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====Ashoka’s Conversion to Buddhism====

[[File: Sarnath_pillar.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left| The Ashoka Pillar from Sarnath]]

Sometime after the bloody war with Kalinga was over, Ashoka made his historic conversion to Buddhism. Essentially, there are two interpretations concerning how it took place, although they are not necessarily exclusive nor in opposition to each other. Ashoka never directly stated how or why he converted in any inscriptions, but a number of his so-called rock and pillar edicts and inscriptions seem to indicate that the conversion was somewhat gradual. The inscriptions, which were usually written in the Prakrit language using some different scripts, exhort the readers to follow Buddhist practices by abstaining from meat consumption, being charitable, and by generally following Buddhist theology. In what is known today as “Minor Rock Edict #1,” Ashoka seems to indicate that he only became a pious Buddhist after a period of familiarity with the religion:

The Sanskrit language Buddhist text known as the <i>Asokavadana</i>, or “narrative of Ashoka,” was written hundreds of years after Ashoka’s death and therefore somewhat of a “pseudo-historical” source, but is an important text when considering how the Buddhist community viewed the conversion of the emperor. According to this text, Ashoka’s rule of India and his eventual conversion to Buddhism was preordained in a previous life. <ref> Strong, John. <i>The Legend of King Asoka: A Study and Translation of the Asokavadana.</i> (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2014), pgs. 203-4</ref> The <i>Asokavadana</i> agrees with the edicts and archaeological evidence that Ashoka was a particularly violent king, but adds details about his cruelty.

For instance, the <i>Asokavadana</i> states that Ashoka had his concubines regularly killed for minor affronts and he built an elaborate torture chamber based on the Buddhist version of hell. <ref> Strong, pgs. 210-14</ref> But unlike the historical sources, the <i>Asokavadana</i> asserts that Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism was the result of sudden enlightenment instead of a gradual process. The passage in question describes how Ashoka attempted to torture and kill a Buddhist monk, but was instead brought to Buddhism.

====Conclusion====