The Mauryan Polity c10.s1.2

c10.s1.2

¹ In regard to the topes of Aśoka we have no reliable authority except a few legends in the Buddhist books. [Watters, Yuan Chwang, II, pp. 21 and 159; also J.R.A.S., 1901, pp. 397-410.] The statement by Chinese pilgrims, Yuan Chwang and Fa-Hien, that as many as 84,000 topes were set up for Aśoka by Yakṣas or even human agents cannot be credited with any trustworthiness. (Pp. 88-91.) But in his tour beginning with the country of Kapis, through Gāndhāra, Taksaśila, the Ganges and the Jumna, Kānyakubja, Kośāmbi, Lumbini, Vaiśāli, Tāmralipti, Kośala, Cola, Drāviḍa, Mahārāṣṭra to the middle Sindh, Yuan Chwang refers to as many as fifty topes seen by him. Hence it is reasonable to attribute a few topes to Aśoka’s credit. Or even it may be that later on some of these topes were associated with this great name to establish the authenticity of Aśoka’s faith in Buddhism. Yuan Chwang also refers to about eight pillars of Aśoka of various dimensions standing near Kapilavastu, Lumbini (p. 14), Kusinara (p. 28), Vaiśāli (p. 65), Pāṭaliputra (p. 93), and Rājagrha (p. 162).