Monday, April 20, 2009

The Dhamma of the Beloved of the Gods, and a fresh look into the present crisis.

BY B.NARAYANA RAO


BOOK REVIEW:
Asoka and the decline of the Mauryas
By Romila Thapar
OUP(2006), New Delhi-1


This book provides the much wanted research material on Asoka’s ideology and the history of the Mauryas. The author derives her research material from so many sources like rock and pillar edicts, Buddhist and Jain literature around the world, archeology, puranas and other Vedic scriptures, ancient texts like Arhashastra, Greek and Persian sources, works of ancient travelers like Megasthenes,Diemachus,Dionysius etc, coins, pottery, and ancient literature and from many other sources. Though unreliable, Vayu, Matsya, Bramanda puranas of fourth century A.D give extensive kings lists of later Mauryas.The Rajatarangini of Kalhan and Harsacarita of Bana, Asokavadana, Dipavamsa, Mahavamsa etc provide some information. The book has several chapters like early life and accession, and chronology; society and economic activity; internal administration; the policy of Dhamma; the decline of Mauryas; the date of the Arthasastra;The geographical locations of the edicts; translation of the edicts; Mauryan art; and a very valuable after word. As I am not qualified to discuss some of the above contents, let me limit my self to the ideas and intellectual content flourished in the mind of the mighty Asoka and their relevance to the present crisis ridden society. I feel I am indebted to the author for this great book.

We don’t know the historicity of the Rama rajya concept. Gandhi used to refer to it for a variety of purposes. It might be a myth.Asoka’s ideas might have been copied by many and cleverly interpolated into the mythical texts so as to give the despotic rulers a great image. But the historicity of Asoka rajya is proved and its effect is still strong in the minds of our people.Asoka was a true Rajarshi.He said; “…. The gods, who in India, up to this time, did not associate with men, now, associate with them, and this is the result of my efforts. Moreover this is not some thing to be obtained only by the great, but it is also open to the humble…” And “….Jambudvipa (Ancient name for the Indian subcontinent) was fit for the gods after the propagation of the policy of the dhamma…”

SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS DURING MAURYAN AGE

From 6th century onwards the process of universal questioning and reasoning started variety of sects concerned both with religious belief and philosophical speculation started debates and discussions. They questioned the Aryan values. Each newly developed theory was put mercilessly through a severe test of criticism. Metaphysics of the Upanishads, privileges of Brahmins, efficacy of the ceremonies and rituals and caste system etc were challenged. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan wrote: Liberal efforts at improving existing institutions sanctioned by time and embodied in the habits of the people will remain ineffectual if the indifference and superstition of centuries are not shaken up by an explosive force like the Carvaka creed. Nothing need be accepted by the individual who does not find its evidence in the movement of reason. The Carvaka philosophy is a fanatical effort made to rid the age of the weight of the past that was oppressing it…. The supremacy of religion and social tradition in life does not hamper the free pursuit of philosophy (In ancient India). Reason freely questions and criticizes the creeds in which men are born. That is why the heretic, the sceptic, the unbeliever, the rationalist and the free thinker, the materialist and the hedonist all flourished in India (please see Indian philosophy volume 1, by S. Radhakrishnan (page 235 and 7). I think Asoka also tried to lift people from inertia and dogma, superstitions and put forward a rational, secular and humanistic program before the people.

Asoka’s family itself reflects the true spirit of eclectic religious beliefs. His grand father Chandragupta in his old age was converted to Jainism1, abdicated the throne, and became a wandering ascetic. He went to Sravana -Belgola with Bhadrabahu and he died in the orthodox Jainist way by slow starvation. Asoka’s father Bindusara was in favor of Ajivikas2. One Ajivika saint, Pingalavatsa who was at the court of Bindusara predicted the future of child Asoka.

Instead of the elaborate sacrifice, Buddhist ritual was centered round the cult of the Caityas and the worship of the Stupas. The Caityas were sacred enclosures associated previously with the earth spirits and the fertility cult (page 141). Megasthenes states that Indian society during Maurya period was divided into seven classes. They are philosophers, farmers, soldiers, herdsman, artisans, magistrates and councilors. With regards to sexual matters, the Hindu moral code was, during the period free from the guilt complexes which other religions have associated with sex, and consequently a far healthier attitude of mind was exhibited. There is a system of bride price, usually oxen. Prostitution was there. Prostitutes must pay tax. There is distinction between slaves and outcastes. Candalas,public executioners,hunters.acrobats, jugglers, leather workers, basket makers, nesadas, potters,weavers,barbers,dancers,snake-charmers and beggars were all grouped together as despises classes. Women were permitted to weave.

Summary of Asoka’s Dhamma.

