Ashoka - Harmony of Religions

7/30/2019 Ashoka - Harmony of Religions

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Asoka

akHarmony of Religions

Translation of Girnar Rock Edict No. 12

By

Sthiramati

(Email:[email protected])

June 2012
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Introduction

Aoka (304232 BCE) was undoubtedly the greatest emperor known to ancient India. He wasperhaps the only emperor in history to establish an empire based on righteousness (dharma)rather than on force. He left his vision for posterity by way of indelible inscriptions (known as

edicts) on rocks, cave walls, and pillars. The following picture shows the location of his edicts:

The edicts reflect the thoughts ofAoka on a variety of topics; however the running themesinclude ethics, morality, social and animal welfare programs, and his commitment to Buddhism.

He is probably the only emperor in history to have declared that the chief conquest is not the one

by force but the one by moral law (dharma). He says in the thirteenth Rock Edit ofShahbazgarhi:


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Original text (transliterated into Devanagari)

Sanskrit equivalent

:

Translation

Devanmpriya() desires () for all living beings () freedom from

harm (), restraint (), harmonious living (), and happiness (). And this

( ) indeed is the principal conquest (: ) of Devanmpriya ()

the moral conquest ().

The language used byAoka was a Prkrit calledMgadh, named after the region (Mgadha)where it was spoken. The script used in most of the edicts is Brhm, although the edicts in thewesternmost regions of his empire (now in Afghanistan) used Kharohand Greek scripts.

Aoka generally refers to himself by the titles he assumed for himself: DevanmpiyaandPiyadasi. Many of his edicts start with the words DevanmpiyaPiyadasiRjheva ha,

meaning Thus said the King DevanmpiyaPiyadasi. Only a few edicts refer to him by hisnameone of them being a minor rock edict in Maski in Raichur district in Karnatka. This edictuses the phrase DevanmpiyaAsokasa, meaning OfDevanmpiyaAsoka.

On the right is a photograph of the

Maski edict:

Here is a graphic version of the top

line of the inscription:

This line contains the phrase aks, transliterated as (asokasa), i.e. ofAsoka. Thisconclusively shows that Devnmpiya was a title used by the person namedAsoka.


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The Girnar Rock Edict No. 12

A set of fourteen rock edicts, with minor differences, are found in five different places in India.

The one in Girnar (present day Gujarat) is dated to 257 BCE by archaeologists and scholars. Of

these Edict No. 12 is particularly interesting because it shows the broadmindedness of Emperor

Aoka with respect to the various religions that existed during his time. Indeed, it is difficult tofind such magnanimity even nowadays.

Here is a picture of an estampage (obtained by pressing wet paper on to the rock face), preparedby the ASI (Archaeological Society of India) of this edict:

Complete Translation of Edict

Emperor Devanmpiya Piyadasi honors all sects, including ascetics and householders; he honorsthem by gifts and various kinds of offerings. However, Devanmpiyadoes not consider gifts andhonors to be as valuable as thisthat there should be growth of the essential principles of allsects. The growth of the essence can indeed happen in several ways. But the root of that

(increase) is thisrestraint of speech. How? Praise of ones sect and criticism of other sects

should not happen at inappropriate occasions, or should happen with restraint in those contexts(where it is appropriate). Furthermore, other sects should indeed be honored in the appropriate

contexts. Doing this, one causes ones own sect to grow and also benefits other sects. The one

who does what is contrary to this causes damage to ones own sect and also harms other sects.

Whoever indeed honors own sect and condemns other sects from complete devotion thinkingthus - how should I glorify my own sect a person behaving thus damages his own sect even

more. Therefore harmony alone is the right approach. How (should harmony be achieved)? Thus

all should listen to the views of each other and also propound their views. This indeed is the

wish ofDevanmpiyathat all sects be well known and be endowed with auspicious teachings.Those who are content with their own sects should be toldDevanmpiya does not considergifts and honoring other sects as important as (the fact) that there should be growth of theessential values of all sects. Therefore, several officers to propagate the teachings, officers for

the welfare of women, officers in charge of pastures, as well as other officers have been

appointed for this purpose. This indeed is the fruit of thisthe growth of ones sect and the

illumination ofDharma.


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Detailed Translation

There are nine lines in this edict as shown is the graphic version below (for clearer legibility):

The following will now be presented each line of the text:

1. Image from the original inscription2. Text in Brhmscript using a Brhmword processor (The one used has some limitationsin particular, it does not display conjunct consonants and does not display all vowel

signs properly. Inadequacies are indicated by a question mark)

3. Text in Devangarscript4. Equivalent terms in Sanskrit5. Translation in English6. Notes

Line 1

nM yd sv sM c pv c Gr? c jy n c

DAy c jjy

Translation

Emperor () Devanmpiya Piyadasi ( ) honors () all sects (),

including ascetics () and householders (); he honors them () by gifts

() and various kinds of offerings ( ).


