Ashoka was responsible for the spread of Buddhism not only in India but also outside India. He embraced Buddhism under the influence of Upa Gupta, a Buddhist saint. He took many measures for the spread of Buddhism. Some of them are given below:-

Ashoka and Buddhism

1. He visited the Buddhist holy places such as Lumbini Garden, Kapilvastu, Gaya, Saranath and Kushinagar and arranged discourses on religion.
2. Ashoka built a large number of monasteries all over the empire and spent large sums of money in endowing them.
3. He spread the doctrines of Buddha by engraving them on rocks, pillars and on the walls of the caves throughout the vast empire.
4. Ashoka appointed officers called Dharma Mahamatras, Yuktas and Rajjukas to spread Dharma among the people. He also appointed Stree Adhyaksha Mahamatra to take care of women and bring religious awareness among them.
5. He organized the third Buddhist Council at Pataliputra in 250 BCE to settle the internal differences among the monks.
6. Ashoka sent missionaries to preach Buddhism in Afghanistan, Burma, Sri Lanka and Europe. He sent his son Mahendra and daughter Sanghamitra to Sri Lanka with a Bodhi sapling as a symbol of peace.
7. Ashoka undertook many welfare activities. He dug wells, built rest houses, planted fruit bearing trees along road sides, constructed hospitals for men and animal and established schools. Ashoka made arrangement to feed the poor and physically unfit people. He was like a father to his subjects. His motto was “Service and sacrifice”

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