Reasons why Dhamma had come into existence:-

• Economical conditions which led to dhamma:-
  1. The use of iron resulted in surplus production, and the economy changed from being a simple, rural economyto a pattern of economy in which urban centres became important.
  2. The use of Punch-marked silver coins and some other varieties of coins, the conscious intervention of the State to safeguard trade routes and the rise of urban centers point to a structural change in the economy, requiring adjustments in the society.
  3. The commercial classes had come to the forefront of society. The emergence of urban culturedemanded a flexible social organization. The incorporation of tribes and peoples from the outlying areas into the social fabric also presented a problem.
• Socio-religious conditions:-
  1. The response of the Brahmanical social order, which was based on the four-fold varna division, was to make the caste systemmore rigid and deny a higher status to the commercial class. The rigidity of the Brahmanical class system sharpened the divisions within the society.
  2. The Brahmanical hold over society, assiduously built through the later Vedic period, was coming under increasing attack. The privileges of the priests, the rigidity of the caste system and the elaborate rituals were being questioned.
  3. The lower orders turned to various heterodoxsects and this created social tensions. It was this situation which emperor Ashoka inherited when he ascended the Mauryan throne.
  4. Buddhism opposed the dominance of the Brahmans and the concept of sacrifices and rituals. It thus appealed to lower social orders and to emerging social classes. The human approach to relations in society preached by Buddhism further attracted different sections to itself.
  5. Another element in these heterogeneous strands, co-existing during the Mauryan period was the presence of a large foreign population in the North-West.
  6. It was essential to bring about a climate of harmony and mutual trust. In many tribal areas, people were unfamiliar with Brahmanical or heterodox ideas. To make the empire survive and to bring some cohesion within the empire in the midst of this diversity, some common patterns of behaviour and common approaches to the society’s problems were needed which culminated into the policy of Dhamma.
• Political conditions:
  1. The complexity of the state system demanded an imaginative policy from the emperor which required minimal use of force in such a large empire having diverse forms of economy and religions.
  2. A more feasible alternative was the propagation of a policy that would work at an ideological level and reach out to all sections of the society. The policy of Dharmawas such an endeavour.

Ashoka’s Dhamma:-

• Ashoka’s dhamma was neither a new religion nor a new political philosophy. Rather, it was a way of life, a code of conduct and a set of principles to be adopted and practised by the people at large. Dhamma related to generalized norms of social activities and behaviours.

Achievements :-

• It is an important document of his essential humanity and an answer to the socio political needs of the contemporaneous situation.
• It was not anti brahminical because respect for brahmins and sarmanas is an integral part of dhamma.
• One of the striking features of Asoka’s edicts is that he regards himself as a father figure. He constantly speaks of the father-child relationship between the king and his populace. In spite of his religious eclecticism, Ashoka denounced all useless ceremonies and sacrifices held under the influ­ence of superstition. The first Rock Edict prohibits the ritual of animal sacrifice and festive gatherings.
• While different major rock edicts talk about various aspects of the dhamma, the Major Rock Edict XI contains an elaborate explanation of the dhamma, apart from dealing with charity and kinship of humanity.
• The second Rock Edict describes the various measures taken by him such as the construction of roads and medical centres for men and animals. This is followed by advice to be liberal and generous to both Brahmins and sramanas. This again stresses the fact that the ruler was not bigoted about one religion.
• In the seventh Pillar Edict he orders the dhamma-mahammatas to look after the Brahmins and Ajivikas. The Dhamma-mahammatas were a special cadre of officials started by Asoka in the four­teenth year of his reign and they were responsible for the practical aspects of the propagation of dhamma and the welfare of the different religious sects.This indicates that the moral precepts preached by him were different from Buddhism. Asoka also started a system of dhammayatas or Yatras whereby be toured the country and preached the dhamma to the people.
• Throughout his edicts Ashoka stresses the importance of the family. The emphasis is on respecting elders including religious elders, a humane and just attitude towards servants and slaves and a high degree of social responsibility and civic ethics.
• Dhamma was not given any formal definition or structure. Ashoka pleaded for tolerance of different religious sects in an attempt to create a sense of harmony. The policy of Dhamma also laid stress on non-violence, which was to be practiced by giving up war and conquests and also as a restraint on the killing of animals.
• Ashoka set an example of vegetarianism by almost stopping the consumption of meat in the royal household.
• Since he wanted to conquer the world through love and faith, he sent many missions to propagate Dhamma. Such missions were sent to far off places like Egypt, Greece and Sri Lanka. The propagation of Dhamma included many measures of people’s welfare.

Failure:-

• His policy of dhamma failed to achieve the desired goal of reducing social tension .
• Power of official dhammamahamattas to interfere in the lives of people increased over time .There was resentment against officials.
• None of Ashoka successors continued the propagation of dhamma.
• The Ashoka policy of Dhamma has been the subject of controversy and debate amongst scholars. Some have said that Ashoka was a partisan Buddhist and have equated Dhamma with Buddhism.

Conclusion:-

• Ashoka’s “Dhamma” could not survive him; as such it was a failure. However, he was not establishing a new religion but was trying to impress upon the society the need for ethical and moral principles.