Who among the following Mauryan rulers was the first, who tried to convey his messages to his subjects concerning the idea and practice of dhamma through inscriptions?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 2 i.e. Ashoka.
- The Mauryan ruler who was the first to try to convey his messages to his subjects concerning the idea and practice of dhamma through inscriptions was Ashoka.
- Ashoka, the third ruler of the Mauryan dynasty, is regarded as one of the greatest emperors of the ancient world.
- After the Kalinga War, Emperor Ashoka embraced Buddhism and began promoting Dhamma as a unifying ethical code to guide the moral and social conduct of people across his vast empire.
- He issued edicts (both rock edicts and pillar edicts) inscribed in the Prakrit language and Brahmi script (and others), which were placed in public places to reach common people.