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Notes

Ashoka generally refers to himself by the titles he chose for himself: Devnmpriyabeloved of the gods, and Priyadarone with a benevolent gaze. This title was alsoused by his predecessors and successors, as well as kings in Sri Lanka, indicating that it

was a title favored by the Mauryas as well as kings inclined towards Buddhism andJainism. Interestingly the word devnmpriyaeventually acquired the meaning of foolno doubt an invention of the Brahmins who detested Buddhism, and hence Ashoka!

For more details on this word, see the Appendix.

The term used to denote a sect is (Skt. , Hindi ), which literally meansa heretic or fraud. This was probably the term current at the time to refer to all nstikas;it also indicates that these sects were more pronounced at the time than the orthodox

brahminical sects

Line 2

n t nM v v nM mM y rvF as svsMnM

?

rvF b

Translation

However, Devanmpiya ()does not consider ( ) gifts and honors (

) to be as valuable () as this ()that there should be () growth of the

essential principles () of all sects (). The growth of the essence () can

indeed happen () in several ways ().

Notes

The term (Skt. ) means increase () of the essence (), or essentialprinciples that form the core values of a particular sect


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Line 3

ts ts idM lM y v A?sMD vprsMDgr

?

v B apkrNm l v as

Translation

But () the root () of that () (increase) is this ()restraint of speech (). How

( )? Praise of ones sect () and () criticism of other sects ()

should not happen ( ) at inappropriate occasions (), or should happen ()

with restraint ( ) (continued)

Notes

speech () that is hidden () derived from small, means minimal or as little as possible The overall purport of this statement is restraint in speech is essential for the welfare and

growth of ones sect

Line 4

tm tm pkr t ev prsM n tn pkrn evM kM

A?sMfM c vFy prsMfs c upk


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Translation

in those contexts () (where it is appropriate). Furthermore (), other sects

() should indeed () be honored () in the appropriate contexts (

). Doing this (), one causes ones own sect () to grow () and ()also benefits () other sects ().

Notes

should be interpreted as contextLine 5

tdz k A?sMfM c CN prsMfs c upk

A?sMfM jy prsMfM c grh

Notes

- to destroy - to blame, condemn

Translation

The one who does what is contrary to this () causes damage () to ones own

sect () and () also () harms () other sects (). Whoever () indeed () honors () own sect () and condemns () other sects

() (continued)


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Line 6

svM A?sMf B M A?sMfM pm i c n tT k A?sMfM

FtrM uph t sm ev

Translation

from complete devotion ( ) thinking thus () - how ( ) should I

glorify () my own sect () a person () behaving thus ( ) damages

() his own sect () even more (). Therefore () harmony ()

alone () is the right approach ().

Notes

The word means coming together, implying exchange of ideas andappreciation of each others views

Line 7

kM [a]zmMzs DMmM c Mr c evM nMys i kM

svsM b c a kg c a

:


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Translation

How (should harmony be achieved)? Thusall should listen () to the views () of each

other () and () also propound their views (). This indeed ( ) is the wish

() ofDevanmpiya ()that ( ) all sects () be well known () and () be endowed with auspicious teachings ().

Notes

service; - may serve the purpose of, i.e. propagate; derived from the rootto listen

famous or well known, from heard () by many () - from well being, and teachings

Line 8

c t tt psM vt? nM y nM v v mMz t kM

rvF as svsMnM bh c ey

Translation

Those ( ) who are content () with their own sects ( ) should be told (

)Devanmpiya does not () consider () gifts () and () honoring other sects

() as important () as () (the fact) that there should be () growth of the essential

values () of all sects (). Therefore (), several () (continued)


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Line 9

A ? p DMmm c i JKm c vc c a c

ayM c ets Pl y A?sMfvF c DMms c p

Translation

officers to propagate the teachings (), officers for the welfare of women(), officers in charge of pastures (), as well as () other () officers

() have been appointed () for this purpose (). This indeed ( ) is the fruit

() of this ()the growth of ones sect () and () the illumination ()

ofDharma ().

Notes

Aoka had appointed high ranking officials, calledMahmtras, for various purposes:Dharmamahmtras for the propagation of the teachings of the Buddha (dharma), andStryadhyakamahmtras for the welfare of women. SomeMahmtras were provincialgovernors.

.


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AppendixDerivation ofDevanmpriya

The word devanmpriya () is an example of what is known as aluk samsa (

) (i.e. a compound word in which the case endings, which are normally removed, are

retained). If the case endings are removed, the word would have been devapriya ().

Ktyyana (3rd Century BCE), in a vrttika on Panini 6|3|21 says:

Neither the Kik (7th CE) or the commentaries on it say anything about it meaning a fool.

However, Bhaoj Dkita (17th CE) in his Siddhnta Kaumud, commenting on this sutra, says:

Used as devanmpriyait means a fool; elsewhere (i.e. in other senses), the usage isdevapriya

This clearly indicates that the meaning of fool evolved much later.

Ashoka - Harmony of Religions

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