Asoka Priyadarsin
Major Sections
Temples Of India

ASOKAS AS A PREACHER

SECTION II: DIFFUSION

Asoka became a full member of the Buddhist order in 259 B.C. after nearly a year and a half of his conversion. To mark this great transformation, he put on the monastic robe and thence forward established his absolute paramountcy over the Buddhist church. No sooner did he complete this, than he turned to philanthropic administration and introduced radical changes in his government to match the changed outlook of his foreign policy and home-affairs. He based his foreign policy on peaceful co-existence. Perhaps he is the first military monarch to introduce such a far-sighted policy after a clean resounding victory.

Then, he set to work to make his people share his belief and divine bliss. Moral reform and religious propagation received wide publicity and his personal attention. He organized a net - work of preaching missions to spread his gospel throughout the world. He deputed the members of his family to distant lands, beyond seas too for diffusion, besides enlisting the services of monks and other religious men. His daughter Sanghamitra and brother Mahendra visited Ceylon in this connection. Thus, the sphere of activities of his mission went beyond India and extended upto Japan in the Far East and Russia in the West.

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About Asokas As A Preacher
Conversion Pg1
Conversion Pg2
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You are Here! Diffusion Pg1
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Diffusion Pg3
Diffusion Pg4
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