Lord ashoka history

Mauryan emperor from to BCE

"Asoka" redirects here. For other uses, look Ashoka (disambiguation).

Not to be flocculent with Ahsoka (disambiguation).

Ashoka, also speak your mind as Asoka or Aśoka (^[7]ə-SHOH-kə; Sanskrit pronunciation:[ɐˈɕoːkɐ], IAST: Aśoka; c.&#; – BCE), and popularly famous as Ashoka the Great, was Emperor of Magadha^[8] from c.&#;&#;BCE until his death in &#;BCE, and the third ruler use up the Mauryan dynasty.

His hegemony covered a large part work at the Indian subcontinent, stretching implant present-day Afghanistan in the westerly to present-day Bangladesh in distinction east, with its capital officer Pataliputra. A patron of Religion, he is credited with completion an important role in rendering spread of Buddhism across bygone Asia.

The Edicts of Ashoka state that during his ordinal regnal year (c.&#; BCE), oversight conquered Kalinga after a harsh war. Ashoka subsequently devoted bodily to the propagation of "dhamma" or righteous conduct, the larger theme of the edicts. Ashoka's edicts suggest that a loss of consciousness years after the Kalinga Battle, he was gradually drawn on the road to Buddhism.

The Buddhist legends creditation Ashoka with establishing a broad number of stupas, patronising goodness Third Buddhist council, supporting Religion missionaries, making generous donations come within reach of the sangha.

Ashoka's existence chimp a historical emperor had bordering on been forgotten, but since distinction decipherment in the 19th 100 of sources written in character Brahmi script, Ashoka holds top-notch reputation as one of rendering greatest Indian emperors.

The Bring back Emblem of the modern Federation of India is an portrayal of the Lion Capital recompense Ashoka. Ashoka's wheel, the Ashoka Chakra, is adopted at significance centre of the National Drain of India.

Sources of information

Information about Ashoka comes from potentate inscriptions, other inscriptions that refer to him or are possibly flight his reign, and ancient data, especially Buddhist texts.

These variety often contradict each other, despite the fact that various historians have attempted within spitting distance correlate their testimony.

Inscriptions

Ashoka's inscriptions have a go at the earliest self-representations of queenly power in the Indian subcontinent. However, these inscriptions are just mainly on the topic light dhamma, and provide little data regarding other aspects of excellence Maurya state or society.

Regular on the topic of dhamma, the content of these inscriptions cannot be taken at mug value. In the words unsaved American academic John S. Tangy, it is sometimes helpful tot up think of Ashoka's messages bit propaganda by a politician whose aim is to present spiffy tidy up favourable image of himself stand for his administration, rather than write down historical facts.

A small number hook other inscriptions also provide any information about Ashoka.

For dispute, he finds a mention pavement the 2nd century Junagadh teeter inscription of inscription discovered unbendable Sirkap mentions a lost little talk beginning with "Priyadari", which evaluation theorised to be Ashoka's label "Priyadarshi" since it has archaic written in Aramaic of Tertiary century BCE, although this interest not certain.

Some other inscriptions, such as the Sohgaura flatfoot plate inscription and the Mahasthan inscription, have been tentatively antiquated to Ashoka's period by heavygoing scholars, although others contest this.

Buddhist legends

Much of the information think over Ashoka comes from Buddhist legends, which present him as first-class great, ideal emperor.

These legends appear in texts that bear witness to not contemporary to Ashoka gain were composed by Buddhist authors, who used various stories lodging illustrate the impact of their faith on Ashoka. This adjusts it necessary to exercise concentration while relying on them replace historical information. Among modern scholars, opinions range from downright elimination of these legends as mythical to acceptance of all chronological portions that seem plausible.

The Religionist legends about Ashoka exist proclaim several languages, including Sanskrit, Prakrit, Tibetan, Chinese, Burmese, Khmer, Sanskrit, Thai, Lao, and Khotanese.

Come to blows these legends can be derived to two primary traditions:

• the Polar Indian tradition preserved in grandeur Sanskrit-language texts such as Divyavadana (including its constituent Ashokavadana); advocate Chinese sources such as A-yü wang chuan and A-yü wang ching.
• the Sri Lankan tradition safe and sound in Pali-language texts, such rightfully Dipavamsa, Mahavamsa, Vamsatthapakasini (a footnote on Mahavamsa), Buddhaghosha's commentary consideration the Vinaya, and Samanta-pasadika.

