History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c99.152

v7.c99.152

Aśoka, 493; *Ahiṁsā* of A. was qualified 1015, appointed officers called Mahāmātras to look after Buddhist Saṅgha, Brāhmaṇas, Ājīvikas and all other sects 1012; 12th Rock edict of, requires honour to be shown to all beliefs and sects 1012, 1481; edict 13 of, shows that he sent missionaries to five kings of the Near East about 258 B C., edicts 2 and 5 refer to Yavanas (Yona) 1634n; emphasized moral endeavour, disliked sacrifices, believed in gods and desired that people should strive for heaven 1016n; employs regnal years in his edicts 647; forbids festival meetings (samāja) 1017; his regulations about not killing birds and animals and about the sale of fish must have caused great hardships to poor people, 1015n; in later life appears to gloat over the fact that gods worshipped as divinities in Jambudvīpa had been rendered false 1015-17; Revenue settlement officers called Lājukas were given by A. powers of life and death 1015, Rock edicts 4 and 5 mention ‘Kalpa’ 686; Rupnath Rock Inscription words about gods have been differently interpreted by different scholars 1016–17, was not trained in Pali books and never mentions in all edicts fundamental tenets of early Buddhism such as four noble truths, noble eightfold path 1016n.