300 BCE – 232 BCE

1
Ashoka/Asoka the Great

• 300 BCE 232 BCE
• Devin Ouellette

2
Location
India
3
Timeline
Conversion to Buddhism 263 BCE
Death in 232 BCE
Birth of Asoka 300 BCE
Reign begins 272 BCE
Marriage 284 BCE
4
Historical Importance

• 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.

5
Chandragupta Maurya
Chandragupta was the grandfather of Asoka. He
founded the Mauryan Empire. He gained power
shortly after Alexander s death. Once he was in
power he forced all Greek inhabitants to leave.
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Other relevant

• Asoka was a very compassionate king as he knew
  exactly what was happening in every portion of
  his kingdom. It is even said that he would not
  eat his supper until he fed 1000 Brahmins.
• To the east of Asokas empire was the empire of
  Kaling(a). Kalinga was a country that had very
  fertile lands and Ashoka decided that he wished
  to have these lands for himself. He surrounded
  the country with his soldiers. A war ensued and
  Ashoka stood in the aftermath of a battle and was
  appalled at how many suffered for his greed, he
  then took an oath to never wage war again.

7
Indias Flag
After Asokas 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.
8
Ashokas Wheel of Law

• Asokas 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.

9
Religion

• Under Ashokas rule religion flourished. In
  particular Buddhism received a significant boost
  when Asoka converted to Buddhism.
• Buddhism
• Religion created by Siddhartha Gautama
• Believe in reincarnation, karma and nirvana
  (realm that is reached at the end of an
  individuals reincarnation cycle)
• Main ideology includes self-sacrafice, humility
  and detachment from worldly pleasures.

10
Religion Continued

• Ashoka was first introduced to Buddhism when he
  was injured on the battlefield and was tended to
  by a Buddhist monks.

11
Personal Information

• 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 Ashokas 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.

12
Asoka the terrible

• Before Ashokas 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.

13
Bibliography

• "Asoka - The Great Biography,Ashoka - The Great
  The Legend,Ashoka - The Great Interviews,Ashoka -
  The Great biography for kids,,Ashoka - The Great
  Autobiography, Ashoka Chakra, Son of Binder Sar,
  Grandson of Chander Gupta Maurya, Patli Putra,
  Radha Gupt, Suman, Ashoka great philanthropist,
  Himalayas, Nepal, Kashmir, Mysore State,
  Baluchistan, Afghanistan, Brahamputra,
  Saurashtra, Junagarh, Godawari, Mahanadi, Bay of
  Bengal,Kalinga war, Anandiji, Ashoka embraced
  Budhism,History Biography for children,Life line
  of Ashoka - The Great,Write life sketch of Ashoka
  - The Great,Mauryan Emperor (273-232 B.C.)."
  4to40Indian Kids Portal,Kids Portal for
  Parents,Kids Networking site,children, kids,
  parents, news, jokes, stories, books, poems,
  activities, features, parenting, environment,
  e-pals, chat, postcards, opinion, forum, free,
  school, india. 16 Dec. 2009 lthttp//www.4to40.com/
  legends/index.asp?id133gt.

14
Bibliography Continued

• "Ashoka the Great -." Wikipedia, the free
  encyclopedia. Web. 21 Dec. 2009.
  lthttp//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka_the_Greatgt.
• "Google Image Result for http//upload.wikimedia.o
  rg/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Ashoka_Chakra.svg/
  414px-Ashoka_Chakra.svg.png." Google Images. Web.
  21 Dec. 2009. lthttp//images.google.ca/imgres?imgu
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  humb/1/17/Ashoka_Chakra.svg/414px-Ashoka_Chakra.sv
  g.pngimgrefurlhttp//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
  FileAshoka_Chakra.svgusg__eBagPau5WWRznJwTI0nT1
  9FegWMh414w414sz57hlenstart1um1tbnid
  tHfV9q0dZR2ogMtbnh125tbnw125prev/images3F
  q3Dashoka2527s2Bchakra26hl3Den26client3Dfir
  efox-a26rls3Dorg.mozillaen-USofficial26sa3DN
  26um3D1gt.

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More Bibliography

• "Image Result for http//www.khosla.in/images/Huma
  nity.jpg." Google. Web. 21 Dec. 2009.
  lthttp//www.google.ca/imgres?imgurlhttp//www.kho
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  osla.in/inspiration.aspxh446w500sz23tbnidf
  vXVEqUEXi9RzMtbnh116tbnw130prev/images3Fq
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