Table of Contents
Who was sent as an ambassador to the Mauryan court?
Megasthenes, (born c. 350 bc—died c. 290), ancient Greek historian and diplomat, author of an account of India, the Indica, in four books. An Ionian, he was sent by the Hellenistic king Seleucus I on embassies to the Mauryan emperor Chandragupta.
What was the message Ashoka spread all over the world?
> He was an Indian emperor of the Maurya dynasty, who ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent from 268 to 232 BCE. > The grandson of the founder of the Maurya Dynasty, Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka promoted the spread of Buddhism across ancient Asia.
What did Ashoka do for spreading Buddhism overseas?
Ashoka promoted Buddhist expansion by sending monks to surrounding territories to share the teachings of the Buddha. A wave of conversion began, and Buddhism spread not only through India, but also internationally.
Why was Megasthenes sent to the court of Chandragupta?
Notes: Megasthenes was sent by the Greek ruler Seleucus I Nicator as an ambassador in the court of Chandragupta Maurya in Pataliputra.
Who was the Greek ambassador in the court of Ashoka?
Dionysius (Greek: Διονύσιος) was a Greek of the 3rd century BCE, who was sent as ambassador to the court of the Indian emperor Ashoka, by Ptolemy Philadelphus.
What were the reasons for adopting Dhamma?
Ashoka pleaded for tolerance of different religious sects in an attempt to create a sense of harmony. The policy of Dhamma also laid stress on non-violence, which was to be practiced by giving up war and conquests and also as a restraint on the killing of animals.
Why did Ashoka spread the Dhamma?
Ashoka wanted to spread Dhamma because : (i) Ashoka felt that he had a duty to instruct his subject and he was also inspired by the teachings of the Buddha. (ii) A number of problems such as the people in the Empire followed different religions, and this sometimes lead to conflict that troubled him a lot.
Why was Ashoka called Ashoka the Great?
He is called great because of his model rule based on peace and compassion that helped in unifying the culturally diverse empire under a centralised administration.
What was the purpose of Megasthenes visit?
Hint: He visited India at some point between the 302 and 298 B.C. Megasthenes as a Greek envoy of Seleucus I Nicator visited Pataliputra. He was highly impressed to see the political arrangements made under the reign of the then ruler and also how he unified most of India under one administration.
Why is Ashoka considered the greatest ruler of India?
Because Asoka holds an important position not only in the history of India, but in the history of the world as well. The trend set by Chandragupta Maurya and Bindusara, Ashoka continued the mission of unifying the Indian subcontinent.
What was the relationship between Ashoka and his brothers?
Ashoka was the third emperor of the Mauryan dynasty, grandson of its founder Chandragupta and son of the second emperor, Bindusara. Upon Bindusara’s death, Ashoka and his brothers engaged in a war of succession, and Ashoka emerged victorious after several years of conflict. What were Ashoka’s beliefs?
Why did Ashoka send his son as a missionary to Sri Lanka?
The Sinhalese chronicle Mahavamsa says that when the order decided to send preaching missions abroad, Ashoka helped them enthusiastically and sent his own son and daughter as missionaries to Sri Lanka.
What did Ashoka do after the war with Kalinga?
Legend says that one day after the war was over, Ashoka ventured out to roam the city and all he could see were burnt houses and scattered corpses. The lethal war with Kalinga transformed the vengeful Emperor Ashoka to a stable and peaceful emperor and he became a patron of Buddhism.