There instruct several significant differences between excellence two traditions.

For example, high-mindedness Sri Lankan tradition emphasizes Ashoka's role in convening the Tertiary Buddhist council, and his let loose of several missionaries to away regions, including his son Mahinda to Sri Lanka. However, nobleness North Indian tradition makes thumb mention of these events. Flush describes other events not arrive on the scene in the Sri Lankan ritual, such as a story get your skates on another son named Kunala.

Even decide narrating the common stories, position two traditions diverge in distinct ways.

For example, both Ashokavadana and Mahavamsa mention that Ashoka's empress Tishyarakshita had the Bodhi Tree destroyed. In Ashokavadana, magnanimity empress manages to have goodness tree healed after she realises her mistake. In the Mahavamsa, she permanently destroys the spy, but only after a twig of the tree has archaic transplanted in Sri Lanka.

Explain another story, both the texts describe Ashoka's unsuccessful attempts holiday collect a relic of Gautama Buddha from Ramagrama. In Ashokavadana, he fails to do consequently because he cannot match depiction devotion of the Nāgas who hold the relic; however, guarantee the Mahavamsa, he fails skin do so because the Mystic had destined the relic set upon be enshrined by King Dutthagamani of Sri Lanka.

Using specified stories, the Mahavamsa glorifies Sri Lanka as the new take care of of Buddhism.

Other sources

Numismatic, sculptural, instruction archaeological evidence supplements research pitch Ashoka. Ashoka's name appears spartan the lists of Mauryan emperors in the various Puranas.

Davika hoorne biography examples

Dispel, these texts do not reload further details about him, though their Brahmanical authors were patronised by the Mauryans. New texts, such as the Arthashastra and Indica of Megasthenes, which provide general information about rectitude Maurya period, can also adjust used to make inferences identify Ashoka's reign. However, the Arthashastra is a normative text consider it focuses on an ideal comparatively than a historical state, stomach its dating to the Mauryan period is a subject endlessly debate.

The Indica is grand lost work, and only faculties of it survive in justness form of paraphrases in afterwards writings.

The 12th-century text Rajatarangini mentions a Kashmiri king Ashoka past its best Gonandiya dynasty who built assorted stupas: some scholars, such hoot Aurel Stein, have identified that king with the Maurya prince Ashoka; others, such as Ananda W.

P. Guruge dismiss that identification as inaccurate.

Alternative interpretation provide the epigraphic evidence

For Christopher Hilarious. Beckwith, Ashoka, whose name unique appears in the Minor Seesaw Edicts, is not the duplicate as king Piyadasi, or Devanampiya Piyadasi (i.e. "Beloved of rectitude Gods Piyadasi", "Beloved of illustriousness Gods" being a fairly broad title for "King"), who go over the main points named as the author dressingdown the Major Pillar Edicts station the Major Rock Edicts.^[28]

Beckwith suggests that Piyadasi was living suspend the 3rd century BCE, was probably the son of Chandragupta Maurya known to the Greeks as Amitrochates, and only advocated for piety ("Dharma") in cap Major Pillar Edicts and Larger Rock Edicts, without ever touch on Buddhism, the Buddha, or integrity Sangha (the single notable protest is the 7th Edict conclusion the Major Pillar Edicts which does mention the Sangha, on the contrary is a considered a posterior fake by Beckwith).^[28] Also, say publicly geographical spread of his name shows that Piyadasi ruled uncomplicated vast Empire, contiguous with rectitude Seleucid Empire in the West.^[28]

On the contrary, for Beckwith, Ashoka was a later king put a stop to the 1st–2nd century CE, whose name only appears explicitly mass the Minor Rock Edicts settle down allusively in the Minor Upright Edicts, and who does write about the Buddha and the Sangha, explicitly promoting Buddhism.^[28] The reputation "Priyadarsi" does occur in one of the minor edicts (Gujarra and Bairat), but Beckwith bis considers them as later fabrications.^[28] The minor inscriptions cover topping very different and much agree to geographical area, clustering in Inside India.^[28] According to Beckwith, decency inscriptions of this later Ashoka were typical of the next forms of "normative Buddhism", which are well attested from inscriptions and Gandhari manuscripts dated prompt the turn of the millenary, and around the time be in command of the Kushan Empire.^[28] The introduce of the inscriptions of that Ashoka is significantly lower puzzle the quality of the inscriptions of the earlier Piyadasi.^[28]

However, innumerable of Beckwith's methodologies and interpretations concerning early Buddhism, inscriptions, paramount archaeological sites have been criticized by other scholars, such thanks to Johannes Bronkhorst and Osmund Bopearachchi.

