The Ashokavadana (Sanskrit: अशॊकवदन, "Narrative of Ashoka") is a 2nd century CE document related to the legend of the Maurya emperor Ashoka. The legend was translated into Chinese by Fa Hien 300 CE. The Sanskrit language ( , for short ) is an old Indo-Aryan language from the Indian Subcontinent, the classical literary language of the Hindus of India[1], a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... The Mauryan empire (321 to 185 BCE), at its largest extent around 230 BCE. The Lion Capital of Asoka, erected around 250 BCE. It is the emblem of India. ... Allegiance: Magadhan Empire Rank: Emperor Succeeded by: Dasaratha Maurya Reign: 273 BC-232 BC Place of birth: Pataliputra, India Battles/Wars Kalinga War Emperor Ashoka the Great (Devanagari: अशोक(:); IAST transliteration: , pronunciation: ) (304 BC–232 BC) (Imperial Title:Devanampiya Piyadassi ie He who is the beloved of the Gods who, in... Faxian (pinyin, Chinese characters: 法顯, also romanized as Fa-Hien or Fa-hsien) (ca. ...

Book cover of "The legend of King Asoka, A study and translation of the Asokavadana", John Strong, Princeton Library of Asian translations.

The Ashokavadana is essentially similar to the accounts of Ashoka contained in the Divyavadana ("Divine narrative"), suggesting a similar origin. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1071x1679, 1045 KB) Summary Book cover of The legend of King Asoka, John Strong, Princeton Library of ASina translations, ISBN 0691014590 Licensing This image is of a book cover, and the copyright for it is most likely owned either by the... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1071x1679, 1045 KB) Summary Book cover of The legend of King Asoka, John Strong, Princeton Library of ASina translations, ISBN 0691014590 Licensing This image is of a book cover, and the copyright for it is most likely owned either by the... Divyavadana, Devine Deeds (Avadana) is a Sarvastivadin anthology consisting 38 ledends including emperor Asoka. ...

The Ashokavadana gives a rather detailed account of the birth and reign of king Ashoka. According to the legend, the birth of Ashoka was predicted by the Buddha, in the story of "The Gift of Dust":

"A hundred years after my death there will be an emperor named Ashoka in Pataliputra. He will rule one of the four continents and adorn Jambudvipa with my relics building eighty four thousand stupas for the welfare of people. He will have them honored by gods and men. His fame will be widespread. His meritorious gift was just this: Jaya threw a handful of dust into the Tathaagata's bowl." Sayings of the Buddha according to the Ashokavadana ^[1]

Following this prophecy, the Ashokavadana further states that Ashoka was finally born as the son of the Maurya Emperor Bindusara by a relatively lower ranked queen, the daughter of a poor Brahmin who introduced her into the harem of the Emperor as it was predicted that her son would be a great ruler. Although she was of priestly lineage, the fact that she was not royal by birth made her a very low-status consort in the harem.^[2] Chandragupta Maurya (ruled 322–298 BC), known to the Greeks as Sandracottus, was the first emperor of the Mauryan empire. ... Bindusara was the second Mauryan emperor (297 - c. ...

The Ashokavadana is also often quoted for its description of the 180 BCE Sunga king Pusyamitra Sunga as en enemy of the Buddhist faith, which before him had been supported by the Mauryan Empire: (Redirected from 180 BCE) Centuries: 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC Decades: 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC - 180s BC - 150s BC 140s BC 130s BC 120s BC 110s BC Years: 185 BC 184 BC 183 BC 182 BC 181 BC - 180 BC... Approximate greatest extent of the Sunga empire (185 BCE-73 BCE) For other uses of the term Sunga see Sunga (disambiguation) The Sunga empire (or Shunga empire) controlled the eastern part of India from around 185 to 73 BCE. It was established after the fall of the Indian Mauryan empire. ... Pusyamitra Sunga (also Pushyamitra Shunga) was the founder of the Indian Sunga dynasty (185-78 BCE). ... The Mauryan empire (321 to 185 BCE), at its largest extent around 230 BCE. The Lion Capital of Asoka, erected around 250 BCE. It is the emblem of India. ...

"Then King Pusyamitra equipped a fourfold army, and intending to destroy the Buddhist religion, he went to the Kukkutarama. (...) Pusyamitra therefore destroyed the sangharama, killed the monks there, and departed.

After some time, he arrived in Sakala, and proclaimed that he would give a hundred dinara reward to whomever brought him the head of a Buddhist monk" Ashokavadana, 133, trans. John Strong.

These accounts are regarded by many secular historians as exaggerated. For details on this topic see Decline of Buddhism in India. Kukkutarama was a Buddhist monastery in Pataliputra in eastern India, which is famous as the location of various Discourses at the Kukkutarama Monastery, and for the eponymous Kukkutarama sutra. Kukkutarama was also a Buddhist monastery in Kosambi. ... another name for Guan Gong when he died. ... Sagala, today Sialkot, was a city of northern Pakistan in the Punjab region. ... Buddhism was initially established in India and it flourished there during the early phases of its history. ...

Notes

1. ^ The Gift of Dust
2. ^ The unknown Ashoka

References

• "The Legend of King Asoka, A study and translation of the Asokavadana", John Strong, Princeton Library of Asian translations, 1983, ISBN 0-691-01459-0

External links

• Sanskrit version of the Ashokavadana

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