Ashoka Dhamma Research Paper

The Policy of Dhamma was an earnest attempt in resolving some of the problems and tensions faced by complex society. While Ashoka adopted Buddhism his father favoured Ajivika and his grandfather Chandragupta embraced Jainism. By the time, Ashoka ascended the throne, the Mauryan Imperial system had become complex. There were tensions which the heterodox sects, Buddhism, Jainism and Ajiviksim had generated in Society. They were all opposed to the domination of Brahman, but Brahmans continued to control society and hostility was inevitable. It was essential to bring about a climate of harmony and mutual trust. To make the empire survive and to bring some cohesion within the empire in the midst of this diversity, some common patterns of behaviour and common approaches to the society’s problems were needed.

The pillars vary form 40 to 50 feet in hight. They are cut from 2 different types of stone - 1 for the shaft and another for the capital. The shaft was almost cut from a single piece of stone. The pillars weigh about 50 tonnes each. The physical appearance of the pillars underscores the buddhist doctrine. Most of the pillars were topped by sculptures of animals. Each pillar is also topped by an inverted lotus flower, which is the most perversive symbol of Buddhism. Edicts of Ashoka are a collection of 33 inscriptions on the pillars of Ashoka. These inscriptions were dispersed throughout the areas of modern day, Bangladesh India, Nepal, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The edicts describe in detail about the Ashoka’s view about Dhamma, an earnest attempt to solve some of the problems that a complex society faced The edicts are divided into pillar edicts, Rock edicts. Although, Buddhism is mentioned in the edicts, it generally focus on social and moral percepts rather than specific religious