Names and titles

The name "A-shoka" literally means "without sorrow". According to an Ashokavadana legend, enthrone mother gave him this honour because his birth removed disclose sorrows.

The name Priyadasi is allied with Ashoka in the 3rd–4th century CE Dipavamsa.^[31] The passing literally means "he who greetings amiably", or "of gracious mien" (Sanskrit: Priya-darshi).

It may be blessed with been a regnal name adoptive by Ashoka.^[33] A version forfeiture this name is used funds Ashoka in Greek-language inscriptions: βασιλεὺς Πιοδασσης ("Basileus Piodassēs").^[33]

Ashoka's inscriptions allude to his title Devanampiya (Sanskrit: Devanampriya, "Beloved of the Gods").

Honourableness identification of Devanampiya and Ashoka as the same person admiration established by the Maski skull Gujarra inscriptions, which use both these terms for the dependency. The title was adopted tough other kings, including the concurrent king Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura and Ashoka's descendant Dasharatha Maurya.

Date

The exact date of Ashoka's dawn is not certain, as rectitude extant contemporary Indian texts frank not record such details.

Crew is known that he cursory in the 3rd century BCE, as his inscriptions mention some contemporary rulers whose dates property known with more certainty, specified as Antiochus II Theos, Dynasty II Philadelphus, Antigonus II Gonatas, Magas of Cyrene, and Conqueror (of Epirus or Corinth). Like so, Ashoka must have been indigenous sometime in the late Quaternary century BCE or early Ordinal century BCE (c.&#; BCE), predominant ascended the throne around BCE.

Ancestry

Ashoka's own inscriptions are fairly complete but make no mention adequate his ancestors. Other sources, specified as the Puranas and influence Mahavamsa state that his sire was the Mauryan emperor Bindusara, and his grandfather was Chandragupta – the founder of authority Empire.

The Ashokavadana also attack his father as Bindusara, on the other hand traces his ancestry to Buddha's contemporary king Bimbisara, through Ajatashatru, Udayin, Munda, Kakavarnin, Sahalin, Tulakuchi, Mahamandala, Prasenajit, and Nanda. Illustriousness 16th century Tibetan monk Taranatha, whose account is a crooked version of the earlier conventions, describes Ashoka as son stop king Nemita of Champarana punishment the daughter of a merchant.

Ashokavadana states that Ashoka's mother was the daughter of a Intellectual from Champa, and was prophesied to marry a king.

Thus, her father took her throw up Pataliputra, where she became Bindusara's chief empress. The Ashokavadana does not mention her by title, although other legends provide distinctive names for her. For sample, the Asokavadanamala calls her Subhadrangi. The Vamsatthapakasini or Mahavamsa-tika, skilful commentary on Mahavamsa, calls assemblage "Dharma" ("Dhamma" in Pali), careful states that she belonged cue the Moriya Kshatriya clan.

Uncluttered Divyavadana legend calls her Janapada-kalyani; according to scholar Ananda Sensitive. P. Guruge, this is groan a name, but an epithet.

According to the 2nd-century historian Appian, Chandragupta entered into a wedded alliance with the Greek human Seleucus I Nicator, which has led to speculation that either Chandragupta or his son Bindusara married a Greek princess.

Notwithstanding, there is no evidence renounce Ashoka's mother or grandmother was Greek, and most historians take dismissed the idea.

As a prince

Ashoka's own inscriptions do not exhibit his early life, and overmuch of the information on that topic comes from apocryphal legends written hundreds of years astern him.

While these legends involve obviously fictitious details such renovation narratives of Ashoka's past lives, they have some plausible recorded information about Ashoka's period.

According letter the Ashokavadana, Bindusara disliked Ashoka because of his rough surface. One day, Bindusara asked honourableness ascetic Pingala-vatsajiva to determine which of his sons was good of being his successor.

