English
It is with this object that this religious insciiption has been engrav- ed, in order that our sons and granJsons may not think that a new conquest is necessary; that they may not think that conquest by the sword deserves the name of conquest ; that they may see in it nothing but destruction and violence ; that they may consider nothing as true conquest save the conquest of religion ! Such conquests have value in this world and in the next ; may they derive pleasure only from religion, for that has its value in this world and in the next. Digitized by Google CHAP. Li ASOKA AND HIS EDICTS. ' 15 EDICT XIV. This Edict is engraved by King Piyadasi, beloved of the gods. It is partly brief, partly of ordinary extent, and partly amplified. All is not connected yet, for my empire is vast, and I have caused much to be engraved, and fcill yet cause more to be engraved. Some precepts have been repeated because I attach particular importance to their being followed by the people. There may be faults in the copy,— be it that a passage has been truncated, or that the sense has been misunderstood. All this has been engTaved by the engraver. Such are the famous Fourteen Edicts of Asoka by which he (1) prohibited the slaughter of animals ; (2) provided medical aid for men and animals ; (3) enjoined a quinquennial religious celebration ; (4) made an announcement of religious grace ; (5) appointed ministers of religion and missionaries ; (6) appointed moral instructors to take cognizance of the con- duct of people in their social and domestic life ; (7) proclaimed universal religious toleration ; (8) re- commended pious enjoyment in preference to the carnal amusements of previous times ; (9) expatiated on the merit of imparting religious instruction and moral advice ; (10) extolled true heroism and glory founded on spreading true religion; (11) upheld the imparting of religious instruction as the best of all kinds of charity; (12) proclaimed his wish to convert all unbe- lievers on the principles of universal toleration and moral persausion ; (13) mentioned the conquest of Kalinga and the names of five Greek kings, to whose king- doms as well as to kingdoms in India missionaries Digitized by Google 16 BUDDHIST PERIOD. [BOOK IV. had been sent ; and lastly, (14) summed up the foregoing with some remarks on the engraving of the Edicts. From a historical point of view the second Edict is important as containing the names of Hindu kingdoms and of Antiochus of Syria ; the fifth Edict also con- tains similar allusions ; and the thirteenth Edict alludes to the conquest of Kalinga which first brought southern Bengal and Orissa into close political relations with Magadha and Northern India. The same Edict names five Greek kings, and the original text containing these names deserves to be quoted. ANTIYOKA nama Yona Raja, param clta tena Anti- yokena chatura Rajani, TURAMAYE nama, ANTIKINA nama, Maka nama, Alikasandare nama. These five names are those of ANTIOCHUS of Syria, Ptolemy of Egypt, Antigonas of Macedon, Magas of Cyrene, and ALEXANDER of Epiros. They were contemporaries of Asoka, and the latter made treaties with them, and with their permission sent Buddhist missionaries to preach the religion in those countries. The same Edict mentions names of kingdoms in India, or close to India, where missionaries were similarly sent. Besides the Fourteen Edicts spoken of above, and which were published as one body of laws or moral rules, separate Edicts were published by Asoka from time to time, and some of them have been discovered. An Edict published at Dhauli and Jaugada (south- west of Cattack) lays down humane rules for the ad- Digitized by Google CHAP. ASOKA AND HIS EDICTS. 1 7 ministration of the town of TosaH, recommends reli- gious conduct to all subjects, and prescribes the quin- quennial religious celebration alluded to above. The same Edict lays down that at Ujjayini and at Takshasild the celebration should be held once every three years. A Second Edict has been published also at Dhauli and Jaugada, laying down rules for the administration of Tosali and Samdpi, and conveying instructions to frontier officers. Two Edicts, one at Sahasaram (south- east of Benares) and one at Rupnath (north-east of Jubbulpur), have been translated by Dr. Biihler, and contain pious exhortations, and inform us that 256 missionaries (Vivutha) had been appointed and sent in all directions by the pious emperor. The inscriptions at Bairat (south-west of Delhi) is a communication to the clergy of Magadha, and contains Asoka's pro- fession of faith in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, — the Buddhist Trinity. A pious Edict of the second queen of Asoka has been discovered at Allahabad. We now turn to the inscriptions in Caves, which need not detain us long. The cave inscriptions known are those of the Barabar and Nig&rjuni caves, about 16 miles north of Gayd ; the Khandagiri caves, south of Cuttack ; and the Ramgarh caves in the Central Provinces. The inscriptions in the Barabar caves declare that they were given by Asoka (Piyadasi) to religious mendicants ; and those in the Nagfcjuni caves state that they were the gift of Asoka's R. C. D., A. I.