Edicts of Ashoka

As a result law, rooted in dharma and based on caste was neither egalitarian nor recognised equality of all before law. Caste was the undercurrent in deciding duties, rights or judicial punishments. The higher orders were shielded and were the beneficiaries of extreme privileges while the burden of obligations largely fell on lower orders. Noted scholar, Romila Thapar who has compared the Buddhist and Hindu traditions commented that as Buddhism was a reaction against caste, they recognised that…

was in charge of choosing officials and government leaders. This was similar to the Mauryan Empire, which was also a family legacy. The Mauryan Empire was founded by Chandragupta Maurya, who passed his throne on to his son Bindusara, then his son Ashoka, and finally his son who was the last king of the Mauryan Empire. The king had an absolute rule in the empire and made all administrative decisions. He appointed officials, managed the economy, and signed off on public works. Both the Han and…

search for an antidote to end suffering in the 5th century BCE. Early Buddhism was spread slowly along the trade routes by Buddhist merchants and monks. In the 3rd century CE, Ashoka, a ruler of the Mauryan Empire, converted to Buddhism. He did not forcefully convert his people, but he sent missionaries to East Asia and left edicts throughout the empire. Buddhism eventually made it’s way into places like Nepal, Japan, and Tibet before the first millenium was finished. Buddhism was so successful…

120-1, 155). According to Aristides, the “fixed boundaries” of the Mediterranean Sea limited Rome’s political authority (p. 149). Similarly, Ashoka said, “one should listen to and respect the doctrines professed by others” (p. 154). Because they were in constant battle with Darius’ Persia, Alexander was able to unify the Greek states against their common enemy to build his enormous empire (p…

The World’s Most Centered and Compassionate Spirituality Unveiled! The roots of the Buddhist tradition are humble, akin to many other religions and spiritualities; its fundamental ideals were established by a simple dissatisfied man with a burning desire for greater fulfillment. When the Hindu brahman Prince Siddhartha Gautama embarked on his journey for answers, it took him on the path of two extremes: the life experience he had gleaned from princehood and that of asceticism, the bare minimum…