https://buddhism.about.com/b/2008/10/28/how-buddhists-invented-democracy.htm

How Buddhists Invented Democracy

OK, Buddhists may not have invented democracy. History professors argue that the Athenians invented democracy ca. 500 BCE. However, as democratic government was getting underway in Athens, the First Buddhist Council convened in India. The Council, which met about 480 BCE, give or take, was an exercise in democracy.

According to tradition, the Council consisted of 500 of the historical Buddha's disciples, who met after the Buddha's death to discuss how to preserve his teachings. The assembly listened to the monk Upali recite the rules of the monastic orders and the monk Ananda recite the Buddha's sermons. The assembly came to agreement that the recitations accurately reflected the teachings of the Buddha, and so they were preserved as the Vinaya-pitaka and Sutta-pitaka of the Pali Canon.

Historians, who often are no fun at all, argue that there is little corroboration that the Council took place, and if it did it was probably a smaller gathering than what is described in tradition. Even so, the Pali Canon, which reached final form before the Common Era, contains other descripttions of people making public decisions through assemblies, moots and parliaments.

Historian Steve Muhlberger argues that early Buddhist literature contains rich evidence that democratic governments flourished in India during the time of the Greek democracies and the Roman republic. This evidence is corroborated in some Hindu texts, such as the Mahabharata, and by coins and inscripttions. So, while Buddhists may not have invented democracy, there is a tradition of democracy strongly rooted in the earliest days of Buddhism.

Emperor Ashoka

First Online: April 17, 2000
Page Last Updated: January 04, 2011

Ashoka (also sometimes transliterated as "Asoka"), the grandson of Chandragupta – the founder of the Mauryan dynasty – and the son of Bindusara, came to the throne circa 268 B.C. and died approximately 233 B.C. He is chiefly known from his series of rock and pillar inscripttions, which are found scattered in various parts of India and provide important information about his reign and policies. After eight years of rule, he waged a fierce war against the kingdom of Kalinga (Orissa of today) and was so horrified at the carnage he had caused that he gave up violence and turned toBuddhism.

In his efforts to propagate Buddhism, Ashoka built shrines and monasteries and inscribed Buddhistteachings on rocks and pillars in many places. He sent missionaries to countries as remote as Greece and Egypt; his own son, a monk, carried Buddhism to Sri Lanka, where it is still the major religion. Despite Ashoka's vigorous exertions of faith, he was tolerant of other religions. The empire enjoyed remarkable prosperity during his reign.

Some Indian historians think that his policy of peace led to the downfall of the Mauryan empire, which fell apart after his death. He was soon largely forgotten by Indian tradition and only remembered in Buddhist circles as a great patron of the faith. With the deciphering of his inscripttions during the 19th century, he took his rightful place in world history as one of the most benevolent rulers of antiquity.

King Ashoka was responsible for a number of Buddhist monuments

The splendid monolithic stone pillars on which many of Ashokan inscripttions are engraved, are among the masterpieces of Indian art, and the capital atop one of them, the Sarnath Pillar, inspired the use of back-to-back lions that is the Indian national emblem (shown in the picture above.)   The 24-spokedAshoka-chakra, which has found its way into the Indian national flag also a fine artifact of Ashoka's period.

K.L. Kamat/Kamat's Potpourri

Emperor Ashoka (B.C. 304-239)
Emperor Ashoka as a great ruler of India and as promoter of Buddhism holds an important role in the history of the world.