It is also said that just like Ashoka, Samprati sent messengers & preachers to Greece, Persia & the Middle East to facilitate the spread of Jainism.

Later Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt and contemporary of Ashoka the Great, is also recorded by Pliny the Elder as having sent an ambassador named Dionysius to the Mauryan court.

In the 3rd century BCE, Dharmaraksita — among others — was sent out by emperor Ashoka to proselytize the Buddhist tradition through the Indian Maurya Empire, but also into the Mediterranean as far as Greece.

Later Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt and contemporary of Ashoka the Great, is also recorded by Pliny the Elder as having sent an ambassador named Dionysius to the Mauryan court.

These similarities might be attributed to Buddhist missionaries sent as early as Emperor Ashoka around 250 BCE in many of the Greek Seleucid kingdoms that existed then and then later became the same regions that Christianity began.

According to the Edicts of Ashoka, set in stone, some of them written in Greek and some in Achemenid script, he sent Buddhist emissaries to the Greek lands in Asia and as far as the Mediterranean.

Ashoka sent many Buddhist missions to West Asia, Greece and South East Asia, and commissioned the construction of monasteries, schools and publication of Buddhist literature across the empire.

It is also said that just like Ashoka, Samprati sent messengers & preachers to Greece, Persia & middle-east for the spread of Jainism.

Later Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt and contemporary of Ashoka the Great, is also recorded by Pliny the Elder as having sent an ambassador named Dionysius to the Mauryan court.

Later Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt and contemporary of Ashoka, is also recorded by Pliny the Elder as having sent an ambassador named Dionysius to the Mauryan court.

In his edicts, Ashoka mentions that he had sent Buddhist emissaries to Greek rulers as far as the Mediterranean ( Edict No. 13 ), and that he developed herbal medicine in their territories, for the welfare of humans and animals ( Edict No. 2 ).

According to the Edicts of Ashoka, set in stone, some of them written in Greek, he sent Buddhist emissaries to the Greek lands in Asia and as far as the Mediterranean.

:" When the thera ( elder ) Moggaliputta, the illuminator of the religion of the Conqueror ( Ashoka ), had brought the ( third ) council to an end … he sent forth theras, one here and one there: … and to Aparantaka ( the " Western countries " corresponding to Gujarat and Sindh ) he sent the Greek ( Yona ) named Dhammarakkhita ... and the thera Maharakkhita he sent into the country of the Yona ".

Historical scholarship indicates that the early usage of the term ( as found in the edicts of Ashoka of India, who sent Buddhist missionaries there in the 3rd century BC ) indicated a location in southern India, and not in Southeast Asia.

Also, emissaries were sent to various countries in order to spread Buddhism, as far as the Greek kingdoms in the West ( in particular the neighboring Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, and possibly even farther according to the inscriptions left on stone pillars by Ashoka ).

In order to propagate the Buddhist faith, Ashoka explains he sent emissaries to the Hellenistic kings as far as the Mediterranean, and to the peoples throughout India, claiming they were all converted to the Dharma as a result.

These Greek missionaries appear in the list of the " elders " ( Pali: " thera ") sent far and wide by Emperor Ashoka:

Dharmarakṣita ( Sanskrit ), or Dhammarakkhita ( Pali ) ( translation: Protected by the Dharma ), was one of the missionaries sent by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka to proselytize the Buddhist faith.

Ashoka also claimed to have sent emissaries beyond his borders, as far as the Greek kings of the Mediterranean:

After third Buddhist Council, king Ashoka sent dhamma missionaries to Nepal.

Some western historians believe Emperor Ashoka sent Buddhist missionaries to China, citing the ( ca.

Ashoka sent missionaries to the Kambojas to convert them to Buddhism, and recorded this fact in his Rock Edict V. Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa attest that Ashoka sent missionaries to Yona, Kashmir and Gandhara to preach among the Yonas, Gandharas and Kambojas.

The Government of India conferred its highest gallantry award ( during peace time ), the Ashoka Chakra on him and the other two Soviet members of his mission.

It is said that she led an army of females against Ashoka in Kalinga after Kalinga had no males left to defend it.

Ashoka was successful only after a savage war, whose consequences changed Ashoka's views on war and led him to pledge never to wage a war.

Following the conquest of Kalinga, Ashoka ended the military expansion of the empire, and led the empire through more than 40 years of relative peace, harmony and prosperity.

The inscriptions on the Edicts of Ashoka | edicts of Ashoka ( 1st millennium BCE ) display this number system being used by the Imperial Maurya Empire | Mauryas.

The Empire was expanded into India's central and southern regions by the emperors Chandragupta and Bindusara, but it excluded a small portion of unexplored tribal and forested regions near Kalinga ( modern Orissa ), till it was conquered by Ashoka.

Buddhism was introduced in the 3rd century BC by Arhath Mahinda ( son of the Indian emperor Ashoka the Great ).

Buddhism is then said to have been introduced to the Sinhalese from India by Mahinda, son of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka the Great, during the 3rd century BC.

* Great Stupa, Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh, India, Maurya period, is founded by King Ashoka.

Chandragupta Basadi, which was dedicated to Chandragupta Maurya, was originally built there by Ashoka in the third century BC.

Freedom of religious worship was established in the Buddhist Maurya Empire of ancient India by Asoka the Great in the 3rd century BC, which was encapsulated in the Edicts of Ashoka.

The Latin term in turn may derive from " Piodasses ", an ancient Greek transliteration of the Indic Prakrit term " Piyadasi " (), meaning " beloved of the gods ", a term by which the Indian Maurya Emperor Ashoka the Great referred to himself in the Edicts of Ashoka ( 3rd century BC ).

* According to the Theravāda commentaries and chronicles, the Third Buddhist Council is convened by the Mauryan king Ashoka at Pataliputra ( modern Patna ), under the leadership of the monk Moggaliputta Tissa.

Supported by The Arghyam Foundation, The Ford Foundation & Sir Dorabiji Trust Through Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment ( ATREE )

Chandragupta Basadi, which was dedicated to Chandragupta Maurya, was originally built there by Emperor Ashoka in the third century BCE.

* c. 250 BCE: Third Buddhist Council, convened by Ashoka the Great and chaired by Moggaliputta Tissa, compiles the Kathavatthu to refute the heretical views and theories held by some Buddhist sects.

* c. 220 BCE: Theravada Buddhism is officially introduced to Sri Lanka by the Venerable Mahinda, son of the emperor Ashoka of India during the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa.

In 1896 Nepalese archaeologists ( effort by Khadga Samsher Rana ) discovered a great stone pillar at the site attributed to Ashoka.

It is believed that the pillar was established by the great king Ashoka in about 345 BC.

A small temple beneath the Bodhi tree, Bodh Gaya, built in 7th century, after the original built by Mauryan Emperor Ashoka in 3rd century BCE, ca.

A small temple beneath the Bodhi tree, Bodh Gaya, built in 7th century, after the original built by King Ashoka in 3rd century BCE, ca.