Theory of Government in Ancient India (Post-Vedic) c11.46

c11.46

historian of Buddhism, identifies Ārya Śūra with the well-known Buddhist poet, Aśvaghoṣa, who flourished about the first century A.D. The statement is open to doubt but the florid kāvya style of Ārya Śūra certainly points to the period when that species of narration was widely cultivated in India. Ārya Śūra has probably suffered from interpolations but the main text seems to be pure.¹ He is none too rich in political reflections but the Buddha was a king or a high personage in so many of his previous births that every Jātaka writer must sketch an ideal monarch, minister or mayor. Once when he was a king of the Śibis, he is represented as "distinguished by energy, discretion, majesty and power." He embodied all the virtues pertaining to Dharma, Artha and Kāma—a reminiscence of Brahmanic thought. Of course, the Bodhisattva "ruled his subjects as if they were his own children." He rejoiced at the sight of mendicants whom he could relieve. In all parts of the town he erected alms-houses and provided every kind of grains, goods and utensils. "In this way he poured out the rain of his gifts, not unlike a cloud of the Kṛita Yuga." Every one got what he wanted—food, drink, couches, seats, dwellings, meals, perfumes, wreaths, silver, gold or anything else. Everyone was summoned by proclamation to declare his need.² In the next story, as king of Kośala, the Bodhisattva displays the same virtues and generosity.³ In the eighth story as king Maitribala he appears as entering into all the joys and sorrows of his subjects, handling both his sword and his law in the protection of his subjects. His sword, however, was merely an ornament, for other kings waited on him respectfully for orders. He dealt out punishments and rewards without infringing righteousness.”¹ In the tenth story, Bodhisattva as a universal sovereign finds his realm afflicted by a famine and is strongly advised by his Brāhmaṇa Councillors to neutralise the disaster by performing a Vedic sacrifice. But he would not consent to sacrifice animals and gets out of the difficulty by proclaiming to assembled townsmen his intention of sacrificing a thousand blackguards and thus leading all to behave righteously. He ends by providing relief to all who were in want of anything.²