Asoka The Great

The book is the first comprehensive and uptodate study on Asoka The Great, the greatest monarch ever to rule India. Divided into 25 chapters, it presents a critical assessment of Asoka\'s greatness and glory as a man, as a king, and as a patron of Buddhism. It also gives a detailed analysis of the Asokan edicts - their purpose, language, contents, chronology and locations as well as their historical importance. The book throws fresh light on Asoka\'s Dhamma, his contribution to Buddhism, and the reasons which led to the decline of the Mauryan empire. The book further attempts to probe how and why Asoka was forgotten by Indians, and how he was re-discovered by the curious Britishers in the 19th century. The book also brings out in bold relief the rich legacy of Asoka in the life and culture of modern India.
Contents:-
Preface
1. The Buddha and Magadha
2. The Rise of Magadha
3. Chandragupta Maurya
4. Asoka Ascends the Throne
5. A Turning Point
6. Asoka and the Sangha
7. The Seven Dhamma Texts
8. The Beginning of Dhamma Propagation
9. Asoka\'s Benevolence
10. Ashoka\'s Reforms
11. Asoka\'s Remorse
12. Asoka\'s Dhamma
13. The Third Buddhist Council
14. Dhamma-Vijaya
15. 84,000 Stupas
16. The last Days of Asoka
17. Asoka and Decline of Mauryan Empire
18. The Successors of Asoka
19. Indian\'s Forget Asoka
20. Asoka Re-discovered
21. Asokan Pillars
22. Analysis of the Edicts of Asoka
23. Historical Significance of the Edicts
24. The Asoka Legacy
25. Asoka\'s Greatness