Asoka has been compared with Emperor Constantine, who used Christianity but other faiths were given freedom and he has banned certain pre-Christian practices such as performing sacrifices at home. In the past historians interpreted the Asoka’s dhamma as propaganda of Buddhism. They suggested that he tried to make Buddhism as state religion. But Romila Thapar argued that this is wrong. She said Asoka’s policy of dhamma is secular and it was a plea for the recognition of the dignity of man, and for a humanistic spirit in the activities of the society. It transcends all barriers of sectarian belief and religious gospels. He appointed Dhamma Mahamatyas to implement his policies of Dhamma. It attempted to protect the weak against the strong and tried to promote a moral social behavior so broad in its scope that no cultural group could object to it. All of this in the third century B.C! Mind boggling, is not it?

Asoka’s Inscriptions and Rock Edicts say that:

1. Here no living being is to be killed and scarified. He sees much evil in some festivals and large gathering, which end with large scale sacrifices. Many hundreds of animals and birds were killed for meat in the royal kitchen. He limited the number to three animals and promised that even these three animals will be spared in future3.
2. Every where in the empire and its frontier lands and in the lands of Greek kings named Antiochus and others the beloved of the gods provided medical care for men and animals. Medicinal herbs whether useful to men or animals have been brought and planted wherever they did not grow. Along the roads wells have been dug and trees planted for the use of men and beasts4.
3. He appointed several officials in order to instruct people in the Dhamma as well as other purposes. Asoka instructed that it is good to be obedient to one’s mother and father, elders, friends and relatives to be generous to Brahmans and shramanas, it is good not to kill living beings, it is good not only to spend little, but to own the minimum of property5.
4. Due to the increase in the practice of Dhamma, the sound of the drum has become the sound of dhamma, showing the people displays of heavenly chariots, elephants and balls of fire and other divine forms6.
5. For I consider that there is no better work than promoting the welfare of the whole world. Whatever may be my good deeds, I have done them in order to discharge my debt to all beings. I work for their happiness in this life, that in the next they may gain heaven. May it endure long. May my sons, grand sons, and great grandsons strive for the welfare of the whole world. But this is difficult without great effort7.
6. He appointed the officers of Dhamma who are busy working for the welfare and happiness of those who are devoted to Dhamma, among people of all regions, Greeks, servants, nobles, royal family members , Brahmans, poor, aged, and prisoners8.
7. The king wishes that all sects may dwell in all places, for their self-control and
Purity of mind. But men have varying desires and passions. They will either practice all that is required or else only a part. But even he who is generous, yet has no self control, purity of mind, gratitude, and firm faith, is regarded as mean.9
8. In the pasts, kings went on hunting and pleasure tours. But after visiting the tree of enlightenment, he conducted tours only connected with dhamma. During the tours meetings and discussions are held with ascetics, Brahmans, old people, country side people, gold is distributed. The king has spent 256 nights on these tours. The king derives more pleasure from this than from any other enjoyments10.
9. People practice various ceremonies, in illness, marriages, birth of children, when going on a journey and on many other occasions. Women especially perform also many trivial and useless ceremonies which give small results. The ceremony of dhamma one should practice11.
10. It is very difficult for men, whether humble or highly placed to escape from the evil inclinations, without extreme effort and without renouncing everything else. It is particularly difficult for the highly placed12.
11. There is no gift comparable to the gift of Dhamma, the praise of Dhamma, the sharing of Dhamma, the fellowship of Dhamma. And this is—good behavior towards slaves and servants, obedience to mother and father, generosity towards friends, acquaintances, and relatives and towards Shramanas, Brahmans and abstention from killing living beings. Every one should say this is good, this is we should do13.
12. The beloved of the gods honours all sects and both ascetics and laymen, with gifts and various forms of recognition. But the Beloved of the Gods does not think gifts or honors as important as the advancement of the essential doctrine of all sects. The faiths of others all deserve to be honored for one reason or the other. By honoring them, one exalts one’s own faith and at the same time performs a service to the faith of others. By acting otherwise, one injures one’s faith and also does disservice to others. Control of speech is also needed. For if a man exalts his own faith and disparages another because of devotion to his own and because he wants to glorify it, he seriously injures his own faith. The desire of the Beloved of the Gods is that all sects should be well-informed, and should teach which is good14.
13. When the king Piyadassi conquered Kalinga, a one hundred and fifty thousand people were deported, a hundred thousand were killed and many times that were perished. Afterwards after annexation of Kalinga the king practiced Dhamma. On conquering Kalinga the Beloved of the Gods felt remorse, for when an independent country is conquered the slaughter, death, and deportation of the people is extremely grievous to the king and weighs heavily on his mind. All suffer violence, murder, and separation from their loved ones. Even those who are fortunate to have escaped, and whose love is undiminished, suffer from the misfortune of their friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and relatives. All this suffering weighs heavily on the mind of the king.15
14. What is Dhamma? It is few faults and many good deeds, mercy, charity, truth, and purity. I have given the gift of insight in various forms. I have conferred many benefits on man, animals, birds, and fish, even to saving their lives, and I have done many other commendable deeds. I forbade the killing of the following species of animals, namely: parrots, mainas, red-headed ducks, chakravaka-geese, swans, nandi-mukhas, pigeons, bats, ants, tortoises, boneless fish, certain fish of the Ganges, skate, porcupines, squirrels, deer, lizards, domesticated animals, rhinoceroses, and all quadrupeds which are of no utility and are not eaten. She goats, ewes, and sows which are with young or giving suck are not to be killed, neither are their young up to the age of six months. Capons must not be made. Chaff which contains living things must not set on fire. Forests must not be burned in order to kill living things or without any good reason. No animal must be fed with another animal. In addition to these Asoka has also restricted catching and selling of fish and castrating of animals, and branding of cattle and horses. Prisoners were released 26 times. Men who are imprisoned and condemned to death are to be given three days respite
On the roads I have had banyan trees planted, which give shade to beasts and men, I have had mango-groves planted and I have had wells dug and rest houses built. Many watering places were made everywhere for the use of beasts and men. I follow Dhamma for the welfare and happiness of the world. I honor all sects with various kinds of reverences, and I consider visiting them in person to be most important. My officers of Dhamma are busy among members of all sects, ascetic and householders whatever good deeds I have done, the world has consented to them and followed them. I have all done this so that among my sons and great grandsons and as long as the sun and moon endure, men may follow dhamma. For following it one gains this world and the next.16

