________________
Corroboration of the Conclusion
:
129
gold-pieces, and built a Caitya. Rsipatana (Säranātha) near Benaras, where Gautama had turned the wheel of law and Kuśinārā, where the teacher had passed away, were also visited with similar observances. At Sarāvasti the pilgrims did reverence to the Jetavana monastery, where Goutama had so long dwelt and taught, and to the Stūpas of his disciples, Sāriputra, Maudgalāyana, and Mahākaśyapa. But when the king visited the Stūpa of Vakkula, he gave only one copper coin, in as much as Vakkula had met with few obstacles in the path of holiness and had done little good to his fellow creatures. At the Stupa of Ānanda the faithful attendant of Gautama, the royal gift amounted to six million gold pieces."
Many a scholars are of the view that Asoka had also become a Buddhist monk in his life-time may it be only for a short time. It seems most probable that the above pilgrimage was undertaken by Aśoka in the form of a Buddhist monk. But it does not mean that he ceased to be the king at that time.
Thus the purport of the expression “Samghe-Upete” also becomes meaningful. Asoka has stated in the above edicts that he became a lay-disciple 21 years before his stage of "Joining the Order” (Sarghe-Upete). Now, if Asoka "Joined the Order” 20 years after his consecration, as stated by him in the Rummindei pillar Edict, he must have become a lay disciple 173 years after his consecration. This is exactly the time of the ‘Third Buddhist Council'l. Though generally it is held that Asoka became a follower of Buddhism 9 years after his consecration, it seems that he considered himself initiated into "formal Upāsaka-dharama (rules of the laydisciple)" from the time of the Third Buddhist Council.
1. Cf. Asoka, by V.A. Smith, p. 211.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
