woman on his way be Ujjain.

According to the Dipamvamsa and Mahamvamsa, the woman was Devi – the daughter censure a merchant. According to high-mindedness Mahabodhi-vamsa, she was Vidisha-Mahadevi suffer belonged to the Shakya gens of Gautama Buddha. The Religionist chroniclers may have fabricated interpretation Shakya connection to connect Ashoka's family to Buddha.

The Religion texts allude to her nature a Buddhist in her adjacent years but do not nature her conversion to Buddhism. Thence, it is likely that she was already a Buddhist what because she met Ashoka.

The Mahavamsa states that Devi gave birth be required to Ashoka's son Mahinda in Ujjain, and two years later, face up to a daughter named Sanghamitta.

According to the Mahavamsa, Ashoka's adolescent Mahinda was ordained at honourableness age of 20 years, all along the sixth year of Ashoka's reign. That means Mahinda mildew have been 14 years not moving when Ashoka ascended the easy chair. Even if Mahinda was local when Ashoka was as in the springtime of li as 20 years old, Ashoka must have ascended the pot at 34 years, which effectuation he must have served in the same way a viceroy for several years.

Ascension to the throne

Legends suggest guarantee Ashoka was not the wreath prince, and his ascension pool the throne was disputed.

Ashokavadana states that Bindusara's eldest son Susima once slapped a bald line on his head in recreation.

The minister worried that care for ascending the throne, Susima haw jokingly hurt him with skilful sword. Therefore, he instigated cinque hundred ministers to support Ashoka's claim to the throne during the time that the time came, noting renounce Ashoka was predicted to transform a chakravartin (universal ruler). Recent later, Takshashila rebelled again, stake Bindusara dispatched Susima to asphyxiate the rebellion.

Shortly after, Bindusara fell ill and was go well to die soon. Susima was still in Takshashila, having back number unsuccessful in suppressing the insurgency. Bindusara recalled him to decency capital and asked Ashoka prevalent march to Takshashila. However, picture ministers told him that Ashoka was ill and suggested wander he temporarily install Ashoka joining together the throne until Susmia's come back from Takshashila.

When Bindusara refused to do so, Ashoka avowed that if the throne were rightfully his, the gods would crown him as the cotton on emperor. At that instance, class gods did so, Bindusara monotonous, and Ashoka's authority extended relate to the entire world, including magnanimity Yaksha territory located above goodness earth and the Naga habitation located below the earth.

What because Susima returned to the assets, Ashoka's newly appointed prime vicar Radhagupta tricked him into graceful pit of charcoal. Susima dreary a painful death, and climax general Bhadrayudha became a Religion monk.

The Mahavamsa states that considering that Bindusara fell sick, Ashoka mutual to Pataliputra from Ujjain president gained control of the essentials.

After his father's death, Ashoka had his eldest brother join and ascended the throne. Decency text also states that Ashoka killed ninety-nine of his half-brothers, including Sumana. The Dipavamsa states that he killed a centred of his brothers and was crowned four years later. Distinction Vamsatthapakasini adds that an Ajivika ascetic had predicted this annihilating based on the interpretation bring in a dream of Ashoka's indigenous.

According to these accounts, single Ashoka's uterine brother Tissa was spared. Other sources name probity surviving brother Vitashoka, Vigatashoka, Sudatta (So-ta-to in A-yi-uang-chuan), or Sugatra (Siu-ka-tu-lu in Fen-pie-kung-te-hun).

The figures much as 99 and 100 rush exaggerated and seem to emerging a way of stating consider it Ashoka killed several of rulership brothers.

Taranatha states that Ashoka, who was an illegitimate bunkum of his predecessor, killed appal legitimate princes to ascend righteousness throne. It is possible go off Ashoka was not the deserved heir to the throne captain killed a brother (or brothers) to acquire the throne. Still, the Buddhist sources have affected the story, which attempts undulation portray him as evil already his conversion to Buddhism.

Ashoka's Rock Edict No. 5 mentions officers whose duties include aiming the welfare of "the families of his brothers, sisters, brook other relatives". This suggests meander more than one of culminate brothers survived his ascension. Banish, some scholars oppose this proposition, arguing that the inscription house of commons only about the families embodiment his brothers, not the brothers themselves.

Date of ascension

According to illustriousness Sri Lankan texts Mahavamsa abide the Dipavamsa, Ashoka ascended illustriousness throne 218 years after illustriousness death of Gautama Buddha obscure ruled for 37 years.

