64 CHAPTER THREErespect for teachers and elders. Still, his language, modes of expression, and
injunctions betray a Buddhist orientation. He uses the intramural word Sangha,
rather than the extramural Buddhists, to refer to the Buddhist monks and nuns
even in the extramural edicts. Dharma, for him, refers to moral values as well
as the qualities of heart that underlie moral action. This too is a specifically
Buddhist use of the term. The only other religion of the time that used
Dharma in anywhere near this sense was Brahmanism, which defined it as the
moral rules and ritual behavior enjoined by the Vedas. The Vedic rules, how-
ever, make no reference to qualities of the heart, and Asoka's belittling of ritu-
als in one of his edicts, together with his outlawing of animal sacrifices,
indicates that he was not looking to the Vedas for guidance. In fact, the ideals
he espouses correspond to the first four of the perfections-generosity, moral-
ity, patience (tolerance), and vigor-and the first three steps of the Buddha's
graduated discourse (see Section 2.4). The attitudes he expresses fall under the
four Brahma Attitudes (see Section 1.4.2). On the whole, it seems safe to as-
sume that Buddhists have been correct in claiming Asoka as one of their own.
By Asoka's own analysis, his domestic Dharma policy had three prongs:
personal Dharma practice on his own part, administration in line with the
Dharma, and Dharma instruction for the populace. In terms of his own prac-
tice, ASoka ended the slaughter of animals in the royal kitchens and abandoned
the sport of royal hunting excursions, replacing them with Dharma excursions
on which he would take pilgrimages to holy spots, visit srama:t).aS and brahmin
priests, give donations to religious mendicants and to the aged, and discuss
Dharma with the general populace. Appropriately, his first Dharma pilgrim-
age was to Bodhgaya, the site of the Buddha's Awakening (Strong EB, sec.
1.2). Later in his reign he visited Lumbini, the site of the Buddha's birth,
where he erected a commemorative pillar that still stands today. In the same
region in 253 B.C.E., he ordered the enlargement of the stupa dedicated to the
former Buddha Konamakamuni. The inscription recording this act is the ear-
liest datable evidence for the doctrine and cult of Buddhas who had lived prior
to Gautama. Asoka's first wife came from Vidisa, which is apparently why he
sponsored the first stage of construction of the still-famous stupa on the nearby
hill of Sanchi, the most extensive and perhaps loveliest of all early Buddhist
holy places still standing in India. Tradition maintains that Asoka built 84,000
stu pas altogether, but even the more modest tally of history and archaeology
-abundantly testifies that honoring the Buddha ranked as highly as ethical con-
duct in Asoka's personal religious beliefs. As stated previously, Asoka made
donations to all sects, but his support for the Buddhist Sangha was prodigious,
reportedly causing recruits to flock to the order arid demonstrating the oft-
repeat!ed rule that the survival and prosperity of Buddhism have usually de-
pended on the support of rulers.
Asoka's administrative reforms were aimed at facilitating redress of griev-
ances against petty officials. Inspectors were sent out to check on the fair ad-
ministration of justice, especially in the newly conquered area of Kalinga.
Special officials were appointed with the power to convey petitions from the
populace to the king at any time, even when he was in his women's quarters.