Ashoka's Dharma: How an Emperor Spread Buddhism Across Asia

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the profound religious transformation of the Mauryan Empire under Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE. They delve into the Kalinga War's aftermath, Ashoka's conversion to Buddhism, and the innovative policies of Dhamma that reshaped governance and society. The discussion covers Ashoka's Rock and Pillar Edicts, the Third Buddhist Council at Pataliputra, and the dispatch of missionaries like Mahinda to Sri Lanka and Majjhantika to Kashmir. They examine the tension between Ashoka's nonviolent ideals and the realities of empire, including the continued existence of capital punishment and slavery. The episode also highlights Ashoka's role in spreading Buddhism beyond India, setting a precedent for state-sponsored religion that influenced later rulers like Kanishka. Finally, they consider the enigmatic disappearance of Ashoka from historical memory, only rediscovered through 19th-century decipherment of Brahmi script. #Ashoka #MauryanEmpire #Buddhism #Dhamma #KalingaWar #RockEdicts #PillarEdicts #ThirdBuddhistCouncil #Pataliputra #Mahinda #Brahmi #LionCapital #Sarnath #History #FexingoHistory #Emperor #AncientIndia #SilkRoad Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo