How Did Ashoka Influence The Spread Of Buddhism

Buddhism began with Siddharrtha Gautama, also known as the Buddha, in northern India in the fifth century B.C.E. Buddha literally means the “Awakened” or “Enlightened One”. [1] The Buddha’s intention was not to create a religion that would unite Indian society, but instead “His stated goal was to teach people how to break out of the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.” [2] Buddha lived to be almost eighty and died at around 400 B.C.E. Ashoka’s support of Buddhism was a crucial moment in time that helped flourish the religion that would eventually spread to Sri Lanka, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Tibet, China and Japan. [2]

Ashoka (304-232 B.C.E.) was the third ruler of the Mauryan dynasty (320-185 B.C.E.), that spread to all of north
In Southeast Asia during 300-1000 C.E. Hinduism and Buddhism began to develop through missionaries from India. Jayavarman II’s reign marked the beginning of the Angkor period (802–1431). He was a patronage of Hinduism, but was drawn by the Buddhism chakravartin ideal. He did not conquer them through militarily force to gain their allegiance. Instead, he was acknowledged by them as a Bhakti teacher who could provide them with closer access to Shiva. The following Angkor kings adopted this combination of Hindu and
Confucianism in China was a strong family oriented society and found the Buddhist teachings of abandoning one’s family obligations to seek enlightenment unappealing. The first Chinese to worship Buddha did so because they thought that he was capable of miracles. In 65 C.E., there is a document of a prince worshiping Buddha beside a Daoist deity, indicating that they might have been a little confused on what Buddha was and they thought that he was a Daoist deity. During the Six Dynasties (220-589 C.E.) is when the first converts of Buddhism took place in China. Shi Le (274–333) was a local ruler who was drawn to Buddhism as an alternative to Confucianism, were he could aspire to be a chakravartin ruler. The ordinary people at this time made compromises and would allow one child to join Buddhism to gain merit, but were afraid that the vows of celibacy would not ensure them that they would be cared for or perform their ancestral worship. By the end of the Six Dynasties, Buddhism had a strong footing in China. The Sui and Tang Dynasties that followed the Six Dynasties both adopted the chakravartin ideal, hoping that Buddhism would unite their subjects.