The Emperor Ashoka was considered not only one of the greatest rulers of India, but of world history1. The late 19th century saw Ashoka's memory brought to life again by British archaeologists through the discovery of his edicts throughout India2. But how much is revealed about Ashoka and his empire from just these edicts? I believe that these edicts are a representation of the model empire Ashoka desired.
However, whether or not he achieved this is another issue. Throughout this essay, I will provide researched evidence to highlight my point.The idea of dhamma was considered an ideological philosophy related to Buddhist beliefs as well as society as a whole3, concerning principles such as tolerance and respect for all human kind regardless of religion or caste, refraining from violence and slaying of animals, and practising dhamma itself. Considering India contained such a diverse population at the time, the conversational style of the inscriptions indicated Ashoka's awareness of India's diversity4. The edicts also described a genuine concern to ensure all achieved happiness in this life and the next through teachings of dhamma.
5Despite the idea of dhamma being so 'ideal', it seemed the empire Ashoka wanted so desperately to create was almost an impossible goal he was trying to achieve. Ashoka's paternal kingship6 seemed unrealistic due to the fact that India was a country full of caste, occupational and local jealousies7. Did Ashoka honestly believe that such a system would be feasible?It was also noted that in the latter part of his reign, Ashoka became so obsessed with dhamma that other royal members of the kingdom considered him a danger to the empire8. Perhaps this obsession was built over a period of time after realising that his achievement of the perfect empire would fail?According to the idealised scriptures of the edicts, I believe that what was inscribed assisted us in understanding the character of Ashoka more so than his empire. We can conclude that Ashoka was a tolerant, considerate and dedicated individual, who envisioned the most perfect of empires, where everyone was equal and respected and where animals were not slain. However, when we refer to the edicts for a plausible description of the kingdom, it seems that the empire Ashoka envisioned was as feasible as an oasis in a hot desert.
We must question, if Ashoka was so successful in converting his subjects to Buddhism, why did he hire officers to further enforce the ideas of dhamma every 5 years?9 Were these officers invasive or forceful in anyway? It seems too much is excluded from the edicts to allow us to develop a good understanding of his empire from only this one source.During the decline of Ashoka's rule, it was increasingly evident that the idea of dhamma did not succeed due to the continued presence of social tensions. Although this was not his intention, his policy of non-violence led to the weakening of the army, leaving the country open for invasion10. Although Ashoka never achieved the empire he sought, the edicts remain to forever remind us of Ashoka and his remarkable humanity and vision as 'the Beloved of the Gods'11.
