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to govern his kingdom righteously and kindly in accordance with the duty of pious kings.' In other words, term Dhamma, used in the rock and pillar edicts, Fleet takes as the · ordinary ' Dharma of kings, which is laid down in the Manavadharmasasara, 1–114, as one of the topics of that work.' According to him, Asoka was converted to Buddhism in the thirtieth year from his coronation, that is, two year after the pillar edicts were engraved. Evidently, Fleet ignores The fact that, the Dhamma Asoka refers to in his rock and pillar edicts is intended for being put into practice, not by himself or his officers, but by all men. Obedience to parents, respect for teachers, seemly behaviour towords relatives and so forth, as we shall see later on, are some of the practices of Dhamma taught by Asoka. This Dhamma can not possibly be raja-Dhamma, which represents a code of duties for a king and his officers to perform and not for his people.
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( અશોક બુદ્ધધર્મના અનુયાયી કયારે થયો એ પ્રશ્નને અંગે મતભેદ હવે શકય છે. આ પ્રશ્નના સંબંધમાં, ડૉ. જી. ઍડ્. ફ્લીટ નામના વિદ્વાને છેલ્લે વિચાર કર્યાં હતા. ખડકલેખા અને સ્ત'ભલેખામાં જણાવવામાં આવેલા ધર્મ એ કઈ રીતે બુદ્ધ ધર્મ નથી એવા તેમને મત છે. લેખમાં
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બુદ્ધ' શબ્દના ઉલ્લેખ જ નથી અને ‘ સંઘ” શબ્દ માત્ર
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat www.umaragyanbhandar.com