Conclusion;
We can reach to the conclusion that Emperor Asoka was a pioneer of so many new things. His genuine efforts and programs among the Greeks, the Kambojas, the Gandharas, the Risthikas, and Pitinikas, people of the west and south, and people of other kingdoms of the Indian subcontinent were intended for the establishment of Dhamma( through persuasion ), welfare and harmony among people. After Kalinga war, new conquests were stopped and peace prevailed in the subcontinent as Asoka turned to Ahimsa. Trade and economic activities flourished. Transportation was developed. State officials were instructed to be kind and helpful with people and to avoid harshness, rashness, anger, partiality etc. Asoka even thought of a common, uniform legal code for all, rich or poor (He used the exact words Danda Samata). The officials were asked to tour the entire length and breadth of the country to strive for the welfare of the people. The king was available at any hour to listen to the grievances. Perhaps at those times ‘the philosophy of the Indian culture took the view that the highest good is attainable in conduct, even if the highest reality is unthinkable in thought; Ahimsa is the highest attainable good for man’17

Asoka’s spiritualism was not narrow and sectarian. It affirmed life with dignity and not indifferent to socio-political life. It proposed equality, critical inquiry, doing away with social bigotry and religious dogmatism. He has not preached the denial of life of the senses. His views on religious harmony between different sects and preservation of bio-diversity, directly conveys the message that earth belongs to all species. He advocated moderation in consumption and possession of a fewer things and property. He abjured war and stopped further conquests, destruction of life, and turned to non-violence. He declared that his Dhamma has spread to the area of 1500 miles.

The 12th Major Rock Edict preaches the most important principle of coexistence of all sects in a plural, multi religious- racial –ethnic-heterodox society like ours. He said control of speech is also necessary. Bhagavadgita also preaches the spirit of tolerance which is an outstanding characteristic of Hindu thought.” Whoever with true devotion worships any deity, in him I deepen that devotion; and through it he fulfills his desire. ‘Those that devotedly worship other gods, they worship me though only imperfectly.”19 The same ideal has been carried forward by Gandhi. It was said that Gandhi was inspired by the Santi parva of Mahabharata which he studied with keen interest while in jail. In Santi Parva Bhisma said to Yudhisthira:” O king, truth expresses in thirteen indubitable forms-as impartiality, restraint, magnanimity, forgiveness, modesty, patience,tolerance,detachment, introspection, dignity, resoluteness, constancy and harmlessness”. Bikhu Parekh in his book on Gandhi wrote: Gandhi was deeply troubled by violence in all its crude and subtle forms, and passionately yearned to lead a life of true non-violence. He wondered if and how it was possible to be profoundly at peace with one self, with other human beings, and with one’s natural and social environment, how to live without hurting and harming a single living being and even wishing to do so.” “Gandhi thought the proper attitude to other religions was not tolerance but Sadbhava (good will) which implied ‘spiritual humility’ and a ‘feel for other religions’ and a willingness to see them flourish and learn from them.20 Just after Independence Indians promptly dumped Gandhian ideals. Due to want of a social revolution during the period of Independence movement radical transformation of the Indian society couldn’t took place at the grass root level. After the departure of the British, elite occupied the strategic hierarchic resources and positions and filled the vacuum generated. The vast masses who have actively participated in the freedom struggle were offered no role for transformation of the society and they became mere spectators. Defective development strategies from above were forced upon the masses with unsuccessful result and consequently vast masses of people numbering nearly twenty millions were displaced. Basic problems were not yet solved. Inequality, poverty increased. Now sectarian, communal clouds have started enveloping the social, political horizon of India. In this connection we have to recollect the fact that ‘In Europe prior to the World War II, a well organized extreme right wing movement was a significant part of the eventual rise of fascism. Religious emphases were charged with nationalism and overt discrimination against minorities- homosexuals, Jews, gypsies and communists (please see ‘contesting fundamentalisms, akar Books, Delhi-91, page 3).’Fundamentalist movements profess to be upholding some kind of orthodoxy or right practice and regard themselves as instrumental in preserving the tradition from erosion. Even though they claim to uphold a sacred past, their procedures and institutions requite new and actually constitute a reinterpretation of the past. Their practices also claim by tacit or explicit degree a masculine hegemony, which results in a male domination leadership or authority (see Contesting fundamentalisms- page 2-3) .Intellectuals like Asish Nandy say that state’s and secularist’s role is limited in spite of much rhetoric. Civil society also has to do much to contain the rot.

