In an era of great economic advances, fantastic improvements in education and global communications, humanity is still plagued by war, genocide, and corruption. Visionary and ethical governance has been stunningly absent. Throughout history, there have been a few rulers with universal values. Their lives and deeds were so profound that they remain relevant today.
Ashoka Maurya (301-232 BCE) was such a ruler. He was the third king of the Mauryan dynasty that ruled a vast empire of over a million square miles, comprising most of modern India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, with a population of about 100 million diverse peoples of many races, tribes and creeds. Tagore, the Nobel Prize-winning author and poet, observed that ‘countless great kingdoms of countless great monarchs have suffered devastation and been razed to dust, but the glorious emergence of the power of benevolence in Asoka has become our proud asset, and is breathing strength into us.’ H.G. Wells in “The Outline of World History” says of Ashoka: “Amidst the tens of thousands of names of monarchs that crowd the columns of history…. the name of Ashoka shines, and shines almost alone, a star”. Historians include him among the most influential people in human history.
Ashoka ruled for over thirty-five years and is best known for promoting Buddhism from a small sect into world religion. Buddha lived and preached from about 567 to 486 BC, but the religion’s following was small until Ashoka’s patronage. Buddha found the path to end human suffering deep in meditation, removed from the world. Ashoka lived Buddha’s path deep in the world, revealing a shining example of non-violent, tolerant, effective and compassionate governance.
What is Ashoka’s relevance today? He showed that it was possible to govern a vast region and diverse peoples and religions without violence, while also promoting secular ethics and good governance. After one misstep, he worked hard to ensure that all could thrive in peace.
In his words taken from edicts carved on pillars and rocks:
- After his only war early in his reign, “His majesty feels remorse, sorrow and regret on account of the conquest because of the slaughter, death and people taken captive…The loss of a hundredth or thousandth part of those slaughtered or carried away would now be a matter of deep regret…” Ashoka never used military force again.
- An ardent Buddhist himself, Ashoka treated all philosophies and religions evenhandedly and his charity reached them all. “…man must not do reverence to his own sect by disparaging that of another’s for trivial reasons. Other people’s sects deserve reverence. By acting in this way, a man exalts his own sect and at the same time does service to the sects of other people…”
- Ashoka exhorted his officials “..to observe the moral rule. Individuals have been put in prison undeservedly. You must be at hand to stop unwarranted imprisonment and torture”.
- He appointed ombudsmen to “engage in promoting the welfare and happiness of all…. They are engaged in the prevention of wrongful imprisonment or chastisement, in the work of removing hindrances and deliverance, considering cases where a man has a large family, has been smitten by calamity…”
- “The advancement of social ethics amongst men has been achieved by legislation and persuasion. Of the two, legislation has been less effective and persuasion more so”.
Buddhist rulers through history, from Myanmar to Japan, emulated Ashoka’s compassionate governance. In modern times, Nehru was deeply influenced by him, as was Gandhi. They incorporated the substance of his edicts in the Indian constitution.
- Ashok Khanna’s book Ashoka the Visionary: Life, Legend and Legacy published by Bloomsbury is also available as a Kindle book on Amazon.
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KEYWORDS Ashoka, Buddhism, compassion, governance