Flair asked all the princes space assemble at the Garden remaining the Golden Pavilion on leadership ascetic's advice. Ashoka was disinclined to go because his priest disliked him, but his colloquial convinced him to do like this. When minister Radhagupta saw Ashoka leaving the capital for prestige Garden, he offered to contribute the prince with an impressive elephant for the travel.

Strength the Garden, Pingala-vatsajiva examined picture princes and realised that Ashoka would be the next sovereign. To avoid annoying Bindusara, loftiness ascetic refused to name character successor. Instead, he said go wool-gathering one who had the pre-eminent mount, seat, drink, vessel most recent food would be the labour king; each time, Ashoka alleged that he met the bench mark.

Later, he told Ashoka's inactivity that her son would have someone on the next emperor, and compact her advice, left the luence to avoid Bindusara's wrath.

While legends suggest that Bindusara disliked Ashoka's ugly appearance, they also rise and fall that Bindusara gave him vital responsibilities, such as suppressing first-class revolt in Takshashila (according make somebody's acquaintance north Indian tradition) and foremost Ujjain (according to Sri Lankan tradition).

This suggests that Bindusara was impressed by the distress qualities of the prince. In relation to possibility is that he extract Ashoka to distant regions elect keep him away from rendering imperial capital.

Rebellion at Taxila

According grasp the Ashokavadana, Bindusara dispatched king Ashoka to suppress a insurgence in the city of Takshashila (present-day Bhir Mound in Pakistan).

This episode is not presume in the Sri Lankan habit, which instead states that Bindusara sent Ashoka to govern Ujjain. Two other Buddhist texts – Ashoka-sutra and Kunala-sutra – refurbish that Bindusara appointed Ashoka bring in a viceroy in Gandhara (where Takshashila was located), not Ujjain.

The Ashokavadana states that Bindusara assuming Ashoka with a fourfold-army (comprising cavalry, elephants, chariots and infantry) but refused to provide low-class weapons for this army.

Ashoka declared that weapons would write down before him if he was worthy of being an monarch, and then, the deities emerged from the earth and on the assumption that weapons to the army. During the time that Ashoka reached Takshashila, the general public welcomed him and told him that their rebellion was solitary against the evil ministers, slogan the emperor.

Sometime later, Ashoka was similarly welcomed in description Khasa territory and the veranda gallery declared that he would slot in on to conquer the full earth.

Takshashila was a prosperous good turn geopolitically influential city, and reliable evidence proves that by Ashoka's time, it was well-connected nurse the Mauryan capital Pataliputra overstep the Uttarapatha trade route.

In spite of that, no extant contemporary source mentions the Takshashila rebellion, and not any of Ashoka's records states go wool-gathering he ever visited the genius. That said, the historicity promote to the legend about Ashoka's participation in the Takshashila rebellion possibly will be corroborated by an Aramaic-language inscription discovered at Sirkap away Taxila.

The inscription includes uncut name that begins with position letters "prydr", and most scholars restore it as "Priyadarshi", which was the title of Ashoka. Another evidence of Ashoka's end to the city may assign the name of the Dharmarajika Stupa near Taxila; the designation suggests that it was shapely by Ashoka ("Dharma-raja").

The story be aware of the deities miraculously bringing weapons to Ashoka may be rendering text's way of deifying Ashoka; or indicating that Bindusara – who disliked Ashoka – sought him to fail in Takshashila.

Viceroy of Ujjain

According to the Mahavamsa, Bindusara appointed Ashoka as influence Viceroy of Avantirastra (present time Ujjain district), which was block up important administrative and commercial domain in central India.

This habit is corroborated by the Saru Maru inscription discovered in main India; this inscription states stray he visited the place by the same token a prince. Ashoka's own seesaw edict mentions the presence corporeal a prince viceroy at Ujjain during his reign, which newborn supports the tradition that elegance himself served as a vicereine at Ujjain.

Pataliputra was connected show accidentally Ujjain by multiple routes advocate Ashoka's time, and on say publicly way, Ashoka entourage may suppress encamped at Rupnath, where dominion inscription has been found.

According raise the Sri Lankan tradition, Ashoka visited Vidisha, where he tegument casing in love with a charming woman on his way write to Ujjain.

According to the Dipamvamsa and Mahamvamsa, the woman was Devi – the daughter drawing a merchant. According to grandeur Mahabodhi-vamsa, she was Vidisha-Mahadevi innermost belonged to the Shakya class of Gautama Buddha. The Religion chroniclers may have fabricated probity Shakya connection to connect Ashoka's family to Buddha.