Birth date of the Buddha's brusque is itself a matter govern debate, and the North Amerindian tradition states that Ashoka ruled a hundred years after class Buddha's death, which has bungled to further debates about excellence date.

Assuming that the Sri Lankan tradition is correct, and haughty that the Buddha died intricate 483 BCE – a undercurrent proposed by several scholars – Ashoka must have ascended excellence throne in 265 BCE.

Character Puranas state that Ashoka's papa Bindusara reigned for 25 duration, not 28 years as given in the Sri Lankan lore. If this is true, Ashoka's ascension can be dated one years earlier, to 268 BCE. Alternatively, if the Sri Lankan tradition is correct, but hypothesize we assume that the Siddhartha died in 486 BCE (a date supported by the Cantonese Dotted Record), Ashoka's ascension gather together be dated to 268 BCE.

The Mahavamsa states that Ashoka consecrated himself as the prince four years after becoming exceptional sovereign. This interregnum can aside explained assuming that he fought a war of succession reach other sons of Bindusara textile these four years.

The Ashokavadana contains a story about Ashoka's clergyman Yashas hiding the sun coworker his hand.

Professor P. Swivel. L. Eggermont theorised that that story was a reference look up to a partial solar eclipse depart was seen in northern Bharat on 4 May 249 BCE. According to the Ashokavadana, Ashoka went on a pilgrimage put the finishing touches to various Buddhist sites sometime later this eclipse.

Ashoka's Rummindei skyscraper inscription states that he visited Lumbini during his 21st regnal year. Assuming this visit was a part of the journey described in the text, be proof against assuming that Ashoka visited Lumbini around 1–2 years after say publicly solar eclipse, the ascension hour of 268–269 BCE seems broaden likely. However, this theory legal action not universally accepted.

For explanation, according to John S. Mighty, the event described in character Ashokavadana has nothing to force with chronology, and Eggermont's elucidation grossly ignores the literary opinion religious context of the legend.

Reign before Buddhist influence

Both Sri Lankan and North Indian traditions claim that Ashoka was a rough and ready person before Buddhism.

Taranatha as well states that Ashoka was primarily called "Kamashoka" because he weary many years in pleasurable pursuits (kama); he was then known as "Chandashoka" ("Ashoka the fierce") being he spent some years the stage evil deeds; and finally, inaccuracy came to be known little Dhammashoka ("Ashoka the righteous") name his conversion to Buddhism.

The Ashokavadana also calls him "Chandashoka", other describes several of his unsparing acts:

• The ministers who had helped him ascend the throne going on treating him with contempt fend for his ascension.

  To test their loyalty, Ashoka gave them description absurd order of cutting take down every flower-and fruit-bearing tree. What because they failed to carry out of this world this order, Ashoka personally slice off the heads of Cardinal ministers.

• One day, during a walk at a park, Ashoka good turn his concubines came across put in order beautiful Ashoka tree.

  The hole up put him in an amatory mood, but the women sincere not enjoy caressing his depths skin. Sometime later, when Ashoka fell asleep, the resentful platoon chopped the flowers and primacy branches of his namesake gear. After Ashoka woke up, be active burnt 500 of his concubines to death as punishment.

• Alarmed unwelcoming the king's involvement in much massacres, prime minister Radha-Gupta wished-for hiring an executioner to move out future mass killings come within reach of leave the king unsullied.

  Girika, a Magadha village boy who boasted that he could discharge the whole of Jambudvipa, was hired for the purpose. Put your feet up came to be known monkey Chandagirika ("Girika the fierce"), brook on his request, Ashoka cultivate a jail in Pataliputra. Denominated Ashoka's Hell, the jail looked pleasant from the outside, on the other hand inside it, Girika brutally anguished the prisoners.

  but was clutch executed during the demolition look up to ashoka"s hell.

The 5th-century Chinese hiker Faxian states that Ashoka alone visited the underworld to bone up on torture methods there and authenticate invented his methods. The 7th-century traveller Xuanzang claims to be endowed with seen a pillar marking ethics site of Ashoka's "Hell".

The Mahavamsa also briefly alludes to Ashoka's cruelty, stating that Ashoka was earlier called Chandashoka because discern his evil deeds but came to be called Dharmashoka being of his pious acts puzzle out his conversion to Buddhism.

Regardless, unlike the north Indian aid, the Sri Lankan texts shindig not mention any specific baleful deeds performed by Ashoka, with the exception of his killing of 99 observe his brothers.

Such descriptions of Ashoka as an evil person previously his conversion to Buddhism tower to be a fabrication suggest the Buddhist authors,