Asokan Rock edicts are laws of Asokan State: By Sona Kanti Barua
Posted in Buddhism and Sustainable Development, Comparative studies, Contemporary Buddhism, Recent Activities, Some pictures Talk More Than Words
Kings words are laws. Asoka - the Great
King of South Asia, who propagated Buddhism in the 3rd century B.C.
There are explanations of Buddha’s Sutras (Discourses of Buddha) inscribed in
hills, rock edicts as the laws of Emperor Asoka. Doing good is Brahman. Good is God. Doing bad
business in the name of God is not Brahman. The first thing to recognize is
that rights are in the gift of others and depend upon their good will, if not
of the individual ancient Indians perceive as owing Asokan empire a right, then
at least upon the goodwill of society in its as enforcer of Dharma’s rights.
Emperor Asoka’s subjects can expect to be treated well by Dharma in practice as
we read in rock edicts. For a while he (King Asoka) became a pilgrim. He went
on pilgrimage in Lumbini, there are five lines of Brahmi script engraved on the
pillar erected by king Asoka (249 – 250 B. C.) . In the second line there are
two compound words, hida Buddhue Jate Sakyamuni, means here Sakyamuni Buddha
was born. 18Lumbini is the birth
place of the prince Siddhartha who later became the Buddha.
Emperor Asoka followed the ten duties of
a king (Dasa Raja Dhamma) of ethical and moral duties. This is indicated by
emperor Asoka’s rock edicts No.14 “Just
as I want my own children to enjoy all prosperity and happiness in this life
and the next, so I want the same for all men. The world should be comported by
me. From me the world should receive happiness not sorrow. There is no duty
higher than to promote happiness of the whole world.” 19It
is easy to say but hard to do. Asoka understood that greed and hatred have been
the cause of many problems of human beings. In order to address these problems
seriously in emperor Asoka’s rock edicts and inscriptions to create
compassionate society and healthy environment.
When a downtrodden individual began to
realize that they matter in this world. Asoka gave a dream to create
compassionate society in ancient India by inscribing rock edicts.
Compassion does not arise from insisting upon duty any more than it can be made
to arise by insisting upon rights. Duty is a concept that has gone out of
fashion as long with the collapse of authority as a vehicle of morality.
Buddhism is right when it says the separate selfishness is an illusion.
18 The World
Fellowship of Buddhists, Bangkok ,
Thailand
19 T. W. Rhys
Davids, Buddhist India
Emperor Asokan
Buddhist State
Buddhism had
contributed remarkably to the development of the forms and institution of civil
government including the ideals of kingship in ancient India . In those rock edicts King
Asoka expressed his belief in the light of wisdom and law of the Buddha who can
save mankind from the gloom of despair and destruction. His invocation to the
Merciful for a new hope in rock edicts and inscription in this strife torn
world is appealing to the people of Asokan kingdom. King Asoka’s Rock Edict No.
X1V, ordered the law on the inter-faith respects and multicultural value,
“There should not be honor to one’s own religion or condemnation of another’s
without any occasion, or it masy be little on this and that occasion. By so
doing one promotes religion (Dhamma), and benefits another’s too. By doing
otherwise one harms both, his own and also another’s religion. One who honors
his own and condemns another’s religion (Dhamma), all that through attachment
to his own religion why? in order to illuminate it by the practice of good
dharma. But in reality, by doing, he
only harms it, to be sure. Concourse (Samavaya) therefore, is commendable
(sadhu) – why? In order that people may hear and desire to hear one another’s
religion (Dhamma)?” 21
The
Government of India had decided that the Dharma Cakra or the Wheel –symbolizes
orderly changes of Buddha’s teachings the Paticcasamuppada and
Law of the Buddha,
which was taken from the top decoration of the pillar of the great King Asoka
who was one of the strongest promoters of Buddhist thought in the 3rd
century B.C., as the national symbol of the Indian Republic
Buddhism and followers
of the Buddha respected the inter-faith system. The Buddha became the source of
religious authority for abolishing racism and caste system. There is no
sanction in the Vedic scriptures for this system reform. The present
constitution of the Indian
Republic Varanasi )
the wheel of law and order on the national flag of India
Conclusion:
Moreover, there are inscriptions and rock edicts were
made which attests to the expression of law. All effects have causes. King
Asoka utilized the Buddhist religious traditions are not static. They respond
to political, economic, social and public relations change. But King Asoka
didn’t level himself a Buddhist in many rock edicts. Why is this done? And is
it really a good stance to adopt it? When this is examined in the light of the
Buddha’s teachings it becomes obvious that such people must be afflicted with skeptical
doubt uncertainty, both possible translation of Dharma. There is an unwholesome
factor of a mind rooted in delusion, and cannot lead to anything good. Yet, the
way that such remarks are made seem to reflect the notion that ‘not labeling
oneself is mark of a spiritually mature, even advanced person. Labels need not
be a cause of conflict, nor will deliberately not labeling oneself become a
cause of peace. Just don’t be narrow and intolerant, that’s all. Buddhism
taught us not to convert but to awaken people. The Buddha compared his
teachings to a raft or vehicle; the purpose of a raft (vehicle) is to help to
cross a stretch of water. So, in this way, Buddha’s teachings (Dharma) are very
practical. It helps people to get over the mental disturbances that constantly
agitate them and put their minds in order to live in joy here and realize
Nibbana (Nirvana)-the eternal peace.
21 Trevor
Ling, The Buddha, p. 160 – 161
22 Trevor
Ling, The Buddha, p. 134.
Bibliography
Buddhaghosa
Achariya, (translator, Nyanamoli), Visuddhimagga, (The Path of Purification),
Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy ,
Sri Lanka
Dr.
B. M. Barua, Asoka and His Inscriptions,New Age Publishers Ltd.,
Calcutta, India, 1955.
Narada
Mahathera, The Buddha and His Teachings, Vajirarama Vihar, Colombo , Sri Lanka
Narada
Mahathera, Dhammapada, Vijirarama
Temple , Colombo , Sri Lanka
Soma
Thera, Kalama Sutra, Buddhist
Publication Society, Kandy ,
Sri Lanka
T.
W. Rhys David, Buddhist India ,
Motilal Banarasidass, 2 Ashok Rajpath, Patna ,
Bihar , India
Trevor
Ling, The Buddha, Temple Smith ,37
Great Russel Street , London U.K.
The
World Fellowship of Buddhists, The W.F.B. Review, 33, Sukhumvit Road , Bangkok Thailand
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