The first person in history known to have promoted religious tolerance was Ashoka the Great. Ashoka was emperor of a large portion of Asia from about 268 BCE until his death in 232 BCE. In honor of the International Day of Tolerance — November 16, as designated by the United Nations — l’d like to revisit his edict on religious tolerance, which is as relevant to us now as it was then.
Ashoka the Great ruled the Mauryan Empire, which had been established in about 321 BCE by Ashoka’s grandfather, Chandragupta Maurya. At its peak the Mauryan Empire took in most of modern-day India and part of Bangladesh as well as portions of what is now Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran. Ashoka appears to have begun his royal career by attacking and conquering other territories. But after a famous conversion to Buddhism he gave up military aggression and focused on spreading peace and benevolence.
Ashoka encouraged his people to be good to one another through his edicts. Ashoka’s edicts were displayed on pillars, on large rocks, and sometimes in caves throughout his empire. You can find a translation of all of Ashoka’s edicts here. Ashoka’s views on religious tolerance are recorded in the 12th Major Rock Edict. I understand this edict has been found inscribed in several locations in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
Ashoka’s Edict on Religious Tolerance
Because all of the translations of the edict I have at hand are copyrighted, I’m going to provide a paraphrase. Note that throughout his edicts, Ashoka refers to himself as “Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi.” Piyadasi means “He who regards others with kindness.” I’m going to shorten this a bit.
King Piyadasi honors both ascetics and the householders of all religions, and he honors them with gifts and honors. But he does not value gifts and honors as much as he values this — that all religions should grow and flourish. This growth requires restraint in speech — restraint in not praising one’s own religion, or condemning the religion of others without good cause. And if there is cause for criticism, it should be done in a mild way.
It is better to honor other religions for this reason: By honoring other religions one’s own religion benefits, and so do other religions. Doing otherwise harms one’s own religion and the religions of others. When we praise and glorify our own religion and condemn others, this reflects badly on our own religion. Therefore, we should listen to and respect the doctrines professed by others. King Piyadasi desires that all should be well-learned in the good doctrines of other religions.
Again, this is a paraphrase, not a translation, but I believe it conveys what Ashoka said. You can find a translation of the 12th Rock Edict on this page. Note that the 13th Rock Edict describes Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism.
Religions of the Mauryan Empire
The Mauryan Empire was religiously diverse. In the eastern part of the empire were many Jains and Brahmins — the originators of what we call Hinduism — as well as Buddhists. The western empire was home to Zoroastrianism and other Persian religions and probably Greek religions as well.
As part of his benevolence-spreading program, Ashoka sent officials called mahamatras to the far reaches of his empire. The mahamatras were charged with promoting the welfare and happiness of the people and spreading awareness of the Buddha’s dharma, or teachings. As a result of this, Buddhism would flourish in central Asia — primarily in what is now Pakistan and Afghanistan — during the next few centuries. Ashoka also sent Buddhist missionaries to many parts of the world. Two of Ashoka’s children, an ordained monk and nun, are credited with establishing Buddhism in Sri Lanka.
Postscript
The Mauryan Empire did not long survive Ashoka’s death. His heirs squabbled over the throne and failed to notice large parts of the empire were breaking away. The last Mauryan ruler was assassinated by an ambitious general during a military review in 185 BCE. Subsequent generations of rulers sought to erase Ashoka from history, and he was largely forgotten.
Most of Ashoka’s edicts were written in a script that fell into disuse. By the time the British began doing business in India in the 17th century, the script was unreadable. And the origins of the huge engraved pillars found throughout India had been forgotten. The script was finally deciphered by James Prinsep, an employee of the British East India Company, in 1837. (See “The Mystery of the Pillars of Ashoka.”) And Ashoka’s name and story became known to the world. Ashoka’s story and edicts were a major influence on Mahatma Gandhi.
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