Asoka the Great

Paper Summary:

This paper writes about the Indian King Asoka, who ruled in the Maurya Dynasty. The author explains how King Asoka acquired the title of 'Asoka the Great' - through the relevance of his superior reign and his efforts to make India a place of serenity, by advocating social concern, religious tolerance, and conquest through the teaching of Dharma. The author then recounts King Asoka's conversion to Buddhism and explains how his Buddhist pursuits and convictions made him a legend in his own time because he literally changed the world around him. King Asoka became a ruler transformed for the better by spirituality, and the author advocates that King Asoka has shown that if tempered, religious convictions can be useful for all involved.

From the Paper:

"King Asoka was a superior model for leadership because he did not allow his place in society to get the best of him. Instead, his place allowed him to reach more people and spread his religious convictions. His conversion and religious inclinations cannot be slighted when we make this observation. Asoka was changed because of what he believed and, as a result, those around him and those influenced by his power were blessed. His spirituality allowed him to help, convert, and lead others. Asoka is a testament to many leaders today in a world where we are told that religion and government should not or cannot coexist. He defies this notion, setting an example centuries later proving that, if tempered, religious convictions can be useful for all involved."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Albinski, Henry. "The Place of the Emperor Asoka in Ancient Indian Political Thought." JSTOR Resource Database. Site Accessed May 20, 2008. <http://www.jstor.org>
• Boorstin, Daniel. The Discoverers. New York: Random House. 1983.
• Chodorow, Stanley, et al. A History of the World. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Javonovich, Publishers. 1986.
• Craig, Albert, et al. The Heritage of World Civilizations: Combined Edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 2002.
• Noble, Thomas, et al. Western Civilization: The Continuing Experiment. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1994.

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