Ashoka’s Buddhist Legacy and Samprati’s Jain Patronage
Context:
On the recent occasion of Mahavir Jayanti (March 31), the Prime Minister inaugurated the Samrat Samprati (the grandson of the Mauryan ruler Ashoka) Museum in Koba, Gandhinagar.
Ashoka’s Buddhist Legacy:
Ruling from circa 269 to 232 BCE, Ashoka is historically credited with expanding the vast Mauryan Empire before instituting a moral administrative framework heavily grounded in Buddhist virtues.
Ashok adopted policy of Dhammaghosh after bloodshed at Kalinga from his beri-ghosh policy.
Buddhist traditions often regard Ashoka as the primary figure responsible for almost single-handedly spreading Buddhism beyond its origins in the north Indian landscape.
According to historians, Ashoka created a lasting model for "ethical kingship" that persists even today.
Furthermore, he instituted the profound Buddhist ritual culture of building and venerating stupas throughout his territories.
Samprati, The "Ashoka of Jainism":
While the Mauryan era is heavily associated with Buddhism, Jainism remained a highly significant religious tradition.
Interestingly, historical texts note that Ashoka's first (not first but) later wife, Padmavati, was actually a Jain.
Unlike his grandfather, Samprati (grandson of Padmavati and Ashoka) is remembered for his deep devotion to the Jain dharma as a dedicated follower of the monk Suhastin.
He was instrumental in spreading the Jain faith across the subcontinent and beyond.
Drawing striking parallels to Ashoka's Buddhist missions, Samprati actively enabled Jain monks to travel to foreign lands to spread their teachings.
He spread the ritual culture of Jain temples and icons.
Traditional accounts credit Samprati (celebrated as Jain Ashoka) with constructing 125,000 new temples, renovating 36,000 older ones, consecrating millions of stone and metal icons, and establishing 700 charitable centers for the poor.
Because of these massive infrastructural and missionary contributions, Samprati occupies a place in the Jain history of western India that is closely analogous to Ashoka's role in Buddhist history.