JustineLaguerre: brief expanded layout to improve readability and improved wording after review

2026-02-12T01:49:50Z

brief expanded layout to improve readability and improved wording after review

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:19, 12 February 2026
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	{{Use Indian English\|date=December ~~2023~~}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=December 2015}}
			{{Use Indian English\|date=December 2015}}

	{{Infobox monarch		{{Infobox monarch
	\|image =		\| image =
	\|caption =		\| caption =
	\|birth_name =		\| succession = Prince of [[Maurya Empire\|Magadha]]
	\|birth_date = 3rd ~~Century~~ BCE		\| birth_name =
	\|birth_place =		\| birth_date = 3rd century BCE
	\|death_date =		\| birth_place =
	\|death_place =		\| death_date =
	\|dynasty = [[Maurya Empire\|Maurya]]		\| death_place =
	\|title = ~~[[Prince]] of the [[Maurya Empire]]~~		\| dynasty = [[Maurya Empire\|Maurya]]
	\|predecessor =		\| title =
	\|successor =		\| predecessor =
	\|spouse =		\| successor =
	\|issue =		\| spouse =
	\|father = [[Bindusara]]		\| issue =
	\|mother = [[Subhadrangi]]		\| father = [[Bindusara]]
	\|religion = [[~~Tirthika~~]], [[Buddhism]]		\| mother = [[Subhadrangi]]
			\| religion = [[Jainism]] <br> (later [[Buddhism]])
	}}		}}

	'''Vitashoka''' or '''Tissa''' (born 3rd-century BCE) was a [[prince]] of the [[Maurya Empire]] as the only full-brother of [[Ashoka]],<ref name=strong /> and the only brother left alive by Ashoka. According to [[Divyavadana]], he was a follower of ~~the~~ [[~~Tirthika~~]]s and used to criticize the Buddhist monks for living a comfortable life. He was made to sit on the throne by the courtiers. ~~When Ashoka found out about that, he persuaded~~ Vitashoka ~~to become~~ a ~~Buddhist~~.~~{{citation needed\|date=January 2016}}~~		'''Vitashoka''' or '''Tissa''' (born 3rd-century BCE) was a [[prince]] of the [[Maurya Empire]] as the only full-brother of [[Ashoka]],<ref name=strong /> and the only brother left alive by Ashoka. According to [[Divyavadana]], he was a follower of [[Jainism]] and used to criticize the [[Buddhist monasticism\|Buddhist monks]] for living a comfortable life. He was made to sit on the throne by the courtiers. Vitashoka became a monk and practised austerities rigorously.

	Vitashoka ~~became a monk and practised austerities rigorously.{{citation needed\|date=January 2016}}~~		In The Series Bharat Ek Khoj
			Vitashoka/Tissa was portrayed by [[Lucky Ali]]

	==Name==		==Name==
Line 36:		Line 39:
	Vincent Arthur Smith,		Vincent Arthur Smith,
	Edition 2,		Edition 2,
	Clarendon Press, 1901, p. 162</ref> [[Theragatha]] commentary<ref>Ashoka, Radhakumud Mookerji, Edition 3, Motilal Banarsidass, 1995, p.7</ref> regards Tissa and Vitashoka as different individuals. Other sources call him Vigatāshoka, Sudatta, or Sugatra. The [[Mahavamsa]] later names him as Ekavihārika.<ref name=thapar>{{cite book\|last1=Thapar\|first1=Romila\|authorlink1=Romila Thapar\|title=Aśoka and the decline of the Mauryas\|date=2012\|publisher=Oxford University Press\|location=New Delhi\|isbn=9780198077244\|edition=3rd\|url=http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198077244.001.0001/acprof-9780198077244-chapter-2\|accessdate=9 January 2016\|chapter=2\|url-access=subscription }}</ref>		Clarendon Press, 1901, p. 162</ref> [[Theragatha]] commentary<ref>Ashoka, Radhakumud Mookerji, Edition 3, Motilal Banarsidass, 1995, p.7</ref> regards Tissa and Vitashoka as different individuals. Other sources call him '''Vigatāshoka''', '''Sudatta''', or '''Sugatra'''. The [[Mahavamsa]] later names him as '''Ekavihārika'''.<ref name=thapar>{{cite book\|last1=Thapar\|first1=Romila\|authorlink1=Romila Thapar\|title=Aśoka and the decline of the Mauryas\|date=2012\|publisher=Oxford University Press\|location=New Delhi\|isbn=9780198077244\|edition=3rd\|url=http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198077244.001.0001/acprof-9780198077244-chapter-2\|accessdate=9 January 2016\|chapter=2\|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

