Ashoka was the third king of the Mauryan Dynasty in India from 272-232 BCE. Before becoming emperor, he conquered many lands through war and expanded his empire. However, after his Kalinga War in 260 BCE, he was deeply affected by the suffering and loss of life. He converted to Buddhism and adopted Buddhist principles of nonviolence, tolerance, compassion, and morality. Ashoka promoted Buddhism throughout his empire and sent missionaries abroad. He is remembered for spreading Buddhist teachings, establishing moral guidelines for his people, and embracing principles of nonviolence.

1. 300 BCE – 232 BCE
Presentation by:-
ALOUF

3. ASHOKA BELONGS
TO MAURYAN DYNASTY
HE IS THE THIRD KING
OF MAURYAN DYNASTY

4. Birth of
Asoka
300
BCE
Marriage
284 BCE
Conversion
to
Buddhism
263 BCE
Reign
begins
272 BCE
Death in
232 BCE

5. CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYACHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA
(Founder & grand father of Ashoka)
BINDUSARA
(Second king & father of Ashoka)
ASHOKA THE EMPEROR
(Third king)

6. Founded Mauryan Dynasty
in 322 BC
Gained power shortly after
Alexander ‘s death.
Was crowned King at TaxilaTaxila
Had capital at Pataliputra
His minister Chanakya
wrote Arthashastra

7. BEFORE THE KALINGA WAR
AFTER THE KALINGA WAR
LEGACY OF ASHOKA

8. BEFORE THE KALINGA WARBEFORE THE KALINGA WAR

9. Ashoka's reign as emperor
began with a series of wars .
He conquered more lands
and added them to his
empire.
The Kalinga War of 260 BC
was the worst of all.

10. The huge loss of life and
suffering witnessed on
the battlefield made him
turn away from war.
So he was deeply
influenced by Buddhism,
and adopted the dharma
principles

11. AFTER THE KALINGA WARAFTER THE KALINGA WAR

12. A. Dharma Principles
B. Spread of Buddhism
C. Ashoka the Administrator

13. The main principles of dharma (dhamma)
nonviolence,
tolerance of all sects,
 obedience to parents,
respect for Brahmans , teachers & priests
 liberality towards friends,
humane treatment of servants,

14. Ashoka built shrines and
monasteries and inscribed
Buddhist teachings on
rocks and pillars in many
places.
He sent missionaries to
countries.
His own son Kunal became a
monk & carried Buddhism
to Sri Lanka

15. Ashoka taught and convinced people to love and respect
all living things.
 He insisted on the recognition of the sanctity of all
human life.
He abolished the unnecessary slaughter or mutilation of
animals.
Ashoka banned sport hunting & thus protected wildlife.
He became vegetarian & most people chose to become
vegetarians on their own.
He allowed one day leave to prisoners to go outside for a
day of the year.

16. LEGACIES OF ASHOKALEGACIES OF ASHOKA

17. SYMBOLIC LEGACY
BOLLYWOOD LEGACY

18. Indian government has
adopted the famous lion
capital from his pillar at
Sarnath as official
national emblem.

19. After Asoka’s death in 232
BCE the people of India
decided to commemorate
Ashoka by using his personal
chakra. It can still be seen
today on the Indian flag.
The word chakra is sandskrit
and it means cycle or a
repeating process.

20. Asoka’s chakra is also know as the wheel of the
dharma (way) and it symbolizes the 24 virtues in
Buddhism. Some of these 24 virtues include: love,
patience, peacefulness, courage, justice and mercy.

21. After the death of Asoka's father, Binder Sar, Ashoka
and his older brother competed for the throne. The
prime minister and other important ministers at the
time though Asoka to be more discreet, capable and
efficient ruler.
The next three years Ashoka focused on reestablishing
peace.
During Asoka's rule theft declined and science,
medicine and technology all flourished.
Buddhism received a significant boost of popularity
when Ashoka converted to Buddhism.

22. Asoka married a commoner called Karuwaki, she was a
fisher.
He met her before his reign when he was sent to
Taxshila to subdue an uprising as a general of the
Mauryan empire.
Due to Ashoka’s success in the quelling of the uprising
and his growing popularity, his step-brothers forced
him into exile to prevent him from obtaining the
throne.
Asoka however returned two years later being
summoned by the emperor to quell another uprising.

23. Before Ashoka’s conquest of Kalinga he was known
as Chandashok ( Chanda-cruel, shok-associated with
Hindu goddess of eternal energy) Asoka was
considered a bloodthirsty and power greedy
individual. It was not until later, after the conquest of
Kalinga, where Asoka received his revelation that he
was considered great.