Spread Of Buddhism Under Ashoka

Exam-Oriented Q&A

Q1: Which major regions did Ashoka’s missionaries reach?
Answer: Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, and Hellenistic kingdoms in West Asia and Greece.

Q2: How did Ashoka use inscriptions to promote Buddhism?
Answer: He inscribed Dhamma edicts on rocks and pillars across his empire to disseminate moral guidelines and Buddhist principles.

Q3: Who led the missionary expedition to Sri Lanka?
Answer: His son Mahinda and daughter Sanghamitta established the Buddhist Sangha and Bhikkhuni order in Sri Lanka.

Q4: What role did the Third Buddhist Council play in spreading Buddhism?
Answer: It purified the Sangha, compiled the Abhidhamma Pitaka, and dispatched missions abroad under Ashoka’s patronage.

Q5: How did Ashokan patronage influence Buddhist art?
Answer: It led to the construction of monumental stupas and monolithic pillars, and fostered Greco-Buddhist syncretism in Gandhara.