	==In the ~~Divyavadana~~==		==In the Legends==
	~~Divyavadana~~ narrates a story of someone in [[Pundravardhana]] and then again at [[Pataliputra]] who drew a picture of the ~~Buddha bowing before~~ [[~~Nirgrantha~~]] [[~~Nataputta~~]]. As a punishment, Ashoka ordered the [[~~Ajivika~~]]~~s<ref>Divyavadana apparently equates the Nirgranthas and Ajivikas here.</ref>~~ to be put to death and declared a reward for killing of ~~Nirgranthas~~. Someone ~~caputred~~ Vitashoka taking him to be a ~~[[Nirgrantha]]~~. He was taken to Ashoka. After identifying that it was his own brother, Ashoka stopped giving orders for executions.<ref name=strong>{{cite book \| author=John S. Strong \| authorlink = John S. Strong \| title=The Legend of King Aśoka: A Study and Translation of the Aśokāvadāna \| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kp9uaQTQ8h8C&pg=PA232 \| accessdate=30 October 2012 \| year=1989 \| publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ. \| isbn=978-81-208-0616-0 \| pages=222–233}}</ref>{{rp\|232}}		Fifth century legendary text [[Ashokavadana]] narrates a story of someone in [[Pundravardhana]] and then again at [[Pataliputra]] who drew a picture of the [[Buddha]] bowing before [[Mahavira]]. As a punishment, Ashoka ordered the [[Jain monasticism\|Jain monks]] to be put to death and declared a reward for killing of [[Jainism\|Jains]]. Someone captured Vitashoka taking him to be a Jain. He was taken to Ashoka. After identifying that it was his own brother, Ashoka stopped giving orders for executions.<ref name=strong>{{cite book \| author=John S. Strong \| authorlink = John S. Strong \| title=The Legend of King Aśoka: A Study and Translation of the Aśokāvadāna \| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kp9uaQTQ8h8C&pg=PA232 \| accessdate=30 October 2012 \| year=1989 \| publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ. \| isbn=978-81-208-0616-0 \| pages=222–233}}</ref>{{rp\|232}}
	However, according to the more authentic works based on Ashoka's life, Vitashoka's fate remains unknown after Ashoka ~~becomes king~~. Some scholars suggested that Vitashoka ~~may~~ have ~~been~~ a general or a minister of Ashoka.		However, according to the more authentic works based on Ashoka's life, Vitashoka's fate remains unknown after Ashoka became emperor. Some scholars suggested that Vitashoka must have become a general or a minister of Ashoka. According to the [[Dipavamsa]], it is stated that Ashoka killed 100 brothers.<ref>{{Cite book\|url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.233422\|title=The Making Of The Indian Nation\|last=Balkrishna Govind Gokhale\|publisher=Asia Publishing House, Bombay\|pages=22\|quote=... killed all his brothers save one and the number of brothers is stated to be 100...This story is obviously inspired by a desire to present a sharp contrast in the character of Ashoka before and after his conversion to Buddhism.}}</ref> In contrast, the [[Mahavamsa]] records that Ashoka killed 99 brothers.<ref>{{Cite book\|url=http://archive.org/details/TheHindusAnAlternativeHistoryWendyDoniger_201404\|title=The Hindus An Alternative History\|last=Wendy Doniger\|publisher=The Penguin Press, New York\|year=2009\|pages=173\|language=English\|quote=Myths about Ashoka became current shortly after his own time, when Buddhist texts...this resulted in a fantasy that Ashoka killed his ninety-nine brothers.}}</ref> In Tibbetan Buddhist tradition, [[Taranatha]]’s 'History of Buddhism in India' state that Ashoka killed 6 brothers.{{sfn\|Thapar\|1961\|pp=25–26}} On the other hand, the Buddhist legend [[Ashokavadana]] mentions the killing of only one brother, Susima, without any reference to other brothers being killed.
			These variations highlight the discrepancies and uncertainties that arises in interpreting historical events by sectarian Buddhist texts.{{sfn\|Lahiri\|2015\|p=102}} Ashoka's Rock Edict V mentions his brothers and sisters, indicating they were alive during his reign and held noble positions. This contradicts Buddhist legends, which claim he killed all his brothers except one. The edict suggests that such accounts are likely exaggerated.
			<ref>{{cite book \| last = Olivelle \| first = Patrick \| title = Ashoka: Portrait of a Philosopher King \| publisher = Yale University Press \| year = 2023 \| isbn = 9780300270006 \| page = 84 \| url = https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Indian_Lives_Series_Book_1_Ashoka/LsXPEAAAQBAJ?hl=en \| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20250823112410/https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Indian_Lives_Series_Book_1_Ashoka/LsXPEAAAQBAJ?hl=en \| archive-date = 23 August 2025 \| quote = He refers to his sisters, along with his brothers, in Rock Edict V in the context of the duties of the dharma-mahamatras. \| access-date = 12 June 2025 \| url-status = bot: unknown }}</ref>

	==References==		==References==
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	[[Category:Mauryan dynasty]]		[[Category:Mauryan dynasty]]
	[[Category:Mauryan princes]]		[[Category:Mauryan princes]]
			[[Category:Family of Ashoka]]
			[[Category:3rd-century BC Buddhists]]
			[[Category:Indian Buddhists]]

Bharatwiki Socrates: Created page with "{{Use Indian English|date=December 2023}} {{Infobox monarch |image = |caption = |birth_name = |birth_date = 3rd Century BCE |birth_place = |death_date = |death_place = |dynasty = Maurya |title = Prince of the Maurya Empire |predecessor = |successor = |spouse = |issue = |father = Bindusara |mother = Subhadrangi |religion = Tirthika, Buddhism }} '''Vitashoka''' or '''Tis..."