Howard Zinn said: “It is true that there is an infinite human capacity for violence. There is also an infinite potential for kindness. The unique ability of humans to imagine gives enormous power to idealism, an imagining of a better state of things not yet in existence. That power has been misused to send young men to war. But the power of idealism can also be used to attain justice, to end the massive violence of war.” Asoka thought that the earth is for every one, human beings, birds, animals and all living beings. We have no right to annihilate them totally from this planet. Monstrous, arrogant , and coercive modern states with scant respect for human life, have forgotten the past lessons and developed suicidal nuclear weapons which can destroy our planet more than several tens of times. War has become a state-corporatist pre-planned adventure and a strategy which can bring profits, natural resources, and subjugation of the locals. Millions of humans are just expendable shit. Homo- Rapiens with greed, aggression, cruelty with speciesist mentality poisoned the planet and condemned humans and all other species to doom. ‘The great sociopathic planetcide processes during the period of the Anthropocoene led to deforestation and the demise of an estimated twenty thousand to two million species during the 20th century, ever increasing carbon pollution, acidification of the hydrosphere and radioactive contamination. Our loyalties are to the species and the planet.21 we have to speak for the Earth. Our obligation to survive is owed not just to ourselves but also to that Cosmos, ancient and vast, from which we spring.22
References / footnotes

1 In Jain belief, the universe functions in accordance with a natural law; this eliminates the necessity of any commitment regarding the existence of god. The universe moves in a series of waves, a regular movement of progress and decline. The human body is merely dross covering the soul and release from rebirth can only be achieved when the soul is again in its original pure state (Page 138).
2 These ascetics believe in passivity and quietude. Digha Nikaya says that Ajivikas have a sense of self-respect, conscientiousness, continence, and a very tender regard for animals and all forms of life An Ajivika never incurred the guilt of obeying another man’s command; refused to accept food which was specially prepared for him; did not accept food from people when they were eating, lest they should run short of it; did not collect food in time of drought; did not accept food where a dog was standing by or flies were swarming around, lest they should lose a meal; and did not eat fish or meat, nor take intoxicants. Purana Kassapa denied action through his the theory of passivity of soul, and Ajita Keshambalin eliminated the scope of retribution through his annihilationism, and finally, Gosala by his theory of determinism denied both action and results ( Please see ‘A people’s history of India 3A- By Krishna Mohan Shrimali, Tulika Books, page 113 ).
3 Abridged version of 1st Major Rock Edict
4 Abridged version of 2ndMajor Rock Edict.
5 Abridged version of 3rd Major Rock Edict.
6 Abridged version of 4th Major Rock Edict.
7 Abridged version of 6th Major Rock Edict.
8 Abridged version of 5th Major Rock Edict.
9 Abridged version of 7th Major Rock Edict
10 Abridged version of 8th Major Rock Edict.
11 Abridged version of 9th Major Rock Edict.
12 Abridged version of 10th Major Rock Edict
13 Abridged version of 11th Major Rock Edict.
14 Abridged version of 12th Major Rock Edict.
15 Abridged version of 13th Major Rock Edict.
16 Based on Minor Rock Inscriptions and The Pillar Edicts.
17 Mundaka Upanishad II.2.2
18 deleted
19 Please see ‘ Outlines of Indian Philosophy’ by M. Hiriyanna (page116)
20 Please see ‘Gandhi- A very short Introduction’ by Bikhu Parekh, page 44.
21 See Emily Spence article dated 5.2.09 on the web site countercurrents.org
22 Carl Sagan, Cosmos, 1980.