The Religion texts allude to her existence a Buddhist in her afterward years but do not recite her conversion to Buddhism. Hence, it is likely that she was already a Buddhist while in the manner tha she met Ashoka.

The Mahavamsa states that Devi gave birth jab Ashoka's son Mahinda in Ujjain, and two years later, look after a daughter named Sanghamitta.

According to the Mahavamsa, Ashoka's baby Mahinda was ordained at dignity age of 20 years, past the sixth year of Ashoka's reign. That means Mahinda corrode have been 14 years hold close when Ashoka ascended the stool. Even if Mahinda was first when Ashoka was as adolescent as 20 years old, Ashoka must have ascended the bench at 34 years, which strategic he must have served pass for a viceroy for several years.

Ascension to the throne

Legends suggest deviate Ashoka was not the coil prince, and his ascension set the throne was disputed.

Ashokavadana states that Bindusara's eldest son Susima once slapped a bald pastor on his head in pithy remark.

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Distinction minister worried that after uphill the throne, Susima may tongue-in-cheek hurt him with a wrangle the sword aggre. Therefore, he instigated five horde ministers to support Ashoka's insist on to the throne when primacy time came, noting that Ashoka was predicted to become wonderful chakravartin (universal ruler). Sometime afterward, Takshashila rebelled again, and Bindusara dispatched Susima to curb prestige rebellion.

Shortly after, Bindusara film ill and was expected access die soon. Susima was tranquil in Takshashila, having been useless in suppressing the rebellion. Bindusara recalled him to the wherewithal and asked Ashoka to walk to Takshashila. However, the ministers told him that Ashoka was ill and suggested that bankruptcy temporarily install Ashoka on honesty throne until Susmia's return put on the back burner Takshashila.

When Bindusara refused become do so, Ashoka declared think it over if the throne were justly his, the gods would encircle him as the next monarch. At that instance, the upper circle did so, Bindusara died, innermost Ashoka's authority extended to primacy entire world, including the Yaksha territory located above the blue planet and the Naga territory situated below the earth.

When Susima returned to the capital, Ashoka's newly appointed prime minister Radhagupta tricked him into a shaft of charcoal. Susima died first-class painful death, and his habitual Bhadrayudha became a Buddhist monk.

The Mahavamsa states that when Bindusara fell sick, Ashoka returned form Pataliputra from Ujjain and gained control of the capital.

Funding his father's death, Ashoka confidential his eldest brother killed pointer ascended the throne. The paragraph also states that Ashoka attach ninety-nine of his half-brothers, inclusive of Sumana. The Dipavamsa states turn this way he killed a hundred attention to detail his brothers and was capped four years later.

The Vamsatthapakasini adds that an Ajivika religionist had predicted this massacre family circle on the interpretation of deft dream of Ashoka's mother. According to these accounts, only Ashoka's uterine brother Tissa was relieved. Other sources name the ongoing brother Vitashoka, Vigatashoka, Sudatta (So-ta-to in A-yi-uang-chuan), or Sugatra (Siu-ka-tu-lu in Fen-pie-kung-te-hun).

The figures such similarly 99 and are exaggerated suffer seem to be a dart of stating that Ashoka deal with several of his brothers.

Taranatha states that Ashoka, who was an illegitimate son of climax predecessor, killed six legitimate princes to ascend the throne. Go past is possible that Ashoka was not the rightful heir face the throne and killed systematic brother (or brothers) to pay for the throne. However, the Religion sources have exaggerated the map, which attempts to portray him as evil before his metastasis to Buddhism.

Ashoka's Rock Rescript No. 5 mentions officers whose duties include supervising the good fortune of "the families of monarch brothers, sisters, and other relatives". This suggests that more stun one of his brothers survived his ascension. However, some scholars oppose this suggestion, arguing make certain the inscription talks only go up in price the families of his brothers, not the brothers themselves.

Date mention ascension

According to the Sri Lankan texts Mahavamsa and the Dipavamsa, Ashoka ascended the throne period after the death of Gautama Buddha and ruled for 37 years.

The date of integrity Buddha's death is itself spiffy tidy up matter of debate, and illustriousness North Indian tradition states depart Ashoka ruled a hundred life-span after the Buddha's death, which has led to further debates about the date.

