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{{Short description|Indian Sanskrit-language text}} | |||
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}{{Use Indian English|date=July 2017}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}{{Use Indian English|date=July 2017}} | ||
{{Infobox book | {{Infobox book | ||
| name = Ashokavadana<br> | | name = Ashokavadana<br /> | ||
अशोकावदान | अशोकावदान | ||
| image = | | image = | ||
| caption = | | caption = | ||
| author = | | author = Possibly Buddhist monks of the [[Mathura]] region | ||
| translator = | | translator = | ||
| country = [[Maurya Empire|Mauryan India]] | | country = [[Maurya Empire|Mauryan India]] | ||
| Line 12: | Line 13: | ||
| subject = Life of King [[Ashoka]] | | subject = Life of King [[Ashoka]] | ||
| genre = Historical narrative | | genre = Historical narrative | ||
| pub_date = | | pub_date =4-5th century<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MJ3eCZVlT48C&pg=PA44 |title=The Art of Gandhara in the Metropolitan Museum of Art |editor=Kurt A. Behrendt |page=44 |publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art |year=2007 |isbn=9781588392244 }}</ref> | ||
| english_pub_date = | | english_pub_date = | ||
| media_type = | | media_type = | ||
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| wikisource = | | wikisource = | ||
}} | }} | ||
The '''Ashokavadana''' ({{lang-sa|अशोकावदान}}; {{IAST3|Aśokāvadāna}}; "Narrative of Ashoka") is an Indian [[Sanskrit]]-language text that describes the birth and reign of the [[ | |||
The '''Ashokavadana''' ({{lang-sa|अशोकावदान}}; {{IAST3|Aśokāvadāna}}; "Narrative of Ashoka") is an Indian [[Sanskrit]]-language text that describes the birth and reign of the third [[Mauryan Empire|Mauryan]] Emperor [[Ashoka]]. It contains legends as well as historical narratives, and glorifies Ashoka as a Buddhist emperor whose only ambition was to spread [[Buddhism]] far and wide.<ref name="Kenneth2010">{{cite book | author=Kenneth Pletcher | title=The History of India | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VsujRFvaHI8C&pg=PA74 | access-date=29 November 2012 | date=15 August 2010 | publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group | isbn=978-1-61530-122-5 | page=74 }}</ref> | |||
''Ashokavadana,'' also known as ''Ashokarajavadana,'' is one of the [[avadana]] texts contained in the [[Divyavadana]] (''Divyāvadāna'', "Divine Narrative"), an [[anthology]] of several Buddhist legends and narratives. According to [[Jean Przyluski]], the text was composed by the [[Buddhist monk]]s of the [[Mathura]] region, as it highly praises the city of Mathura, its monasteries and its monks.<ref name="Jean1923">{{cite book | author=Jean Przyluski | title=La légende de l'empereur Açoka (Açoka-Avadâna) dans les textes indiens et chinois | language = French | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jLBDAAAAYAAJ | access-date=29 November 2012 | year=1923 | publisher=1924}}</ref>{{sfn|Upinder Singh|2008|p=332}} | ''Ashokavadana,'' also known as ''Ashokarajavadana,'' is one of the [[avadana]] texts contained in the [[Divyavadana]] (''Divyāvadāna'', "Divine Narrative"), an [[anthology]] of several Buddhist legends and narratives. According to [[Jean Przyluski]], the text was composed by the [[Buddhist monk]]s of the [[Mathura]] region, as it highly praises the city of Mathura, its monasteries and its monks.<ref name="Jean1923">{{cite book | author=Jean Przyluski | title=La légende de l'empereur Açoka (Açoka-Avadâna) dans les textes indiens et chinois | language = French | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jLBDAAAAYAAJ | access-date=29 November 2012 | year=1923 | publisher=1924}}</ref>{{sfn|Upinder Singh|2008|p=332}} | ||
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== Date of composition == | == Date of composition == | ||
There are several versions of ''Ashokavadana'', dating from 5th century CE to 16th century CE.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MJ3eCZVlT48C&pg=PA44 |title=The Art of Gandhara in the Metropolitan Museum of Art |editor=Kurt A. Behrendt |page=44 |publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art |year=2007 |isbn=9781588392244 }}</ref> Some date the earliest finished form of the text back to 2nd century CE, although its oral origins may go back to 2nd century BCE.<ref>Coleman, Simon and John Elsner (1995), ''[https://books.google. | There are several versions of ''Ashokavadana'', dating from 5th century CE to 16th century CE.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MJ3eCZVlT48C&pg=PA44 |title=The Art of Gandhara in the Metropolitan Museum of Art |editor=Kurt A. Behrendt |page=44 |publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art |year=2007 |isbn=9781588392244 }}</ref> Some date the earliest finished form of the text back to 2nd century CE, although its oral origins may go back to 2nd century BCE.<ref>Coleman, Simon and John Elsner (1995), ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=qqPtMU0QZ8sC&pg=PA173 Pilgrimage: Past and Present in the World Religions].'' Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Page 173.</ref> | ||
The extant version of ''Ashokavadana'' is a part of ''[[Divyavadana]]'', a Sanskrit-language anthology of Buddhist legends. However, its ancient Chinese translations ''A-yu wang chuan'' (c. 300 CE), and ''A-yu wang ching'' (c. 512 CE) suggest that it once existed as an independent text.{{sfn|John S. Strong|1989|p=16}} | The extant version of ''Ashokavadana'' is a part of ''[[Divyavadana]]'', a Sanskrit-language anthology of Buddhist legends. However, its ancient Chinese translations ''A-yu wang chuan'' (c. 300 CE), and ''A-yu wang ching'' (c. 512 CE) suggest that it once existed as an independent text.{{sfn|John S. Strong|1989|p=16}}// | ||
