Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c40.8

v2.c40.8

(iii) Ethical teaching (higher): Aśoka wanted that some of his subjects should reach a level higher than that of an average householder and it was from these he expected sādhave (much good), apāsinava (freedom from evils) such as strong desire (caṃdiya), cruelty, anger, conceit, and envy (P. E. III), dayā (mercy), dāne (liberality), sace (truthfulness), socaye (purity), and mādave (gentleness). (Bhandarkar, p. 104). In this list of duties and virtues there is nothing particularly Buddhistic, and if, as Prof. Bhandarkar suggests, that Aśoka utilised the Lakkhaṇasutta, it should be observed that he omitted the words śīla and uposatha, occurring in the verse referred to,² indicating that his dhamma was different from that of the lay-Buddhists.