Jainism Early Faith of Ashoka

Author(s): Edward Thomas
Publisher: Trubner and Company London

Page 66

32
THE EARLY FAITH OF AŞOKA.
In brief, this extraneous evidence, from possibly secondary Jaina sources, is fully consistent with what Asoka has still to disclose in the texts of his own inscriptions ; but it conveys, indirectly, even more than those formal and largely-distributed official documents—which merely allow us to infer that Aşoka's conversion to Buddhism occurred late in his life or reign. But the annals of Kashmir, on the other hand, more emphatically imply that either he did not seek to spread, or had not the chance or opportunity of propagating his new faith in the outlying sections of his dominions; and that, in this valley of Kashmír, at least, Buddhism came after him, as a consequence of his southern surrender rather than as a deliberate promulgation of a well-matured belief on his part.
The leading fact of Aşoka's introduction or recognition of the Jaina creed in Kashmir, above stated, does not, however, rest upon the sole testimony of the Muhammadan author, but is freely acknowledged in the Brahmanical pages of the Rája Tarangiņi—a work which, though finally compiled and put together only in 1148 A.D., relies, in this section of its history, upon the more archaic writings of Padma Mihira and Sri Chhavillákára. Professor. Wilson's recapitulation of the context of this passage is somewhat obscure, as, while hesitating to admit that Aşoka “introduced” into Kashmir "the Jina Sásana," he, inconsistently, affirms that “he invented or originated" it. If so, we must suppose that Jainism had its germ and infantile birth in an outlying valley of the Himalaya in: 250 B.C.--a conclusion which is beyond measure improbable.
Professor Wilson's paraphrase runs: “The last of these princes being childless, the crown of Kashmir reverted to the family of its former rulere, and devolved on AŞOKA, who was descended from the paternal great uncle of KHAGENDRA. This prince, it is said in the A'in i-Akbari, abolished the Brahmanical rites, and substituted those of Jina: from the original (text of the Raja Tarangiai), however, it appears that he by no means attempted the former of these heinous acts, and that, on the contrary, he was a pious worshipper of Şiva, an ancient temple of whom in the character of Vijayeşa he repaired. With respect to the second charge, there is better foundation for it, although it appears that this prince did not introduce, but invented or originated the Jina Sdsana." Ae. Res. vol. xv. p. 19.
The text and purport of the original are subjoined; the latter rune: " Then the prince Asoka, the lover of truth, obtained the earth; who einning in subdued affections produced the Jina Sdsana. Jaloka, the son and successor of Asoka,