== Translations == | == Translations == | ||
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Annotated sections of the ''Ashokavadana'' are part of Rajendralala Mitra's (1822–91) "The Sanskrit Buddhist Literature of Nepal".<ref>Sanskrit Buddhist Literature of Nepal, Introd. Dr. Alok Ray, Sanskrit Pustak Bhandar, Calcutta 1882</ref> Mitra extensively uses the translation made by M. E. Burnouf.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}} | Annotated sections of the ''Ashokavadana'' are part of Rajendralala Mitra's (1822–91) "The Sanskrit Buddhist Literature of Nepal".<ref>Sanskrit Buddhist Literature of Nepal, Introd. Dr. Alok Ray, Sanskrit Pustak Bhandar, Calcutta 1882</ref> Mitra extensively uses the translation made by M. E. Burnouf.{{Citation needed|date=July 2019}} | ||
An English translation of ''Ashokavadana'' by [[John S. Strong]] was published in 1983 by [[Princeton University]] ([[Princeton University Press]]).<ref>{{Cite | An English translation of ''Ashokavadana'' by [[John S. Strong]] was published in 1983 by [[Princeton University]] ([[Princeton University Press]]).<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://press.princeton.edu/titles/1998.html|title=The Legend of King Asoka|publisher=Princeton University Press|date=19 April 2016 |isbn=9780691634050 |language=en|access-date=2019-07-01}}</ref> | ||
== Narratives == | == Narratives == | ||
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== Historicity == | == Historicity == | ||
''Ashokavadana'' mentions two incidents of Ashoka turning towards violence after adopting Buddhism. In one instance, a non-Buddhist in [[Pundravardhana]] drew a picture showing the Buddha bowing at the feet of [[Nirgrantha Jnatiputra]] (identified with [[Mahavira]], the | === Description of violence by Ashoka === | ||
''Ashokavadana'' mentions two incidents of Ashoka turning towards violence after adopting Buddhism. In one instance, a non-Buddhist in [[Pundravardhana]] drew a picture showing the Buddha bowing at the feet of [[Nirgrantha Jnatiputra]] (identified with [[Mahavira]], the 24th Arihant of [[Jainism]]). On complaint from a Buddhist devotee, Ashoka issued an order to arrest him, and subsequently, another order to kill all the [[Ajivika]]s in Pundravardhana. Around 18,000 followers of the Ajivika sect were executed as a result of this order.{{sfn|John S. Strong|1989|p=232}} Sometime later, another Nirgrantha follower in [[Pataliputra]] drew a similar picture. Ashoka burnt him and his entire family alive in their house.<ref name="Beni2010">{{cite book | author=Beni Madhab Barua | title=The Ajivikas | url=https://archive.org/details/ajivikas00barurich | access-date=30 October 2012 | date=5 May 2010 | publisher=General Books | isbn=978-1-152-74433-2 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/ajivikas00barurich/page/68 68]–69}}</ref> He also announced an award of one [[denarius|dinara]] (silver coin) to anyone who brought him the head of a Nirgrantha heretic. According to ''Ashokavadana'', as a result of this order, his own brother, Vitashoka, was mistaken for a heretic and killed by a cowherd. Their ministers advised him that "this is an example of the suffering that is being inflicted even on those who are free from desire" and that he "should guarantee the security of all beings". After this, Ashoka stopped giving orders for executions.{{sfn|John S. Strong|1989}} | |||
According to [[K. T. S. Sarao]] and [[Benimadhab Barua]], stories of persecutions of rival sects by Ashoka appear to be a clear fabrication arising out of sectarian propaganda.<ref name="Steven2010">{{cite book | editor=Steven L. Danver |editor-link=Steven L. Danver | title=Popular Controversies in World History: Investigating History's Intriguing Questions: Investigating History's Intriguing Questions | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=slVobUjdzGMC&pg=RA1-PA99 | access-date=23 May 2013 | date=22 December 2010 | publisher=ABC-CLIO | isbn=978-1-59884-078-0 | pages=99}}</ref><ref name="LePhuoc2010">{{cite book | author=Le Phuoc | title=Buddhist Architecture | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9jb364g4BvoC&pg=PA32 | access-date=23 May 2013 | date=March 2010 | publisher=Grafikol | isbn=978-0-9844043-0-8 | pages=32}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | author=Benimadhab Barua | author-link=Benimadhab Barua | title=The Ajivikas | url=https://archive.org/details/ajivikas00barurich | access-date=30 October 2012 | date=5 May 2010 | publisher=[[University of Calcutta]] | isbn=978-1-152-74433-2 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/ajivikas00barurich/page/68 68]–69}}</ref> Ashoka's own inscriptions [[Barabar Caves]] record his generous donations and patronage to Ajivikas.<ref>{{cite book |author=Nayanjot Lahiri |title=Ashoka in Ancient India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bJ_XCgAAQBAJ&pg=PR37 |year=2015 |publisher=Harvard University Press |isbn=978-0-674-05777-7 |page=37}}</ref> | |||
=== Description of Pushyamitra === | === Description of Pushyamitra === | ||
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[[Category:Early Buddhist texts]] | [[Category:Early Buddhist texts]] | ||
[[Category:2nd-century Indian books]] | [[Category:2nd-century Indian books]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Works about Ashoka]] | ||
[[Category:Sanskrit books]] | [[Category:Sanskrit books]] | ||
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Ashoka]] | |||