2023-12-01T19:18:05Z

Created page with "{{Use Indian English|date=December 2023}} {{Infobox monarch |image = |caption = |birth_name = |birth_date = 3rd Century BCE |birth_place = |death_date = |death_place = |dynasty = Maurya |title = Prince of the Maurya Empire |predecessor = |successor = |spouse = |issue = |father = Bindusara |mother = Subhadrangi |religion = Tirthika, Buddhism }} '''Vitashoka''' or '''Tis..."

New page

{{Use Indian English|date=December 2023}}

{{Infobox monarch
|image =
|caption =
|birth_name =
|birth_date = 3rd Century BCE
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|dynasty = [[Maurya Empire|Maurya]]
|title = [[Prince]] of the [[Maurya Empire]]
|predecessor =
|successor =
|spouse =
|issue =
|father = [[Bindusara]]
|mother = [[Subhadrangi]]
|religion = [[Tirthika]], [[Buddhism]]
}}

'''Vitashoka''' or '''Tissa''' (born 3rd-century BCE) was a [[prince]] of the [[Maurya Empire]] as the only full-brother of [[Ashoka]],<ref name=strong /> and the only brother left alive by Ashoka. According to [[Divyavadana]], he was a follower of the [[Tirthika]]s and used to criticize the Buddhist monks for living a comfortable life. He was made to sit on the throne by the courtiers. When Ashoka found out about that, he persuaded Vitashoka to become a Buddhist.{{citation needed|date=January 2016}}

Vitashoka became a monk and practised austerities rigorously.{{citation needed|date=January 2016}}

==Name==
Vitashoka is referred to as Tissa (or Tisya) in Sri Lankan texts.<ref>Yuan Chwang's travels in India
Volumes 14-15 of Oriental Translation Fund
Volume 2 of On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629-645 A.D, Stephen Wootton Bushell
Authors Thomas Watters, Vincent Arthur Smith
Editors Thomas William Rhys Davids, Stephen Wootton Bushell
Royal Asiatic Society, 1905
p. 95</ref><ref>Ashoka, the Buddhist Emperor of India, Volume 2
Volume 29 of Rulers of India,
Ashoka, the Buddhist emperor of India,
Vincent Arthur Smith,
Edition 2,
Clarendon Press, 1901, p. 162</ref> [[Theragatha]] commentary<ref>Ashoka, Radhakumud Mookerji, Edition 3, Motilal Banarsidass, 1995, p.7</ref> regards Tissa and Vitashoka as different individuals. Other sources call him Vigatāshoka, Sudatta, or Sugatra. The [[Mahavamsa]] later names him as Ekavihārika.<ref name=thapar>{{cite book|last1=Thapar|first1=Romila|authorlink1=Romila Thapar|title=Aśoka and the decline of the Mauryas|date=2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=New Delhi|isbn=9780198077244|edition=3rd|url=http://www.oxfordscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198077244.001.0001/acprof-9780198077244-chapter-2|accessdate=9 January 2016|chapter=2|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==In the Divyavadana==
Divyavadana narrates a story of someone in [[Pundravardhana]] and then again at [[Pataliputra]] who drew a picture of the Buddha bowing before [[Nirgrantha]] [[Nataputta]]. As a punishment, Ashoka ordered the [[Ajivika]]s<ref>Divyavadana apparently equates the Nirgranthas and Ajivikas here.</ref> to be put to death and declared a reward for killing of Nirgranthas. Someone caputred Vitashoka taking him to be a [[Nirgrantha]]. He was taken to Ashoka. After identifying that it was his own brother, Ashoka stopped giving orders for executions.<ref name=strong>{{cite book | author=John S. Strong | authorlink = John S. Strong | title=The Legend of King Aśoka: A Study and Translation of the Aśokāvadāna | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kp9uaQTQ8h8C&pg=PA232 | accessdate=30 October 2012 | year=1989 | publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ. | isbn=978-81-208-0616-0 | pages=222–233}}</ref>{{rp|232}}
However, according to the more authentic works based on Ashoka's life, Vitashoka's fate remains unknown after Ashoka becomes king. Some scholars suggested that Vitashoka may have been a general or a minister of Ashoka.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Mauryan dynasty]]
[[Category:Mauryan princes]]

Vitashoka - Revision history

JustineLaguerre: brief expanded layout to improve readability and improved wording after review