THE LIFE AND WORK OF A GREAT KING IN INDIAN HISTORY

Image of King Asoka

When we look back into Indian History we can see a most beloved king among all of the previous kings known as the great king Asoka whose name adorned the pages of the record of third Buddhist council of the great community of Maha Sangha at the City of Pataliputta in India. Even today we can see there his name stirs the memories of grateful community Buddhist beneficiaries in Srilanka Thailand and Barma. Even connected with various occasions of his life and how he made a great effort for the spread of the Buddha sasana will be remembered from generation to generation until the Buddha sasana exists in these hal­lowed lands of the largely inhabited by Buddhists. Prince Asoka was the grand son of Chandragupta. After the death of his father Bindusar prince Asoka succeeded to the throne and was ruling the country for several years with his supreme power. It was about 270-B.C. It is said that, hearing the serman from the novice ven. Nigrodha, who was the son of his elder brother he became a Buddhist. Realizing the genuineness of Dhamma he started to practice charity in earnest, and built eighty four thousand pagodas and shrines at various places in the provinces. Having built those pagodas he wanted to preserve Buddha's relics in those pagodas and collected the Buddha's relics found in a par­ticular pagoda where ven. Mahakassapa had enshrined those relics after the passing away of the Buddha.

It is said that, as the genuine king Asoka proceeded as for as main door that holy pagoda then he found his own name as "Dhamma soka" Asoka the righteous. On the top of the door of that pagoda in golden letters. Seeing that his name was written by the genuine king Ajatasathu he was very pleased, entered, in to the main pagoda with the key that was found in place where by the previous king who built that holy pagoda had left it, to obtain the relics of the Blessed one.

 As soon as his majesty king Asoka entered into that pagoda he saw the candles burning and the lotuses shining and smelling all over the pagoda with their sweet sent.

Having seen such king of pleasurable objects that had been offered by ven. Mahakassapa there about 217 years before him, the great king Asoka who went to receive the relics was overwhelmed with great pleasure. In addition, it is also said that after offering those pleasant things overwhelmed Mahakassapa had made a pronouncement that after 217 years when His majesty king Asoka will approach to enter to this holy pagoda in order to gain relics, he may see these candles burning and the lotuses in bloom as pretty as they are in bloom now.

Symbol of King Asoka

According to determination of Mahakassapa Thera those candles and lotuses remained fresh for (217) years. They did not dry up throughout that long Period, because the determination of an Arahanta is very pow­erful.

Hence, King Asoka was able to see those pleasant of objects by the favour of ven. Mahakassapa the elder who presided over the first Buddhist coun­cil, which was held for three months after the parinibbana of the Bud­dha, in the eighth year of king Ayatasattu's reign. Afterwards king Asoka obtained the relics of the Blessed one from that holy pagoda and enshrined them in those eighty thousand cities by arranging a great Celebration in the name of the Buddha, organized the third Buddhist council which was headed by the ven. Moggaliputta tissa thera, at Asokarama in the City of Pataliputra, in the 18th year of king Asoka's reign, about 236 years after the Parinibbana of the Buddha. On the significant occasion elder Moggaliputratissa thera arranged the nine (9) Buddhist missions in order to spread Buddhism throughout the world and had sent many Buddhist monks to several countries of the world, by the support of emperor Asoka Buddhism flourished and sasana gradually grew up in importance and numbers. It was a most significant occasion in Asoka's life.

King Asoka Stambha at Lumbini

In the reign of Asoka Buddhism crossed the border of its native land great India and crossed the great Indian ocean and reached as far as several other parts of the world.

It is said that wherever king Asoka once turned and saw granite pillars he wrote the admonishments of the Buddha in order to propagate the sublime teachings of the Buddha. Even today we can see those letters at the museums in India.

So, king Asoka is the greatest and most remarkable, historical king of India. It is his golden flag that has been once again raised by the Indian Government.