— III. 2 Digitized by Google 1 8 BUDDHIST PERIOD. [BOOK IV. successor Dasaratha. The Khandagiri and Udayagiri caves were mostly gifts of the kings of Kalinga (Orissa). And, lastly, we turn to the inscriptions on Pillars. The famous pillars of Delhi and Allahabad attracted the attention and defied the skill of antiquarians from the time of Sir William Jones, until the inscriptions on them were first deciphered by Prinsep. Besides the two Delhi pillars and the Allahabad pillar, there are two inscribed pillars at Lauria, in Tirhoot, and one at Sanchi, in Bhopal. The same six Edicts arc published in nearly all the pil- lars, while two more Edicts are found in the Delhi pillar called the L&t of Feruz Shah. It will be remem- bered that these Eight Pillar Edicts were proclaimed in the 27th and 28th years after Asoka's anointment ; they contain little information about the emperor's politics, and are replete with moral and religious instruc- tions, and accounts of works of public good and public utility. Briefly, the pious emperor (1) directed his officers of religion to work with zeal and pious anxiety ; (2) explained religion to be mercy, charity, truth and purity ; (3) inculcated self-questioning and the avoid- ance of sins ; (4) entrusted the religious instruction of the people to Rajukas, and allowed prisoners condemn- ed to death three days' grace ; (5) prohibited the kill- ing of various animals ; (6) proclaimed his goodwill to his subjects and hoped for the conversion of all sects ; (7) hoped that his Edicts and religious exhortations Digitized by Google CHAP. I.] ASOKA AND HIS EDICTS. 1 9 would lead men to the right path ; and (8) lastly re- counted his works of public utility and his measures for the religious advancement of the people, and en- joined the conversion of the people by moral persua- sion. The following translation of the Eight Edicts is based on the interpretation of Senart. EDICT I. Thus spake King Piyadasi, beloved of the gods. 26 years after my anointment, I caused this Edict to be engraved. Happiness in this world and in the next is difficult to secure without an excessive zeal for religion, a rigorous supervision, a perfect obedience, a lively sense of responsibility, and a constant activity (on the part of my officers). But, thanks to my instruction, this anxiety and zeal for religion increase and will increase day by day. And my officers, superior, middling, and subaltern, conform themselves to it and direct the people in the right path, and keep them in cheerful spirits ; and so too my frontier officers (Anta-Mahamatra) work. For the rule is this : government by religion, law by religion, progress by religion, and security by religion. EDICT II. Thus spake King Piyadasi, beloved of the gods. Religion is excellent. But it will be asked, —what is this religion? Religion consists in doing the least possible evil and the greatest possible good, — in mercy, charity, truth, and purity of life. Thus have I bestowed gifts of all kinds, to men and to quadrupeds, to birds, and to animals that live in the waters. I nave extended manifold favors for their good, even to supplying them with water for drink ; and have performed many other meritorious acts. To this purpose have I caused this Edict to be engraved, so that men may conform toit and travel in the right path, and that it may endure for ages. He who will act in conformity thereto, will do what is good and meritorious. EDICT III. Thus spake King Piyadasi, beloved of the gods. One sees only his good acts and says, — I have done such a good act. But one does not Digitized by Google 20 BUDDHIST PERIOD. [BOOK IV, see his evil acts and does not say,— I have committed this evil act, this act is a sin. Such examination is painful, it is true, but neverthe- less it is necessary to question one's self and to say, —such things are sinful, as mischief, cruelty, anger, and pride. It is necessary to examine one's self carefully and to say— I will not harbour envy, nor calumniate others. This will be benefioial to me here below ; this will be in truth still more beneficial to me in the life to come, EDICT IV. Thus spake King Piyadasi, beloved of the gods. 26 years after my anointment, I caused this Edict to be engraved. I have appointed Rajuks over the people among hundreds of thousands of inhabitants. I have reserved to myself the power to prosecute and to punish the Rajukas in order that they may in perfect confidence and security perform their duties, and promote the good of the people of my empire.