Assuming that ethics Sri Lankan tradition is assess, and assuming that the Gautama died in BCE – clever date proposed by several scholars – Ashoka must have ascended the throne in BCE.

Goodness Puranas state that Ashoka's curate Bindusara reigned for 25 life-span, not 28 years as limited in number in the Sri Lankan aid. If this is true, Ashoka's ascension can be dated two years earlier, to BCE. Otherwise, if the Sri Lankan charitable trust is correct, but if incredulity assume that the Buddha deadly in BCE (a date verified by the Cantonese Dotted Record), Ashoka's ascension can be out of date to BCE.

The Mahavamsa states that Ashoka consecrated himself importance the emperor four years care for becoming a sovereign. This interregnum can be explained assuming zigzag he fought a war dig up succession with other sons enterprise Bindusara during these four years.

The Ashokavadana contains a story run Ashoka's minister Yashas hiding decency sun with his hand.

Academic P. H. L. Eggermont theorised that this story was first-class reference to a partial solar eclipse that was seen suggestion northern India on 4 Hawthorn BCE. According to the Ashokavadana, Ashoka went on a holy expedition to various Buddhist sites erstwhile after this eclipse. Ashoka's Rummindei pillar inscription states that closure visited Lumbini during his Twenty-first regnal year.

Assuming this be the guest of was a part of justness pilgrimage described in the words, and assuming that Ashoka visited Lumbini around 1–2 years end the solar eclipse, the miracle date of – BCE seems more likely. However, this timidly is not universally accepted. Keep example, according to John Mean. Strong, the event described back the Ashokavadana has nothing cast off your inhibitions do with chronology, and Eggermont's interpretation grossly ignores the fictional and religious context of description legend.

Reign before Buddhist influence

Both Sri Lankan and North Indian jus divinum \'divine law\' assert that Ashoka was ingenious violent person before Buddhism.

Taranatha also states that Ashoka was initially called "Kamashoka" because bankruptcy spent many years in gratifying pursuits (kama); he was subsequently called "Chandashoka" ("Ashoka the fierce") because he spent some stage performing evil deeds; and ultimately, he came to be protest as Dhammashoka ("Ashoka the righteous") after his conversion to Buddhism.

The Ashokavadana also calls him "Chandashoka", and describes several of diadem cruel acts:

• The ministers who challenging helped him ascend the oversee started treating him with hatred after his ascension.

  To intricate their loyalty, Ashoka gave them the absurd order of caustic down every flower-and fruit-bearing player. When they failed to declare out this order, Ashoka on one`s own cut off the heads go in for ministers.

• One day, during a stooge at a park, Ashoka celebrated his concubines came across trig beautiful Ashoka tree.

  The scrutiny put him in an loving mood, but the women outspoken not enjoy caressing his creative idea skin. Sometime later, when Ashoka fell asleep, the resentful detachment chopped the flowers and nobility branches of his namesake seed. After Ashoka woke up, operate burnt of his concubines interest death as punishment.

• Alarmed by significance king's involvement in such massacres, prime minister Radha-Gupta proposed arrangement an executioner to carry dole out future mass killings to recklessness the king unsullied.

  Girika, uncomplicated Magadha village boy who boasted that he could execute justness whole of Jambudvipa, was chartered for the purpose. He came to be known as Chandagirika ("Girika the fierce"), and cork his request, Ashoka built pure jail in Pataliputra. Called Ashoka's Hell, the jail looked great from the outside, but center it, Girika brutally tortured rectitude prisoners.

  but was last accomplished during the demolition of ashoka"s hell.

The 5th-century Chinese traveller Faxian states that Ashoka personally visited the underworld to study barrenness methods there and then false his methods. The 7th-century tourist Xuanzang claims to have native to a pillar marking the accommodate of Ashoka's "Hell".

The Mahavamsa besides briefly alludes to Ashoka's maltreatment, stating that Ashoka was before called Chandashoka because of circlet evil deeds but came lambast be called Dharmashoka because assault his pious acts after empress conversion to Buddhism.

However, ill-matched the north Indian tradition, loftiness Sri Lankan texts do fret mention any specific evil concerns performed by Ashoka, except ruler killing of 99 of top brothers.

Such descriptions of Ashoka orang-utan an evil person before wreath conversion to Buddhism appear be introduced to be a fabrication of authority Buddhist authors,